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Og svo einhvern veginn bara breyttist bikiníröndin, hún þrengdist alltaf og þrengdist ...: Um kynfærarakstur kvenna
No full textIn the early 20th century women started removing hair from under their arms and their legs and recently the removal of all pubic hair has become a growing trend among them. Very little research has been carried out on women\u27s removal of pubic hair, which in itself is an indication of how conventionalized the idea of the incomaptibility of body hair and femininity has become. In this study women\u27s removal of pubic hair is examined from a number of angles, but the main aim is to reach an understanding of why increasing numbers of women choose to remove all their pubic hair. A qualitative approach is used, based on open -ended interviews with eight 20-36 year old women, all of whom have experience of completely removing their pubic hair. The results of the study support the claim that the full removal of pubic hair has become the norm among younger women, but the informants mainly stated that they did this for sanitary reasons or for increased sexual pleasure. All the informants adamantly claimed that their decision to fully remove their pubic hair had been reached on their own terms. However, their accounts clearly indicated that external pressure and societal values also played its part.Í byrjun 20. aldar fóru konur að fjarlægja hár undir höndum og á fótum og að undanförnu hefur það færst í vöxt að konur kjósi einnig að fjarlægja öll hár af kynfærasvæðinu. Fáar rannsóknir hafa verið gerðar um líkamshárarakstur kvenna, sem gefur vísbendingu um hversu rótgróin og viðtekin sú hugmynd er að kvenleiki og líkamshár fari ekki saman. Í þessari grein er kynfærarakstur kvenna skoðaður þar sem sérstök áhersla er lögð á að varpa ljósi á hvers vegna konur kjósa í síauknum mæli að fjarlægja öll skapahárin. Greiningin byggir á eigindlegri rannsókn þar sem tekin voru átta opin viðtöl við konur á aldrinum 20-36 ára, sem allar höfðu reynslu af því að fjarlægja öll skapahár sín. Niðurstöðurnar renna stoðum undir þær fullyrðingar að nauðrakstur á skapahárum sé orðinn hið hefðbundna viðmið þegar kemur að skapahárasnyrtingu ungra kvenna en helstu ástæður sem nefndar voru fyrir rakstrinum sneru að hreinlæti og aukinni ánægju í kynlífi. Allir viðmælendur tóku skýrt fram að ákvörðun þeirra um að fjarlægja öll skapahárin hefði alfarið verið tekin á þeirra eigin forsendum. Þó mátti í frásögnum þeirra allra greina vísbendingar um að utanaðkomandi þrýstingur og samfélagsleg viðmið hefðu haft áhrif á ákvarðanatöku þeirra
Danska og dönskunám á Íslandi, Grænlandi og í Færeyjum
No full textDanish is taught as a foreign language in schools in Greenland, Iceland, and the Faroe Islands. The instructional goal is general competence in Danish and ability to use it in communication with Danes and other Nordic citizens. However, Danish holds different positions in the students’ countries, which shapes their learning contexts. This article describes a research project that focuses on young learners of Danish in the West Nordic region. It is a collaboration betweenIcelandic, Faroese and Greenlandic scholars and teachers of Danish and their students. The objective is to gain insight into the status and function of Danish in the three countries, examine the effect on students’ Danish acquisition and seek ways to utilize new knowledge to better meet the needs of students for learning material. The results of a survey among primary and secondary school students about their connections with Denmark and attitudes towards Danish and learning Danish is presented. Finally, there is a section on computerassistedlearning material developed on the basis of the survey and in collaboration with teachers of Danish and their students. This includes www.taleboblen and the interactive computer game www.talerum.is.Keywords: Danish as a foreign language, Motivation in learning Danish, Learner autonomy, Computer-assisted language learning.Danska er kennd sem erlent tungumál á Grænlandi, Íslandi og í Færeyjum og er markmiðið að nemendur öðlist alhliða færni í dönsku, sem geri þeim kleift að nota málið í samskiptum við Dani og aðra Norðurlandabúa. Aðstæður nemenda til dönskunáms eru þó af ýmsum ástæðum ólíkar. Í greininni er fjallað um rannsóknar- og þróunarverkefni sem beinist að dönskunámi ungmenna á vestnorræna svæðinu, en um er að ræða samstarfsverkefni íslenskra, færeyskraog grænlenskra fræðimanna og þarlendra dönskukennara og nemenda þeirra. Markmiðið er að fá innsýn í stöðu dönsku í löndunum þremur og skoða hvaða áhrif hún hefur á dönskunám nemenda. Þá er tilgangurinn að leita leiða til þess að nýta nýja þekkingu til að koma til móts við þarfir nemenda hvað varðar námsefni. Varpað er ljósi á umfang og markmið dönskukennslunnar í löndunum þremur og hvaða hlutverki danskan gegnir í málumhverfi nemenda. Þá erfjallað um niðurstöðu könnunar meðal grunn- og framhaldsskólanemenda um tengsl þeirra við Danmörku og viðhorf til dönsku og dönskunáms. Loks er greint frá tölvustuddu námsefni www.taleboblen og gagnvirka tölvuleiknum www.talerum.is sem hvort tveggja var unnið á grundvelli könnunarinnar og samstarfsins við dönskukennara og nemendur þeirra.Lykilorð: danska sem erlent mál, hvati í dönskunámi, einstaklingsmiðað nám, tölvustudd tungumálakennsla
Skuldbinding leikskólakennara til vinnustaðar: Starfsandi í lykilhlutverki
No full textIn Iceland, kindergarten is the first level of the school system and the beginning of the formal education of each child. Kindergarten teachers are specialized in teaching young children. A new act on the education, competency and recruitment of teachers and administrators of preschools, compulsory schools and upper secondary schools entered into force at the beginning of 2020. The act provides for the issuing of a single type of teaching license. The aim of a single teacher’s license is, among other things, to increase the flexibility and flow of teachers between adjacent school levels so their specialization can be used at more than one school level. In 2018–2019 the transfer of kindergarten teachers from kindergarten to other school levels in seemed irreversible. The shortage of kindergarten teachers in Icelandic kindergartens seems to be persistent and negative for the quality of education. The study aimed to analyze the relationship between hygiene factors and motivational factors among kindergarten teachers, and their commitment to the school. The purpose of the study was to improve the state of knowledge and to find evidence on how the competence and expertise of working kindergarten teachers can be preserved. The research method was quantitative, available data were examined and analyzed with descriptive statistics and multivariate regression analysis. The data consisted of answers from 1250 kindergarten teachers across Iceland. The answers were a part of a bi-annual internal quality evaluation of 91 kindergartens. The kindergartens used an information system for standardized surveys called Skólapúlsinn and gave open permission for anonymous post-analysis of the joint data for academic purposes. The surveys took place in March of 2020 and 2021. Two hypotheses were tested: (1) Kindergarten teachers who experience positive motivational factors (e.g., positive social climate) are likely to show commitment to their workplace; (2) Kindergarten teachers who experience negative hygiene factors (e.g., persistent workload) are unlikely to show commitment to their workplace. The motivation hygiene theory (Herzberg et al., 1959) formed the basis for dividing the questionnaire factors into two models, on the one hand a positive motivational factor model and on the other a negative hygiene factor model. The results of the study indicated that the motivational regression model: social climate, human resource primacy, and positive challenges at work explained a very large part (57%) of the variance of commitment to the workplace. Of the three motivational factors social climate showed the strongest relation to commitment to the workplace (? = .42), followed by human resource primacy (? = .30), and positive challenges at the workplace (? = .20), confirming our first hypothesis. The results also indicated that the hygiene factor regression model explained a large part (20%) of the variance of commitment to the workplace. The only hygiene factor to show a strong and significant relation to commitment to the workplace was the quadratic relation of workload (? = -.47), followed by a linear relation of support to children with special needs (? = .18), and another linear relation with interaction between work and private life (? = -.17), confirming our latter hypothesis. The confirmation of the quadratic relation between workload and commitment to the workplace raises the question if the effect of persistent workload on commitment to the workplace might be underestimated in previous studies that only assume traditional linear relations. Further research is needed on the effect of persistent workload on commitment to the workplace. Overall, the results indicated that motivational factors such social climate are key factors in explaining the premature departure of kindergarten teachers from the first school level. However, the reduction of persistent workload and other negative hygiene factors also seem to play an important role in the development of ways of retaining teachers at the kindergarten level.Lög um eitt leyfisbréf leik-, grunn- og framhaldsskólakennara tóku gildi þann 1. janúar 2020. Eftir gildistöku laganna flutti fjöldi leikskólakennara sig um set og hóf störf á grunnskólastigi. Markmið rannsóknarinnar var að bæta stöðu þekkingar og koma auga á vísbendingar um hvernig megi varðveita hæfni og sérþekkingu starfandi leikskólakennara. Rannsóknaraðferðin var megindleg, rýnt var í fyrirliggjandi gögn og þau greind með lýsandi tölfræði og fjölbreytuaðhvarfsgreiningu. Gagnasafnið samanstóð af svörum 1250 leikskólakennara við starfsmannakönnun Skólapúlsins fyrir leikskóla, sem svarað var vorin 2020 og 2021. Tvíþáttakenningin (e. Motivation hygiene theory) var lögð til grundvallar varðandi greiningu gagnanna. Tvær tilgátur voru prófaðar: 1. Leikskólakennarar sem upplifa sterka hvataþætti (t.d. góðan starfsanda) eru líklegir til að sýna skuldbindingu til vinnustaðar; 2. Leikskólakennarar sem upplifa slaka hollustuhætti (t.d. mikið vinnuálag) eru ólíklegir til að sýna skuldbindingu til vinnustaðar. Niðurstöður rannsóknarinnar bentu til að hvataþættirnir starfsandi, jákvæðar áskoranir í starfi og ræktun mannauðs væru í lykilhlutverki hvað varðar skuldbindingu leikskólakennara til vinnustaðarins. Niðurstöðurnar gáfu jafnframt til kynna að viðvarandi vinnuálag spilaði mikilvægt hlutverk í ótímabæru brotthvarfi leikskólakennara úr starfi. Brýnt virðist að styðja við hvatabundna þætti og draga úr neikvæðum hollustuþáttum í starfsumhverfi leikskóla
Reynsla kennara og annars fagfólks grunnskóla af aukinni áherslu á velferð nemenda með n´ámserfiðleika: The experiences of compulsory schoolteachers
No full textOver the past years, compulsory schools have been expected to take on many new roles without increased professional supports for teachers. Teachers are tasked with increasing responsibility and face many challenges in meeting the diverse range of student needs. Research in Iceland shows an increased workload on teachers and the need for a wider range of professionals within the school to meet the needs of students with specific learning difficulties and developmental challenges.
The teachers themselves attest to a lack of preparation in their education to meet the reality of the situation. They do not possess the necessary specialist knowledge, and no professional services or support routes are available. It is common knowledge that in Iceland, there are long waiting lists for schoolchildren to have their developmental needs assessed within the school system and other systems, such as the health system.
This study relates the situation and experiences of teachers and other professionals within compulsory schools and the type of support available for students who have been assessed with ADHD, autism, general and specific learning difficulties, and Tourette’s syndrome, as well as students who struggle with emotional and social challenges. This study stems from a larger body of research regarding support services for primary school students with diverse learning needs. It comprises qualitative interviews with eight focus groups with professionals from 19 primary schools teaching Years 3 – 10. Altogether, 49 individuals participated in the study. The interviews were designed to obtain the participants‘ opinions about the main challenges they face on the job, what works well, and what needs to be improved.
The results show that the participants experience different challenges due to the responsibility they carry in their daily work to fulfil the education and student welfare laws. The study’s results also reveal that the challenging situations described by the participants create extra workloads that, over time, affect their well-being and job satisfaction. These results align with several recent studies that attest to increasing teacher workloads. Importantly, teachers experience the strain of seeing children who struggle with various negative consequences when they don’t receive the specialist support they need.
Teachers profess a lack of solutions and professionals, such as social workers, developmental therapists, and other professionals, to assist within the school in these situations. Hence, the schools are better equipped to meet the challenges that arise. It is difficult to avoid mentioning the role that teachers play in communicating with parents and families to support the whole development of the student. The participants attest that parents trust teachers and expect their children to succeed and continue to develop. Teachers often find it quite complicated to maintain that trust and positive interactions with parents when they need to inform them of their child’s progress and, in some cases, serious developmental learning issues.
In the results, the participants also reveal what they feel is going well. In this regard, teachers found they have been able to allow students to bloom when allowing for more time in the timetable for practical subjects. This has allowed for relief from literal subjects with which they often struggle but often do better in hands-on subjects such as artistic expression, woodwork, and entrepreneurship.
In total, the results from this study infer that inclusive education calls for substantial increases in professional knowledge within compulsory schools, as stated in Icelandic government regulations.
With increased professional support within the school, it would be possible to attain the goal of schools as professional institutions fitted with the capacity to solve most situations that arise within the school domain.Velferð og farsæl námsframvinda nemenda hvílir að miklu leyti á herðum grunnskóla og því er mikilvægt að beina sjónum að því hvað þarf til að gera starfsfólki kleift að mæta fjölbreytilegum þörfum þeirra. Hér er sagt frá niðurstöðum rannsóknar á upplifun og reynslu kennara og annars fagfólks af kennslu og stuðningi við nemendur með námserfiðleika í grunnskólum sem hafa verið greindir með ADHD, einhverfu, almenna og sértæka námserfiðleika og tourette-heilkenni, auk nemenda sem glíma við tilfinninga- og félagslega erfiðleika. Rannsóknin er hluti af stærra rannsóknarverkefni um stuðning við grunnskólanemendur með námserfiðleika. Markmið rannsóknar var að kanna reynslu kennara og annars fagfólks af þeim áskorunum sem fylgja kennslu og stuðningi við nemendur með námserfiðleika. Rannsóknin var eigindleg og tekin voru átta rýnihópaviðtöl við fagfólk innan 19 grunnskóla sem sinnir nemendum í 3.–10. bekk. Alls tóku 49 einstaklingar þátt í rannsókninni. Í viðtölunum var leitast við að fá fram álit viðmælenda á helstu áskorunum sem þeir standa frammi fyrir í starfinu, hvað gengi vel og hvað þyrfti að bæta. Niðurstöður sýna að viðmælendur upplifðu ýmsar áskoranir sem fylgdu því að takast á við fjölbreytileikann í nemendahópnum í samræmi við ákvæði laga um nám og velferð nemenda. Auk þess kom fram að skortur er á úrræðum og aðstoð fagfólks með fjölbreytta sérhæfingu innan skóla. Að mati viðmælenda er þó margt vel gert. Í því sambandi kom til dæmis fram að kennurum fannst hafa gefist vel að geta gefið nemendum tækifæri til að blómstra í verklegum greinum með aukinni áherslu á þær greinar í stundatöflu. Þannig fengist hvíld frá bóklegu námi sem þau ættu yfirleitt í erfiðleikum með en þau gætu verið sterk í verklegum greinum, svo sem myndmennt, smíði og nýsköpun. Út frá niðurstöðunum má draga þá ályktun að brýn þörf sé á að bæta faglegan stuðning við starfsfólk skóla vegna nemenda með námserfiðleik
Framsækinn kennari sem hlúði að nemendum: Jón Freyr Þórarinsson
No full textIn this article, we highlight the work of our teacher 60 years ago who emphasised cooperation, information-based teaching, independent students, child-centred pedagogy and equality. Jón Freyr Þórarinsson was our classroom teacher for five years. He had a great influence on us and our view of teaching. He began his teaching at Laugarneskóli after completing his teacher training. We enjoyed his progressive teaching, where the class spirit was nurtured, and all students were respected.
Our study used narratives and retrospective data collection and analysis. The foundation for the narratives included our conversations with Jón about his teaching methods, our memories, and data and photos from the school work.
We focus on what was happening in education in Iceland at the time Jón Freyr taught us. We mainly looked through publications in Menntamál, the main educational journal in Iceland. Psychologists, educational leaders and teachers wrote in the journal. We chose to study aspects that we believe characterised Jón Frey’s teaching methods. We discuss the teacher as a professional, the teaching methods, and learning and teaching conditions, emphasising accommodating students to strengthen their personal development. Cooperation between students, helpfulness, mutual responsibility and respect for classmates form the class spirit (Sigurþór Þorgilsson, 1963).
Jón Freyr used group work, information-based learning, student-created workbooks and study techniques in his teaching, emphasising cooperation and empathy among his students. His teaching methods were progressive, and his view of school work and work with students laid the foundation for strong social ties between his classmates.
The teaching methods that Jón Freyr learned from Sigurþór (a classroom teacher hired by the district to teach other teachers about group work) were especially useful in subjects such as geography, history, natural science, and Christianity. In geography, we made large maps that were coloured in elevation colours. In natural science, we drew animals and plants on large cards and recorded information about them. When we worked on settlers in Icelandic history, we made a map of Iceland and marked its settlement lands. Two projects made in 3D are particularly memorable to us: an aquarium and an aviary created by the students where they drew birds and fish, cut them out and hung them in their respective containers.
Jón Frey’s vision of teaching children was expressed in all the classwork. It was not only his teaching methods but also all his interactions with us as students that were characterised by the fact that he had the best interests of all of us at heart. Both authors have very clear memories of the time he took charge of the class and united three groups of students into one class. In writing this chapter, we have found it easy to recall memories from our elementary school years. We have met our classmates regularly since 1985, and during our meetings, we have discussed what we remember most from our time at Laugarnesskóli. When we look back and discuss what has influenced our strong social relationships in the class, we understand many things now but did not fully understand when we were children.
The need to write about the progressive teaching methods from the middle of the last century by the teacher who taught us has been with us for a long time. Jón Freyr told us that his ideal was “to emphasise cooperation, information-based teaching, independent working methods of students and pedagogy that takes children into account and the ideal of equality rather than the elite policy of the school authorities”. Reviewing the publications in Menntamál and our conversations about them have repeatedly brought to mind our time with Jón Freyr. His teaching methods have been reflected in them, and we realised the source of his ideas. In our experience as Jón’s students, we saw the innovations in the Education Act on equal access to learning, the emphasis on the student making the most of himself, teachers’ writings about vocational pedagogy, free work methods, free humanistic work practices, free organic work practices, functional parenting, and teaching methods and experiential learning reflected. We particularly enjoyed reading Sigurþór’s article from 1963, The Internal School Work Hið innra skólastarf, both his criticism of the schools of his time and what he wrote about teaching methods. We reacquainted ourselves with the seven aspects of learning technology he listed in Jón’s work. We also found harmony in Magnús Gíslason’s writings about the teacher’s personality and Jón Frey’s behaviour with students. He had a good disposition and was always balanced. His gentle demeanour made us respect him and put more effort into our studies and interactions with others.Áhersla á skapandi vinnubrögð nemenda, samvinnu og sjálfstæði þeirra hefur lengi verið ríkur þáttur í skólastarfi á Íslandi þó margir telji að slíkt hafi ekki tíðkast. Tilgangurinn með þessari grein er að gefa innsýn í starf kennara fyrir 60 árum sem lagði áherslu á samvinnu, upplýsingamiðaða kennslu, sjálfstæð vinnubrögð nemenda og uppeldisfræði sem tekur mið af börnum og jafnréttishugsjón. Jón Freyr Þórarinsson var umsjónarkennari okkar höfundanna í fimm ár og hafði mikil áhrif á okkur og sýn okkar á kennslu. Til að kynna okkur umræður skólafólks á Íslandi, á þeim árum sem við vorum nemendur hans, lásum við það sem þá var skrifað í tímaritið Menntamál. Við rannsóknina var beitt frásagnarrýni og afturblik notað við gagnaöflun og greiningu. Samræður okkar við Jón um kennsluhætti hans, minningabrot, gögn og myndir úr skólastarfinu lögðu grunninn að frásögninni. Jón Freyr kynnti sér hópvinnubrögð, leitarnám, vinnubókargerð og námstækni og lagði áherslu á samvinnu og samkennd nemenda sinna. Kennsluhættir hans voru framsæknir og sýn hans á skólastarfið og vinnu með nemendum lögðu grunninn að sterkum félagslegum tengslum bekkjarfélaganna
Frumkvöðull í nýsköpunarmennt: Rósa Gunnarsdóttir grunnskólakennari
No full textIn this article I tell the story of Rósa Gunnarsdóttir, who has had many roles in education, with her experience as an elementary school teacher laying the foundation for the other roles. This article presents interesting ideas on teaching and learning, especially creative thinking and emancipatory pedagogy, by sharing the story of Rósa Gunnarsdóttir, who has been influential at different levels of school practice and education. Among other roles, she has been an entrepreneur in teaching innovation education and research.
Methodology and method
Life history methodology and narrative inquiry were employed to elicit Rósa’s story. Over three interviews, I elicited Rósa’s attitudes and views on her own history as a teacher and influencer in education. I also relate my own reminiscences on our nearly three decades of interactions and collaborations.
Rósa’s story
The findings comprise narratives that fall into six themes: Rósa’s youth; events igniting her interest in becoming a teacher; attending the Iceland University of Education; teaching in Foldaskóli (compulsory school in Reykjavík); her views on education, development of her working theory and finally emphasis and approaches in innovation education. The discussion chapter is a synopsis and discussion called: Convictions and ideals in praxis: Professional working theory.
Youth
Rósa grew up spending summers with her family in the Akureyjar islands. Conditions there were harsh. The family had to repair and rebuild all of their own housing and machinery. Rósa learned a lot from these formative experiences, and she liked handling machines, taking them apart, and repairing them – especially motorcycles.
Interest ignited in becoming a teacher.
Rósa graduated when she was 19. After graduation, she began teaching young children in the primary school at Þingeyri. She liked seeing the children entrusted to her grow and become empowered by acknowledging their abilities. This experience sparked Rósa’s interest in pedagogy and she decided to enter the Iceland University of Education.
Iceland University of Education
Rósa liked studying at the Iceland University of Education. She said she learned a lot there by taking courses in both the natural sciences and “other creative subjects”, as she puts it. She felt the studies empowered her as an individual and gave her knowledge and skills to help the students with whom she would be entrusted. She stated that many teachers at the university captivated her interest and met her expectations: “they left a thumbprint on my heart”.
Teaching at Foldaskóli
After graduation from the IUE, Rósa took on a teaching position in Foldaskóli, a new compulsory school for six- to 16-year-olds in Reykjavík, teaching physics and biology at the secondary level (ages 14–16). When she observed that the teaching materials were the same old materials she had learned in compulsory school, which were not fun or interesting, she immediately decided to abandon those materials and teach according to the curriculum without books.
Rósa’s views on education
Rósa says that education should contribute to the individual’s character and dignity. Education should build on caring and love, open communication, and respect for the emotional and physical well-being of children and grown-ups. She wants the individual to leave education with dignity, without their honour having been impugned in any waybeing impugned.
Emphasis and approaches in innovation education
Rósa believes that innovation education includes an approach that makes it possible to enact her visions of education in practice. She has repeatedly seen how the innovation work ignites joy and a burning interest in learning. Rósa uses the imagery heart-headhand to describe the process of innovation education. She believes that when students discover what problems are important to them, they do it through the heart of their feelings. The head finds the solution, and the hand makes the product ‒ a description, a drawing, or an artefact. Rósa says that the core precept of innovation education is that the students feel that they own the process and care about it ‒ that the need they are working to fill is chosen because they care about it (the heart)
Discussion – Convictions and ideals in praxis: Professional working theory
Rósa’s courage to work in the way that she finds important is appealing. She adhered to it through her students’ insecurity and her colleagues’ criticism. It takes courage to go against the grain and teach in a way that empowers students to actively participate and have agency in society.
Rósa’s story reveals that she is a visionary who converts her vision into action. She says she wants to be a teacher who leads students to “the educational well” that gives them the wisdom and power to become more humane. Rósa has had the courage and willingness to experiment with approaches such as teaching without books. Rósa’s professional working theory revolves around practising emancipatory pedagogy in action. This approach entails believing in the individual, supporting them to make independent decisions, and empowering them to be creative in disseminating and implementing their work and taking an active part in shaping society.Í þessari grein er sagt frá Rósu Gunnarsdóttur sem hefur sinnt ýmsum hlutverkum í menntamálum og eitt þeirra er hlutverk grunnskólakennarans. Tilgangurinn með þessari grein er að koma á framfæri áhugaverðum hugmyndum Rósu um nám og kennslu, sér í lagi er snýr að skapandi hugsun og eflandi uppeldis- og kennslufræði. Markmiðið er að segja sögu grunnskólakennarans Rósu Gunnarsdóttur sem hefur látið að sér kveða á ýmsum stigum skólastarfs og menntamála, meðal annars verið frumkvöðull í að kenna nýsköpunarmennt og vinna rannsóknir á því sviði. Leitað er svara við spurningunni: Hvað einkennir hugsjónir og menntahugmyndir Rósu Gunnarsdóttur, hvernig birtast þær í kennslu hennar og hvað hefur haft áhrif á mótun þeirra? Til að draga fram sögu Rósu var byggt á aðferðafræði ævisögulegra lífssöguaðferða og frásagnarrýni. Niðurstöðurnar eru settar fram sem rýnisögur sem lýsa tímabilum og viðfangsefnum í lífi og starfi hennar. Niðurstöðurnar eru kynntar í sex undirköflum sem byggja á þemunum sem birtust. Kaflarnir snúast um eftirfarandi: Æskuár Rósu og atburði sem urðu til þess að hún ákvað að verða kennari; Kennaraháskólann og áhrifavalda í námi; kennsluna í Foldaskóla; sýn á menntun og þróun starfskenningar; og að lokum áherslur og aðferðir í nýsköpunarmennt. Saga Rósu sýnir að hún er hugsjónamanneskja sem lætur verkin tala. Hún segist vilja vera kennari sem leiðir nemandann að þeim menntabrunni sem veitir visku og kraft til að verða að meira manni. Kennsla Rósu hefur einkennst af kjarki og tilraunalöngun eins og að kenna án bóka. Starfskenning hennar hefur snúist um og snýst um að framkvæma í verki eflandi kennslufræði sem felst í að hún hefur trú á einstaklingnum, styður hann til að taka sjálfstæðar ákvarðanir, vera skapandi og birta sköpun sína öðrum og taka virkan þátt í að móta samfélagið
Tilgangur og tengsl ungmenna við eigið líf, annað fólk, náttúru og hið yfirskilvitlega
No full textResearch indicates that young people today find their lives less meaningful than in the past, and they have more difficulty finding their life. This article focuses on what purpose and meaning young people experience in relation to their own lives, other people, nature, and the transcendental. There is evidence that experiencing strong moral relationships with oneself, other people, and nature and the environment has a positive effect on the lives of individuals and helps them cope with difficulties and challenges. Increasingly, a strong spiritual connection to reality is seen as an important part of a healthy life and coping with trauma and illness (Huber et al., 2011). It is important to distinguish between spiritual health and mental health. Spiritual health is defined in this research as the meaningful relationships individuals form with other people, natural and transcendent realities, and the purpose they experience in their lives. Purpose and meaning in a person’s life (i.e. spiritual health) have been defined as a person’s meaningful relationships with themselves, other people, nature, and a higher power (Gomez & Fisher, 2003). Such ideas can be traced back to philosophy and the view that we humans are unique beings, in many respects, who have free will and a significant ability to shape our own lives while we are bound to certain material and social realities (Páll Skúlason, 2015). An international comparative study with over 70,000 participants in 12 countries showed that in all countries, young people scored highest on meaningful relationships with their own selves, i.e. they considered it most important to feel a sense of purpose and joy, then came connections with others, nature, and the lowest score was always a connection with a higher power or the transcendent (Michaelson et al., 2023).
The study is based on data from the international survey Health Behavior in SchoolAged Children (HBSC) and the Icelandic Youth Survey, which was submitted in the spring of 2022. There were a total of 1288 participants, of which 51.8 % were boys and 48.2% were girls. The respondents were from the 8th grade (N = 705) and the 10th grade (N = 583) of primary school. It is based on the so-called “Spiritual Health” scale, developed by an international research team (Gomez & Fisher, 2003; Michaelson, Brooks et al., 2016; Shaver et al., 2020). The study examines and confirms the scale’s validity in the Icelandic context. The results show that the majority of young people experienced meaningful connections with other people and nature and believed it was important to find a personal purpose. Young people’s connection with the transcendental was the least, i.e., connecting with a higher power and considering it important to meditate or pray. Unlike previous studies, it was found that connection with others was the factor that scored the highest, but the connection with one’s own self closely followed. The results also show that boys in Iceland score slightly higher than girls on the relationship with the transcendental, which does not follow the multinational studies. Relatively fewer young people of immigrant origin than of Icelandic origin thought it was important or very important to feel a connection with others and with oneself. Furthermore, students from grade 8 scored significantly higher on the mental health scale than students from grade 10, which is comparable to what is generally found in the multinational studies (Michaelson et al., 2023; Michaelson, Brooks et al., 2016). Religious activities have decreased significantly in the Western world and also in Iceland. Today, 58 % of the population is registered in the National Church; in 2011, around 78 % of the Icelandic population was in the National Church, and in 1998, around 90 % of the population (Hagstofa Íslands, n.d.). At the same time, the number of religious organisations in the country has multiplied and now counts over 50 (Hagstofa Íslands, n.d.). The multinational culture has increased the religious diversity and gives individuals the freedom to find a place, or not, in a religious community.
It is thought-provoking that a fifth of young people from the 8th to 10th grade in Iceland are unsure or do not think it is important to experience a purpose in their lives. Previous research has shown that strong, meaningful relationships and mental health can have a protective effect on young people, especially marginalised young people (Makanui et al., 2019), and can reduce the likelihood of risky behaviour (Hatala et al., 2021). Therefore, the findings of this study show that specific attention should be paid to the group of young people who do not feel a personal purpose in life. The results of this study show that there is a reason to consider how to create a community and scope for young people to experience personal purpose and find meaningful relationships with other people, nature, and the transcendental.Rannsóknir benda til þess að ungmenni í samtímanum upplifi líf sitt síður merkingarbært en ungmenni gerðu áður, og þau eigi erfiðara með að finna lífi sínu tilgang. Í þessari grein er sjónum beint að því hvaða tilgang og merkingu ungmenni upplifa í tengslum við eigið líf, annað fólk, náttúru og hið yfirskilvitlega. Vísbendingar eru um að það að upplifa sterk siðferðistengsl við sjálfa sig, annað fólk, náttúru og umhverfi sitt hafi jákvæð áhrif á líf einstaklinga og hjálpi þeim að takast á við erfiðleika og áskoranir. Í auknum mæli er litið á sterk andleg tengsl við veruleikann sem mikilvægan þátt í heilbrigðu lífi og til að geta tekist á við áföll og veikindi. Rannsóknin byggist á gögnum úr alþjóðlegu könnuninni Health Behaviour in School-Aged Children (HBSC) og Íslensku æskulýðsrannsókninni sem lögð var fyrir vorið 2022. Þátttakendur voru alls 1288, þar af voru drengir 51,8% og stúlkur 48,2%. Svarendur voru úr 8. bekk (N = 705) og úr 10. bekk (N = 583) grunnskóla. Stuðst er við svokallaðan „spiritual health“- mælikvarða sem þróaður hefur verið af alþjóðlegu rannsóknarteymi. Í rannsókninni var réttmæti kvarðans í íslensku samhengi kannað og leiddi greining í ljósi gott innra samræmi. Niðurstöður sýna að meirihluti ungmenna upplifði merkingarbær tengsl við annað fólk og náttúru og taldi mikilvægt að finna til persónulegs tilgangs. Minnst var tenging ungmenna við hið yfirskilvitlega, þ.e. að tengjast æðri mætti og telja mikilvægt að íhuga eða biðja. Ólíkt fyrri rannsóknum þá kom í ljós að tengsl við aðra var sá þáttur sem skoraði hæst, en tengsl við eigið sjálf fylgdi fast í kjölfarið. Þá sýna niðurstöður að drengir á Íslandi skora lítillega hærra en stúlkur á tengslum við hið yfirskilvitlega, sem er ekki í samræmi við fjölþjóðlegar rannsóknir. Niðurstöður þessarar rannsóknar sýna að ástæða er til að huga að því hvernig skapa megi ungmennum samfélag og svigrúm til að upplifa persónulegan tilgang og finna til merkingarbærra tengsla við annað fólk, náttúru og hið yfirskilvitlega
Brotthvarf menntaðra lögreglumanna úr starfi: ,,Þörf er á róttækum breytingum á starfsumhverfi og stjórnun lögreglunnar”
No full textThe departure of academically qualified police officers is not an issue restricted solely to the Icelandic context. Numerous international studies have addressed this concern, yet the voluntary resignation of police officers within Iceland remains largely underexplored. This research endeavor seeks to examine the underlying reasons that motivated the departure of academically qualified police officers between the years 2007 and 2022 and to explore potential strategies for enhancing the human resources within the profession. Employing a qualitative approach, the study relies on semi-structured interviews with sixteen former police officers. To enrich the depth of inquiry and gain managerial perspectives, interviews were also conducted with three senior police administrators. While the narratives of the participants varied, four primary determinants of attrition emerged: managerial practices, job satisfaction levels, workplace environment, and work-related strain and stress. Among the criteria indicated above, management-related problems were deemed most significant. The interviewees expressed concerns regarding unprofessional management practises, communication barriers, perceived inequity, unprofessional hiring practises, and limited prospects for career advancement. The work ethic was reportedly perceived as unfavourable, marked by prejudiced attitudes and, resulting in a decrease in overall job satisfaction. Others elaborated on the impact that a negative work environment had on their decision to resign. It was also made clear by all the interviewees that management practises needed to be significantly improved within the police. The findings additionally suggest that the police administration has knowledge of the factors contributing to the phenomenon of intentions to quit, although no efforts have been undertaken to mitigate its occurrence.Brotthvarf menntaðra lögreglumanna úr starfi er langt frá því að vera sér íslenskt vandamál. Rannsóknir hafa verið framkvæmdar á viðfangsefninu víða erlendis en þrátt fyrir að fjöldi lögreglumanna hafi sagt sjálfviljugir upp störfum hérlendis er brotthvarfið að mestu leyti órannsakað. Markmið rannsóknarinnar er að kanna hvaða ástæður búa að baki brotthvarfi menntaðra lögreglumanna úr starfi á árunum 2007 – 2022 og kanna hvað sé til ráða til þess að styrkja mannauð stéttarinnar. Rannsóknin byggir á viðtölum við sextán fyrrum lögreglumenn. Einnig voru tekin viðtöl við þrjá starfandi stjórnendur úr æðstu starfsstigum lögreglunnar, til þess að innsýn stjórnenda og meiri dýpt í rannsóknina. Þrátt fyrir ólíkar upplifanir og reynslu viðmælenda þá stóðu fjórir megin áhrifaþættir fyrir brotthvarfinu upp úr: stjórnunarhættir, starfsánægja, starfsumhverfi og álag og streita. Af framangreindum þáttum vógu stjórnunartengdir þættir þyngst, þar lýstu viðmælendur ófaglegum stjórnunarháttum, samskiptaörðugleikum, ríkjandi óréttlæti, ófaglegum ráðningum og takmörkuðum tækifærum til þróunar í starfi. Starfsandinn var sagður neikvæður og einkennast af fordómum, baknagi og kjaftagangi sem leiddi til dvínandi starfsánægju. Aðrir lýstu því hvernig neikvætt starfsumhverfi hafi haft áhrif á brotthvarf úr starfi. Þá kom skýrt fram hjá öllum viðmælendum að stjórnun þyrfti að bæta verulega innan lögreglunnar ef halda ætti í gott starfsfólk og bæta mannauðinn. Niðurstöður benda jafnframt til þess að stjórnendur lögreglunnar séu meðvitaðir um þær ástæður sem búa að baki brotthvarfsins en lítið hefur verið aðhafst til þess að sporna við því
“Shared accountability”: Experiences of employees in a servant leadership organization guided by growth
No full textDespite the fact that many organizations attribute their success to the practice of servant leadership, only a few studies have been conducted to understand the experience of employees working for a devoted servant leadership organization. Thus, the aim of this study was to explore the lived experience of employees who work in an organization that has been committed to the practice of servant leadership for decades. To respond to the research question: What is it like for employees to work in a dedicated employee-owned servant leadership organization in the construction industry and facilities services business, 16 interviews were conducted, including six follow-up interviews. Half of the interviewees held management positions and the other half held non-management positions, and they had worked for the organization from two years to 50 years. The organization operates in the United States of America and offers services from engineering and construction to operations and maintenance. The interviews were analyzed and interpreted according to phenomenological methodology. Three themes emerged: “Not just the work life but your whole self,” “The sky is the limit”: Continuous growth of employees and the organization, and “Diverse minds make better decisions.” The findings demonstrate that the employees are dedicated to a balanced growth of the organization and its employees as they experience the practice of servant leadership as a holistic way to continually help each other to develop and grow the business, by building on shared accountability leading to employee satisfaction and positive organizational performance. The findings indicate that dedication to the continuous and balanced growth of the organization and its employees is the foundation of the practice of servant leadership
Áhrif nýfrjálshyggju á íslenskt leikskólastarf
No full textFor the last decades neo-liberalism has been growing as a political ideology, globally as well as nationally. In Iceland the manifestation of neo-liberalism is mostly noticeable in discourses related to deregulation, accountability, choice, and privatization, both in the school system as well as in wider society. The aim of the article is to explore the influence of neo-liberalism on the Icelandic preschool system. Among influential forces in Icelandic society is the Iceland Chamber of Commerce which published a futuristic vision of, among other things, how to run the preschool system. Those ideas will be scrutinized especially in connection with the development of the legal frame for preschool as well as public discourses. The conclusion is that neo-liberal influences have become rather obvious on the preschool´s public structure. The neo-liberal ideology has been a constructive force as is apparent in the new act of law on preschools from 2008 and how they have been implemented.Nýfrjálshyggjan hefur verið fyrirferðarmikil í hinu opinbera rými í alllangan tíma. Hérlendis hefur hún m.a. birst í áherslu á að breyta orðræðu samfélagins yfir í tal um regluslökun, ábyrgðarskyldu, val og markaðsvæðingu. Í greininni er leitast við að skoða áhrif nýfrjálshyggjunnar á íslenska leikskólakerfið. Lykilskjöl um málefni leik skólans eru skoðuð með greiningarlykil Hursh og aðferðafræði orðræðugreiningar að leiðarljósi. Meðal þessara skjala er framtíðarsýn Viðskiptaráðs Íslands, Ísland 2015. Rýnt er í þær hugmyndir sem þar koma fram og þær settar í samhengi við þróun laga ramma og opinberra tilmæla um leikskólann hérlendis. Lög um leikskóla, reglugerðir og ýmsar skýslur sem snúa að leikskólastarfi eru einnig skoðaðar. Niðurstaðan er að áhrif nýfrjálshyggjunnar séu mjög greinileg á umgjörð leikskólastarfs eftir síðustu aldamót, og að hugmyndafræði hennar hafi orðið fyrirferðarmeiri og haft mótandi áhrif á leikskólann. Þau áhrif kristölluðust í lögum um leikskóla 2008 og hafa sýnt sig í framkvæmd þeirra