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Workers’ Descriptive Representation in the United Socialist Party, 1938–1968
Get PDFWorkers are significantly underrepresented in party politics, a reality that both reflects and perpetuates economic inequality. However, workers’ political representation and economic inequality vary across time and place. Using a unique dataset of membership registers, supplemented and verified by archival data from non-party sources (N=2,374) and secondary data on Iceland’s working population, this study examines workers’ descriptive representation in the United Socialist Party (USP) from 1938 to 1968. The USP presents an intriguing case for studying workers’ descriptive representation for three reasons: 1) Iceland was arguably the world’s most egalitarian modern democracy during the study period; 2) the USP actively recruited and substantively represented workers; but 3) it was neither a dominant political party, nor did USP membership facilitate members’ advancement in a society characterized by intense political patronage. Overall, the results show that workers were relatively well descriptively represented in the USP compared to Iceland’s working population during the study period. Workers were also over-represented among USP’s founding members. However, the descriptive and substantive representation of workers in the USP declined after the party’s founding. Furthermore, workers’ underrepresentation relative to the over-represented middle class was consistent and increased alongside Iceland’s middle-class growth and the decline of the working class. Additionally, workers were slightly under-represented on the USP’s central committee, while the middle class was vastly over-represented. These results offer a more nuanced view of workers’ political representation over time and across national contexts
Declining reading literacy hinders understanding of social discourse: assessment of the current situation and ways to improve
No full textÞessari grein er ætlað að draga fram með skýrum hætti hvernig íslenskt menntakerfi getur brugðist við hnignandi frammistöðu nemenda í lesskilningshluta PISA og undirbúið þá betur fyrir áframhaldandi nám og virka þátttöku í samfélaginu. Færð eru rök fyrir því að tækifæri til framfara liggja í skólastarfi, með aukinni áherslu á vandaða og markvissa lestrarkennslu og læsiseflandi viðfangsefni með vel völdum námsorðaforða, sem leiðir til djúps lesskilnings nemenda. Slíkur djúpur skilningur krefst færni í að finna upplýsingar í margs konar textum um áhugaverð samfélagsleg álitamál, greina, álykta, meta og taka afstöðu í rökræðum og rituðu máli. Hreyfiafl til framfara liggur hjá menntayfirvöldum sem þurfa að tryggja að kennarar fái fræðslu, stuðning og aðstæður til að veita öllum börnum og ungmennum mál- og læsiseflandi skólastarfIcelandic learners have demonstrated a dramatic decline on the reading literacy assessment of PISA. In 2000, Iceland was equivalent to the OECD average, whereas in 2022 Iceland was 40 points below average; this difference being equivalent to the average progress students make over two school years (Guðmundur Bjarki Þorgrímsson, 2023).
The aims of this article were 1) to examine to what extent the proficiency levels of the reading literacy part of PISA can be linked to societal discourse in Iceland; 2) to shed light on factors that underlie deep reading comprehension; and 3) to identify opportunities for improvement among students in Icelandic schools, based on research in Iceland and abroad.
The proficiency levels of the reading literacy part of PISA are linked to social discussions in Iceland about energy acquisition and utilization.
Halla Hrund Logadóttir, director of the National Energy Authority, wrote an article in the media (2024), emphasizing how important it is that the public take note of discussions on energy generation and utilization to safeguard the interests of the people and small industries.
Sigurður Hannesson, managing director of the Federation of Icelandic Industries (2024), stated that Halla Hrund might have initiated unnecessary conflicts over the nation’s common goals as regards the importance of increasing green energy in Iceland.
The Minister of Energy gave a speech in the parliament where he stated: „Regarding the energy shortage — due to climate goals, the world needs to increase green electricity production sixfold, sixfold. We only need to double it.“ (Guðlaugur Þór Þórðarson, 2024).
Snæbjörn Guðmundsson, a geologist and chairman of the environmental organization Náttúrugrið, wrote an article in the media (2024) where he listed all the power plants that had been launched, noting that 15 years earlier the Kárahnjúkar power plant was commissioned, and since then 36 power plants had been added.
The above debate can be linked to the highest proficiency levels in the reading literacy part of PISA. The subject is quite complex as well as the presentation of the content, i.e. media articles, a speech in the parliament and at an annual general meeting.
In this article, reading tasks relating to the above texts are presented involving the four highest proficiency levels (3, 4, 5 and 6), requiring learners to locate information across all texts, represent literal meaning and integrate and generate inferences. Additionally, there are questions comprising the two highest profiency levels (5 and 6), requiring the learners to assess credibility, by detecting and handling the conflicts presented in the texts, making connections with the authors\u27 background, social role and profession.
In total 36% of the Icelandic participants on PISA 2022 reached these four highest proficiency levels, whereas 25% reached only the basic level (2). Based on this level, reading tasks are only derived from the text by Halla Hrund Logadóttir, requiring learners to locate information, represent literal information, integrate and generate inferences.
Then there were 40% of Icelandic students who did not reach the minimum level (2), 32% of girls and 47% of boys. They struggle with texts that are only moderately long and complex, and with texts that deal with unfamiliar topics.
Almost a decade ago, an Icelandic study revealed that the Icelandic vocabulary of children in fourth grade, with Icelandic as a first and second language, predicted their rate of growth in reading comprehension over the middle school years (Sigríður Ólafsdóttir et al., 2016). The findings are twofold; firstly, they demonstrate the important role that Icelandic vocabulary plays in the development of reading comprehension and, secondly, that school activities are not effective enough to diminish the gap between stronger and weaker students. The PISA results do not indicate that the situation has improved.
Furthermore, the results of reading fluency tests by the Directorate of Education (Menntamálastofnun, n.d.) show that one out of every four 10th grade students has been below the minimum level in recent years. As regards reading instruction, emphasis on systematic phonics instruction has waxed and waned throughout the years (Rannveig Oddsdóttir o.fl., 2022; Rósa Eggertsdóttir, 2007; Skóli Ísaks Jónssonar, 2024; Steinunn Torfadóttir, 1996).
Improvements in learners’ reading comprehension can be achieved with code-based, explicit reading instruction in the first and second grade (Young, 2023). Children need rich language exposure in preschool and throughout compulsory school, emphasising systematically selected Icelandic Tier 2 words (Auður Pálsdóttir & Sigríður Ólafsdóttir, 2023; Hemphill et al., 2019; Jones et al., 2019). Students have to practice reading interesting texts from various websites leading to deep comprehension (LaRusso et al., 2016). This can be accomplished through discussions, debates and writing activities.
The driving force for change is the Icelandic educational elite, as improvements can only be brought about if teachers are given instruction, support and facilities to implement strong language and literacy instruction to each and every learner (Kijima and Lipscy, 2024)
Scientific literacy of Icelandic 15-year-old students: Trends in PISA performance and the role of core curricular materials
No full textVísindalæsi íslenskra unglinga hefur verið á verulegri niðurleið samkvæmt niðurstöðum PISA á tímabilinu 2009–2022. Markmið rannsóknarinnar var að rýna í þróun árangurs íslenskra unglinga í einstaka hæfniþáttum í náttúruvísindahluta PISA 2009–2022 og að meta að hvaða marki kjarnanámsefni í náttúruvísindum á unglingastigi getur stutt þá hæfniþætti. Verkefni í núverandi kjarnanámsefni í náttúruvísindum fyrir unglingastig voru metin út frá kenningaramma PISA 2015–2022. Þróun árangurs var marktækt neikvæð í um helmingi verkefnanna. Árangur reyndist svipaður í öllum færniflokkum en mestur breytileiki var í færninni í að útskýra á vísindalegan hátt. Innan þekkingarflokka reyndist mesta þekkingin vera á vísindalegum aðferðum meðal unglinganna en minnsta á eðli vísindalegrar þekkingar; þekking á inntaki vísindanna var breytilegust. Af greinasviðunum komu jarð- og geimvísindi slakast út. Námsefnið virðist ekki styðja tiltekna mikilvæga færni og þekkingu sem PISA kannar. Nauðsynlegt er að bæta námsefni um eðli og aðferðir náttúruvísinda svo markvissar megi efla vísindalæsi.Scientific literacy among Icelandic adolescents has declined steadily over the past decade, as evidenced by PISA science results from 2009 to 2022. A sharp downturn between 2018 and 2022 left Iceland’s performance well below the OECD average and that of neighbouring Nordic countries, raising concerns about the effectiveness of science education in Iceland’s compulsory schools. PISA’s science framework (2015–2022) defines three key competencies for assessing science literacy; that is, the ability to: a) explain phenomena scientifically, b) evaluate and design scientific enquiry, and c) scientifically interpret data and evidence. It also defines three knowledge categories: a) content, b) procedural, and c) epistemic. This study examines how Icelandic students’ performance has evolved in these competency and knowledge areas and evaluates the extent to which lower-secondary science curricular material supports the competencies and knowledge that PISA measures.
Quantitative analysis was performed on data from PISA science tests conducted in 2009, 2012, 2015, 2018, and 2022, focusing on a set of science tasks administered in unchanged form across these years. Each item was classified by the PISA 2015–2022 framework into its competency category and knowledge category, and according to its scientific domain (life science, physical science, or earth and space science). For each category, the proportion of Icelandic students answering correctly was calculated, and changes over time were analysed to identify performance trends. A directed content analysis was conducted on seven core science textbooks (published 2010–2016) used in grades 8–10. All questions and exercises in these books were coded according to the same PISA framework categories, assessing which competencies and knowledge categories are emphasized or lacking in the current science curricular material.
Icelandic student performance in PISA science declined over the study period, showing a drop in correct response rates in all the competency and all the knowledge categories. However, the performance varied between years within each task, with some showing improved performance between years before falling again in 2022. Only one task revealed improved performance throughout the whole period. Average performance was relatively even across the three competency categories (with no significant differences in mean scores). However, “explaining phenomena scientifically” tasks included the greatest variability in difficulty, ranging from some of the easiest to some of the most challenging items. In terms of knowledge categories, students performed best on tasks requiring procedural knowledge while significantly worse on tasks requiring epistemic knowledge. By scientific domain, tasks in the earth and space sciences had the lowest correct response rate. The content analysis of textbooks revealed misalignment between the focus of the questions and exercises and the skills assessed by PISA. Most textbook tasks emphasised factual content and required students to explain phenomena, reflecting a strong focus on content knowledge. By contrast, very few exercises engaged students in designing experiments, interpreting data, or reflecting on the nature of scientific knowledge – activities needed to build procedural and especially epistemic knowledge. In summary, the current lower-secondary science curricular material supports only a limited subset of the competencies and knowledge areas that PISA evaluates.
These results suggest that key aspects of scientific literacy have been underemphasised in Iceland’s education system, contributing to substandard performance. In particular, the lack of focus on epistemic knowledge in the curricular material corresponds with students’ weak outcomes in that area. To address these gaps, the science curriculum material should place greater emphasis on the nature and processes of science with explicit discussion of how scientific knowledge is developed. Students should also have opportunities to develop their inquiry skills and their understanding of the nature of science. It is recognised that poor performance in reading comprehension impairs the pupils’ opportunities to develop scientific literacy, thus emphasising the need to provide reading comprehension strategies in science education. Aligning curriculum materials and instruction with the full breadth of scientific competencies and knowledge is essential for improving students’ scientific literacy and reversing the decline
Frá gestaritstjóra
No full textÞann 16. október 2021 stóð Vigdísarstofnun, í samstarfi við Reykjavík bókmenntaborg UNESCO og Gljúfrastein, fyrir málþingi við Háskóla Íslands undir yfirskriftinni „Skáldið, taóið og dulspekin“. Tilefni málþingsins var að á árinu voru liðin 100 ár frá útgáfu fyrstu íslensku útleggingarinnar á kínverska fornritinu Bókinni um veginn eða Dao De Jing 道德經 eins og það heitir á frummálinu. Rit þetta hefur síðan verið þýtt fjórum sinnum til viðbótar á íslensku, þar af einu sinni úr fornkínversku undir titlinum Ferlið og dygðin, en þessi fyrsta endursögn eftir bræðurna Jakob J. Smára og Yngva Jóhannesson hefur þó jafnan notið mestrar hylli meðal íslenskra lesenda og er ein líkleg ástæða þess að Halldór Kiljan Laxness skrifaði formála að annarri útgáfu þýðingarinnar sem út kom árið 1971 eða á 50 ára afmæli hennar.
Erindin á málþinginu snerust flest um áhrif heimspeki daoismans á verk Halldórs og túlkanir hans sjálfs á hugmyndum hennar en einnig var leitað fanga víðar í íslenskri bókmenntasögu og grafist fyrir um annars konar dulspekileg áhrif á Nóbelsskáldið, t.d. frá indverska spekingnum Rabindranath Tagore sem naut mikilla vinsælda á Íslandi á fyrri hluta 20. aldar. Skemmst er frá því að segja að málþingið heppnaðist svo vel að ákveðið var að leita til ritnefndar Milli mála við Stofnun Vigdísar Finnbogadóttur og falast eftir því að gefið yrði út sérrit með greinum sem þátttakendur á málþinginu ynnu út frá erindum sínum. Þessu var afar vel tekið beggja megin borðs og nú, tveimur árum síðar, lítur sérritið dagsins ljós með lengri og ítarlegri greinum eftir sjö af átta fyrirlesurum málþingsins frá árinu 2021.
Hinum mikla fjölda íslenskra og erlendra sérfræðinga um verk Halldórs Laxness hefur að sjálfsögðu ekki yfirsést að heimspeki MILLI MÁLA 8 Milli mála 15/1/2023 daoismans reyndist vera honum talsverður innblástur og í gegnum tíðina hafa margir þeirra vikið að þeim áhrifum í umfjöllun sinni um höfundarverk hans. En hvorki er sjálfgefið né eðlilegt að haldbær þekking á daoisma eða annarri asískri heimspeki og verkum Nóbelsskáldsins eigi samleið hjá einum og sama fræðimanni. Af þessum sökum hefur skort nokkuð á dýpri og markvissari úttekt á þessum áhrifum og víðtækari merkingu þeirra í höfundarverki hans. Þar að auki gerði Halldór sjálfur þá heimspeki sem er að finna í bæði Bókinni um veginn og verkum Tagores að umfjöllunarefni sínu í fáeinum styttri ritsmíðum en um þær hefur ekki verið ýkja mikið fjallað.
Höfundar Dao De Jing hvetja lesendur sína til að beina athygli sinni að þeim þáttum veruleikans sem við hneigjumst til að veita litla eða enga athygli, t.d. tóminu í herbergi eða drykkjaríláti, sem þó gerir okkur kleift að nota þau sem slík. Segja má að í þessu sérriti Milli mála sé sjónum sérstaklega beint að ákveðnu „tómi“ í höfundarverki Halldórs Laxness. Hér er þó ekki ætlunin að veita tóminu aðeins athygli heldur einnig að fylla í það, að minnsta kosti að nokkru leyti. Það er von ritstjóra að greinum sérritsins sýni lesendum þess fram á hversu mikilvægt þetta tóm er og að þeim verði öðrum hvatning til frekari rannsókna um þetta eða skyld efni
Orðastæður í tungumálakennslu og námi
No full textThis article introduces studies and research related to the teaching and learning of collocations in the Icelandic context. Collocations are word combinations formed by two elements: one is considered the base of the whole combination and the other (collocator) is selected by it. Although they normally show a transparent meaning (take a walk, heavy rain), their restriction is not always predictable, particularly for non-native learners. First, theoretical approaches that have been addressed in the Icelandic language are examined, drawing on the works of scholars such as Jónsson, Sverrisdóttir, Hallsteinsdóttir and Davíðsdóttir. Second, insights on several topics from both the Anglophone and Hispanic contexts are discussed. These topics are, among others, difficulties in acquiring collocations, phraseological competence, dictionaries and teaching materials. Finally, potential research is outlined that may prove fruitful for the study of collocations in Icelandic, further considering the increase of learners of the language and the availability of advanced digital tools to support linguistic analysis.Í þessari grein er fjallað um rannsóknir sem tengjast kennslu og tileinkun á orðastæðum. Orðastæður eru sambönd orða sem saman mynda ákveðna merkingu. Orðastæður skiptast í tvo orðsliði: annars vegar er kjarnaliður, sem er grunnur í merkingu orðastæðunnar, og hins vegar er það stoðliður sem er útvalið fylgdarorð. Merking orðastæðna er alla jafna gagnsæ (fara í gönguferð, úrhellis rigning) en erlendum málhöfum getur þó reynst erfitt að henda reiður á því hvaða skorður þeim eru settar. Fyrst eru reifaðar helstu umfjallanir um orðastæður í íslensku, einkum er litið til þess sem Jón Hilmar Jónsson, Oddný G. Sverrisdóttir, Erla Hallsteinsdóttir og Rósa Elín Davíðsdóttir hafa fjallað um í þessu tilliti. Þá er sjónum beint að ákveðnum þáttum í engilsaxneskum og spænskum málheimi. Meðal annars er gerð grein fyrir þáttum sem lúta að þeim erfiðleikum sem málanemendur standa frammi fyrir í tileinkun orðastæðna í erlenda málinu, orðasambandahæfni í tileinkun fastra orðasambanda, orðabækur og námsefni. Að lokum er í stuttu máli fjallað um nokkrar kannanir sem gætu nýst í rannsóknum á íslenskum vettvangi en fjöldi þeirra sem leggja stund á íslensku sem erlent mál hefur aukist undanfarið og þá hefur íslenska málheildin IceL2MC verið gerð aðgengileg sem auðveldar rannsóknir á þessum vettvangi
Um Jidanan Luangphiansamut og söguna Heimsk eiginkona ungs rithöfundar
No full textJidanan Luangphiansamut (f. 1992) stundaði háskólanám í Chiangmai og Bangkok og lauk BA- prófi í rússnesku. Hún hefur skrifað frá unga aldri og fór að senda sögur í tímarit og samkeppnir á háskólaárum sínum. Jidanan hefur unnið til fjölda verðlauna fyrir verk sín, þar á meðal SEAWrite-verðlaunin árið 2017 fyrir smásagnasafnið Singto nok khok (Ljónið utan búrsins), sem einkenndist af dystópískum áherslum. SEAWrite eru helstu bókmenntaverðlaun landsins og eru veitt árlega til skiptis fyrir skáldsögur, smásögur og ljóðabækur. Af um 50 verðlaunahöfum til þessa er hún ein af einungis sex skáldkonum sem hefur hlotnast þessi heiður. Þegar hún hlaut verðlaunin var hún 25 ára gömul, yngst skáldanna sem hafa fengið þessi verðlaun. Sagan „Heimsk eiginkona ungs rithöfundar“´ er úr safninu At mai mo hak pro bang (Sumt er kannski ekki við hæfi heldur er það viðkvæmt) frá 2022. Árið 2022 kom líka út skáldsagan Si sud-thai khong klang-khuen (Síðustu litir næturinnar), tilraunakennd bók um ástarsamband tveggja karla. Báðar nýju bækurnar hafa vakið verðskuldaða athygli. Höfundurinn hefur auk þess samið unglingabækur. Nýjasta bók hennar er smásagnasafnið Mai chai manut lae tua ton eun eun (Hvorki manneskja né annars konar lífvera) sem kom út árið 2023.
Sagan „Heimsk eiginkona ungs rithöfundar“ er einstök saga og sem slík hvorki dæmigerð fyrir höfundinn né fyrir tailenskan skáldskap. Höfundurinn fer á kostum í lýsingum á karllægum heimi tailenskra rithöfunda og tailensks samfélags en sagan hefði þó í meginatriðum líka getað komið frá franskri, íslenskri eða kannski mexíkóskri skáldkonu, reyndar hvaðan sem er úr heiminum. Eitt af markmiðum þýðingarinnar var að vinna gegn hugmyndum um að tailenskur skáldskapur og tailensk menning séu við einhverja eina og fyrirsjáanlega fjöl fell
„Ég ætla ekki að láta þetta foreldri stjórna hvernig ég kenni“: Starfsaðstæður kennara sem sinna hinsegin fræðslu
No full textOne of the pillars of education in Icelandic curricula is equality education, where students are to learn and take part in subjects concerning, for instance, race, gender, culture, disability, and LGBT+ matters. In recent years, there have been more instances of queer-related hate speech, bullying, harassment, and vandalism, even though Iceland has been regarded as a frontrunner in equality matters. Schools play an important role in educating children and young adolescents about equality. However, the queer backlash in society has, in one way or another, presented itself in the educational system. However, the impact of such a backlash has not been researched in terms of the faculty’s perceptions and experiences.
This study aimed to explore the experiences of school staff who provide queer education following a setback in the fight for the rights of queer people, which has been much debated. The research is qualitative, and data was collected through five individual interviews and the answers of 39 participants in a qualitative questionnaire. All participants work in primary or secondary schools and carry out queer education to some extent in their field of work—all interviewees of the study work in the greater capital area. The participants’ ideas about the backlash are explored. The data was analysed thematically. The analysis resulted in three themes: (1) People feel ignored: lack of queer study material and education, (2) The white heterosexual male is back: hostile rhetoric among the boys, (3) Fear of parental reaction: queer education has become anxiety-inducing. Results indicate that the backlash has shown itself within the walls of the schools. Firstly, when discussing study material, it became clear that there was little to no material available to the participants, resulting in them creating their own, piecing together bits from the internet and the occasional book. Instruction seems to be the responsibility of specific individuals only, which hampers professional work to a certain extent. The interviews revealed that the interviewees feel that people abdicate themselves from responsibility and expect others to see to it that the education is taken care of. So, it can be said that queer education is often ineffective and rare. The answers from the questionnaire and the interviews show an increase in derogatory rhetoric from students towards queer people, especially from boys. Branded as the ‘fag-rhetoric’ by participants and mainly directed at gay men, intersex, and trans people, it seems to be upheld by the students’ perception of heteronormative masculinity and femininity. About the anti-gender debate in society and the media, participants experience anxiety to a greater extent in relation to queer education because of the reactions of parents. Here, interviewees also mention that the support of school administrators is critical to them. The results of this study show the need for further intervention from both the government and school administrators to ensure that inclusion is guaranteed at all school levels.Markmið þessarar rannsóknar er að öðlast innsýn í upplifanir kennara sem sinna hinsegin fræðslu gagnvart hinsegin bakslagi og hvort og þá hvernig það birtist þeim innan veggja skólans. Rannsóknin er eigindleg og aflað var gagna í gegnum fimm einstaklingsviðtöl og skrifleg svör 39 þátttakenda í eigindlegri spurningakönnun. Allir þátttakendur starfa í grunn- eða framhaldsskólum á höfuðborgarsvæðinu og sinna hinsegin fræðslu að einhverju leyti á sínum starfsvettvangi. Þreifað er á hugmyndum þátttakenda um bakslag gegn hinsegin réttindum sem hefur verið nokkuð sýnilegt hérlendis. Niðurstöður benda til þess að fræðslan virðist einungis á ábyrgð ákveðinna einstaklinga, sem hamlar faglegu starfi upp að vissu marki. Í viðtölunum kom í ljós að viðmælendur upplifðu það sem svo að starfsfólk fríaði sig almennt ábyrgð og ætlaðist til þess að aðrir sæju til þess að fræðslunni væri sinnt.
Niðurstöður sýna að bakslagið birtist innan veggja skólanna, en samt sem áður er hinsegin fræðsla oftast ómarkviss eða sjaldgæf. Viðmælendur merkja aukna niðrandi orðræðu meðal nemenda sem kallar á meiri hinsegin fræðslu en einnig upplifir starfsfólk meiri viðspyrnu gegn slíkri fræðslu frá foreldrum og aðstandendum nemenda. Niðurstöður þessarar rannsóknar gefa tilefni til frekara inngrips bæði frá stjórnvöldum og skólastjórnendum til að tryggja inngildingu á öllum skólastigum
Implementation of a new policy in preschools in two municipalities: Effect on children’s well-being
No full textUndanfarin misseri hafa nokkur sveitarfélög lagst í breytingar á rekstrarfyrirkomulagi leikskóla. Leiðirnar eru ekki eins en markmiðið er í öllum tilvikum að bæta leikskólastarf og aðstæður barna og starfsfólks. Dæmi um breytingar er að bjóða upp á sex tíma gjaldfrjálsan leikskóla og skilgreina daga sem eru frídagar í grunnskóla sem skráningardaga sem greiða þarf sérstaklega fyrir.
Í greininni er fjallað um rannsókn sem fram fór í tveimur sveitarfélögum sem lagst hafa í fyrrnefndar breytingar, en þau eru Akureyri og Kópavogur. Tekin voru rýniviðtöl við skólastjórnendur og spurningakannanir sendar á skólastjórnendur, á deildarstjóra og á starfsfólk sem vinnur með börnum. Tilgangurinn var að skoða reynslu þeirra af breytingunum með áherslu á hvernig sveitarfélögunum tveimur hefur gengið að ná þeim markmiðum sem stefnt var að. Í greininni er unnið með þann hluta í niðurstöðum sem snýr að áhrifum breytinganna á skólastarfið og á velferð barna.
Niðurstöður sýna að misjafnt er milli skóla hvort, og þá hve mikið, skólatímum barna fækkar umfram sex gjaldfrjálsu tímana og nýting á skráningardögum er einnig mismunandi á milli skóla. Vinnutímastytting kemur ítrekað fyrir í gögnum og greinilegt að það hefur verið áskorun að mæta henni. Í þeim skólum þar sem skólatímum fækkaði, bæði utan gjaldfrjálsu tímanna og á skráningardögum, gengur betur að mæta vinnutímastyttingu starfsfólks og skólatímum þarf ekki að fækka mikið til að áhrifin verði greinanleg. Stöðugri mönnun hefur létt álagi af starfinu, meiri ró er yfir ákveðnum tímum dagsins og þá bjóðast fleiri gæðastundir í námi og leik. Fólk finnur mun á líðan barna og því hægt að segja að breytingar af þessum toga geti eflt velferð leikskólabarna.The study builds on research on preschool quality and children’s well-being (Melhuish, 2014; Tayler et al., 2016). Icelandic preschool policy, including the Preschool Act (no. 90/2008) and the National Curriculum (Miðstöð menntunar og skólaþjónustu, n.d.), emphasises child well-being across social, emotional, and physical domains. Research indicates that high-quality preschool environments support long-term well-being, whereas lower-quality environments can have a negative impact on young children (Melhuish et al., 2015).
Icelandic preschools operate under a decentralised system, granting municipalities autonomy in administration. This results in diverse operational conditions, including summer openings and variations in financial structure. There are further differences, such as criteria for the number of children in a room or the number of children per teacher. Since 1995, a regulation has been in place regarding the activities of preschools (no. 225/1995), in which both were clearly defined. However, in 2008, the criteria were removed from the law (no. 90/2008). Instead, there are recommendations for a ‘safe and spacious learning and work environment’, noting that the ‘age distribution of children and individuals with special needs, the duration of their stay, the space for children’s play and leraning, and the composition of the staff’ must be considered. The criteria were, therefore, in some ways undefined. A year later, a regulation on the working environment of preschools (no. 655/2009) was enacted, where minimum facilities are defined, and responsibility for the criteria is placed on school principals in consultation with the local government or their representatives. Local authorities thus retain a degree of discretion in shaping opening hours and working conditions.
In 2024, four municipalities introduced financial reforms to improve preschool environments for children and staff. The changes involve the implementation of more affordable or complimentary six-hour preschool programmes, enhanced flexibility in school hours, and the establishment of designated registration days. These registration days allow parents to enroll their children on dates surrounding summer holidays, during school breaks, or between Christmas and New Year. Furthermore, the adjustments include income-based preschool fees and financial support for parents who provide care at home. The overarching objective of these modifications is to encourage parents to utilise only the hours that are essential beyond the six-hour period. This strategy aims to decrease the number of children present in schools during specific times, thereby facilitating the achievement of desired educational outcomes.
This study examines the impact of these reforms in two municipalities, covering 17 preschools. Data were collected through in-depth interviews with administrators and three questionnaires targeting administrators, department heads, and staff. Findings indicate a significant reduction in stress in preschool practice, which benefits children, staff, and administrators. Staff reported experiencing calmer daily routines and enhanced play and learning opportunities. Respondents attributed these improvements to fewer children being present at certain times and more stability in the group of teachers and other staff. Findings demonstrate that these financial reforms have achieved the desired results, contingent on two key factors: smaller groups of children and sufficient staffing. The study highlights the crucial role of financial policies in creating high-quality preschool environments that support children’s play and well-being. The emphasis on child welfare is evident in Icelandic education policy, as reflected in legislation, policies, and priorities in the fundamental aspects of education. At the same time, society is making great efforts to provide preschools for all children, preferably from the age of one, in an environment where staffing preschools, whether with preschool teachers or other staff, has been challenging. The quality of preschool programmes and the qualifications necessary for staff are infrequently addressed within this context, and these issues often evoke sensitivity. Nevertheless, both elements are critical to ensuring the welfare of children in educational settings. It may be timely to reexamine the criteria that define a preschool according to the Preschool Act 90/2008 and to conduct a critical assessment of how various factors influence the education, development, and well-being of preschool childre