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Starfsumhverfi framhaldsskólakennara á fyrsta ári COVID-19 heimsfaraldurs
No full textThe working environment in upper secondary schools changed drastically with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. A ban on social gatherings was established in Iceland in March 2020 and all schoolwork shifted to on-line learning almost overnight; this lasted throughout the spring semester and continued with various restrictions in the fall of 2020. Upper secondary school teachers answered a questionnaire in May 2020, aimed at mapping the changes to working conditions during the spring semester and the shift into emergency remote teaching (Barbour et al., 2020). At the end of the fall semester, a follow-up questionnaire was sent. The data used in the current paper derive from these questionnaires. The aim is to investigate how teachers at the upper secondary level performed their duties under the new circumstances in 2020, especially during the first COVID lockdown in spring but also as the pandemic continued. Special emphasis is laid on how they experienced their working conditions, e.g., in terms of their definition of duties, stress, collaboration and administrative obligations, as well as their interaction with students and their parents. The support provided to teachers during the first stages of the pandemic, both technological, pedagogical and social is analyzed. The aim is to add to the gradually emerging knowledge base by shedding light on the work of upper secondary teachers during the first waves of the pandemic. The first results show that the teaching profession underwent radical changes during the first period of the pandemic (Súsanna Margrét Gestsdóttir et al., 2020). Upper secondary teachers felt an increased pressure and stress at work and perceived their work as more complicated than before. The experience of stress increased during the fall semester, even though the teachers reported they had a better handle on the work. The data show an important gender difference, as female teachers seem to have been primary caregivers in the homes and consequently found it more strenuous to attend to their teaching duties as well. More collaboration with colleagues during the pandemic was reported and administrative meetings were more frequent. The collaboration with colleagues proved a crucial factor when coping with the recurring changes of working conditions. This was generally viewed as beneficial to their work by a large majority of teachers. Communication with students and parents increased overall and over time, especially according to female teachers, which may have added to the increased pressure at work. Moreover, most participants believed students experienced more psychological stress during the pandemic, a perception that only heightened over time. However, they also believed that schools had adjusted their work practices to accommodate students during these challenging times. The results evoke important questions concerning teachers’ working conditions. The rapid professional development undertaken by teachers led to the majority of them adopting more varied teaching approaches than before the pandemic. Nevertheless, this was accompanied by a higher level of stress and insecurity. This may carry several implications. Teacher education needs to take these changed circumstances into account and prepare future teachers for the possibilities of hybrid teaching and increased flexibility and differentiation. Both experienced and newly qualified teachers need to have access to professional development that supports them. The time and opportunities that teachers need for collaboration and peer support must be included in their work. Reflecting on the situation in Iceland during the first stages of the pandemic can serve as a basis for comparison with teachers’ working conditions in other countries.Framhaldsskólastigið fór ekki varhluta af breyttu starfsumhverfi vegna COVID-19-faraldursins. Þegar samkomubann var sett á í mars 2020 fluttist öll staðkennsla yfir í fjarkennslu og hélst það fyrirkomulag fram eftir vorönn 2020. Um haustið tók við tímabil síbreytilegra samkomutakmarkana. Kennt var ýmist á staðnum eða í eins konar blöndu af fjar- og staðnámi en í lok annar fluttist kennsla aftur alfarið yfir í fjarkennslu. Markmið þessarar rannsóknar er að varpa ljósi á starfsumhverfi íslenskra framhaldsskólakennara við síbreytilegar aðstæður árið 2020. Sérstök áhersla er lögð á starfsaðstæður framhaldsskólakennara, starfsskyldur, stuðning og álag en einnig á samskipti kennara við nemendur, foreldra og samstarfsfólk. Auk þess verður kannað hvort kyn og stærð skóla hafi áhrif á fyrrgreinda þætti. Unnið er með gögn úr tveimur könnunum Menntavísindastofnunar Háskóla Íslands sem lagðar voru fyrir starfsfólk framhaldsskóla. Fyrri spurningalistinn var lagður fyrir í lok vorannar 2020 og sá seinni í lok haustannar 2020. Niðurstöður sýna að kennarastarfið tók miklum breytingum á fyrsta ári heimsfaraldurs. Framhaldsskólakennarar fundu fyrir auknu álagi og þeim fannst starf sitt flóknara en áður. Streita jókst frá vormisseri til haustmisseris, þrátt fyrir þá tilfinningu kennara að þeir hefðu betri tök á starfi sínu. Konur vörðu meiri tíma í umönnun barna og þær fundu fyrir meiri streitu en karlar. Samstarf kennara var meira og fundir voru tíðari en kennurunum fannst samstarfið gagnlegt. Samskipti við nemendur og foreldra jukust í heildina, einkum að mati kvenkyns kennara. Kennarar töldu að skólarnir hefðu lagað starfshætti sína að breyttri stöðu nemenda á þessum krefjandi tímum. Niðurstöðurnar vekja áleitnar spurningar um starfsumhverfi kennara og starfsþróun þeirra á tímum heimsfaraldurs og síbreytilegra starfsaðstæðna. Þær eru jafnframt innlegg í samtal um hvernig megi bregðast við komandi kreppum og varpa ljósi á ýmsa veikleika í kerfinu
Togstreita og andstæð sjónarmið: Sýn kennara og skólastjórnenda á þróun framtíðarmöguleika frmhaldsskólans
No full textIt is undisputable that the COVID-19 pandemic seriously affected schools all over the world. When teaching and learning was moved online overnight in Icelandic upper secondary schools due to the pandemic, it posed significant challenges for teachers and school leaders. Teachers were required to instantly adapt their teaching practices and course plans to a digital environment and convert immediately to a situation that has be called emergency remote teaching (ERT). School leaders constantly needed to rethink the operation of the schools and teachers to adapt to an ever-changing reality. This condition lasted with certain variations for almost a whole year. The unusual situation offers a unique opportunity to investigate the effects of a sudden crisis as well as the ideas of educational staff concerning possible learning from the situation. The aim of the paper is to investigate teachers’ and school leaders’ vision of the development of the upper secondary school and its future possibilities, from the vantage point provided by the first year of the pandemic. The research is based on data from a comprehensive study entitled Upper secondary education and COVID-19: Crisis, challenges and adaptability. Twelve teachers and six school leaders from three upper secondary schools were interviewed towards the end of the first year of the pandemic. One of the schools is in a rural area, the others are two different schools in the metropolitan area. Purposive sampling was used to select schools and interviewees to cover various situations and experiences. Gender balance was considered, as well as working experience and subjects taught. Teachers who had either struggled with adapting their teaching to the ERT or who had found it relatively easy to do were interviewed. The school directors of each school were interviewed and another school leader, selected randomly from the middle management layer of each school. Since the results presented no discernible difference between genders or school subjects all interviewees are addressed as masculine to guard anonymity. The interviews lasted from 90–130 minutes. They were transcribed verbatim and coded to look for recurrent themes, three of which are discussed in the article: the first related to distance teaching and social needs of both teachers and students, the second to the development of teaching approaches and technology and the third one to the possibility of a more flexible upper secondary school. The results show an interesting conflict between different views of the interviewees. They emphasize their concern for the students and discuss how the pandemic has made ideas of the social value of the upper secondary school more salient. Participants have gained a new vision of the role of the upper secondary school which may build more upon social values, fellowship and student activity. These values go against the current trend of neo-liberalism in education. Simultaneously, they envisage a more open and flexible school where IT is used to modify teaching strategies and assessment practices to accommodate different needs of students. However, they also point out the challenges of increased flexibility. The authors of this article emphasize the importance of discerning between work and private life and that the merits of flexibility should not impede teacher autonomy. It is, therefore, important that teachers participate actively in future discussion about the development of upper secondary education. The results are an important contribution to the ongoing discourse on the development of upper secondary education where teachers’ points of view need to be pre-eminent. The findings demonstrate the experience of different stakeholders who were negotiating a transitional process in their profession.Ekki fer á milli mála að COVID-19 faraldurinn hafði mikil áhrif á skólastarf víðsvegar um heiminn. Á Íslandi fór starfsemi framhaldsskóla að mestu fram með fjarfundabúnaði í heilt ár og starfsfólk og nemendur sinntu verkefnum sínum að heiman. Markmið greinarinnar er að varpa ljósi á sýn kennara og stjórnenda þriggja framhaldsskóla á þróun framhaldsskólans og framtíðarmöguleika með hliðsjón af þeirri reynslu sem kreppuástand heimsfaraldurs hefur veitt til þessa. Greinin byggir á viðtölum við tólf kennara og sex stjórnendur þriggja ólíkra skóla sem tekin voru ári eftir að framhaldsskólahúsnæði á Íslandi var lokað. Skólarnir og viðmælendur voru valdir með tilgangsúrtaki. Niðurstöðurnar sýna áhugaverða togstreitu og andstæð sjónarmið viðmælenda. Þátttakendur lögðu áherslu á umhyggju fyrir nemendum og að farsóttin hefði skerpt á hugmyndum um félagslegt gildi framhaldsskólans. Einnig bentu þeir á tækniframfarir í kennslu sinni og sáu fyrir sér opnara og sveigjanlegra skólastarf til að koma til móts við þarfir ólíkra nemenda og kennara. Jafnframt fjölluðu þeir um margvíslegar áskoranir í því samhengi. Niðurstöður greinarinnar eru mikilvægt innlegg í áframhaldandi umræðu um þróun framhaldsskólans. Þær sýna reynslu kennara og skólastjórnenda sem staddir voru í óvæntu breytingaferli og hugmyndir þeirra um þróun og framtíðarmöguleika skólastigsins. Höfundar leggja áherslu á að raddir skólafólks verði sterkar í samræðum um mótun framhaldsskóla framtíðarinnar
Háskóli fyrir alla
No full textFor the past fifty years disabled students have steadily gained access to the education system and been recognized as active participants in society. Nevertheless, the inclusive education policy has had limited effect on post-secondary study opportunities for disabled students. For the longest time, post-secondary education has mainly been reserved for those who have completed a matriculation examination and people with intellectual disabilities have mostly been offered segregated adult or life-long learning education programs. In 2007, the Iceland University of Education offered for the first time a vocational diploma studies for people with intellectual disabilities. This was a response to the demand of people with intellectual disabilities for more education opportunities. The aim of the programme is, on the one hand, to prepare students for specific jobs within the field of education, in pre-primary schools (nurseries), after school clubs, libraries and within the field of disability and self-advocacy, which are the jobs School of Education provides training for; on the other hand, the aim is to give them an opportunity for post-secondary education. Furthermore, emphasis is placed on providing students with practical knowledge and skills in inclusive education settings to promote their participation in society. Since the start of the programme, much has been accomplished. The Iceland University of Education has merged with the University of Iceland as its School of Education and 102 students have graduated from the program (autumn 2021). Post-secondary education for people with intellectual disabilities challenges the idea of universities and critics have argued that inviting students with intellectual disabilities into the school risks reducing their quality. In this article we examine this critique by answering several questions: (a) What is a good university? (b) For whom is post-secondary education? (c) What is inclusive post-secondary education? (d) Does an inclusive university contribute to the ‘dumbing down’ of post-secondary education? In our attempt to answer the question what is a good university we divide the question into two: (1) Good in what? and (2) Good for whom or what? We reflect on the origins of universities and Humboldt’s ideas about what a university should be. In short, we come to the same conclusion as Humboldt and claim that a good university is both strong academically and a good community or society. However, both academics and society have changed drastically. We now live in a more inclusive societies with increased demands for participation of all, and the University of Iceland has obligations to society to support it to become a democratic community of learning. The second question about who the university should be for is closely related to what kind of society we want to live in. The university needs to answer the question of what kind of society it wants to belong to and take part in shaping it. It must stop focusing on the academic difficulties of students with intellectual disabilities and look instead critically on the systemic flaw of the school system, which places the main emphasis on standardized tests, performance measures and international comparisons, while it holds up beautiful promises of social responsibility and a democratic role. In the autumn of 2021, only the School of Education offered study opportunities for people with intellectual disabilities. Not all people are interested in education and other schools need to recognize their responsibility in creating a more just and inclusive society. The third question about what inclusive post-secondary education is has not been clearly answered before. We argue that inclusive post-secondary education does not exclude students from entering the university, on the contrary it promotes the full participation and recognition of all students. That means that students with intellectual disabilities are included in study programs as well as student life and organizations. They belong to the university community. That idea challenges the traditional conception that universities should be elite institutions – for a select few. Although universities worldwide have grown with and attract students from all spheres of society, disabled students are still relatively few. The post-secondary education system seems to be ableist and does not allow for the reasonable accommodation of disabled students. It is still designed and considered primarily for non-disabled students. Much of the original critique, that students with intellectual disabilities do not belong in universities, has quieted down and much of the student body appreciates the vocation diploma program. However, there are still some who fear the ‘dumbing down’ of education. We understand how this idea is challenging but conclude, based on the experience of the School of Education, that inclusive education demands en even higher quality of teaching and learning. Also, inclusive education opens the university and changes the conception of it – it should no longer be for the elite. Therefore, the University of Iceland needs to clearly define what kind of university it wants or should be. We can decide that the University of Iceland should be active in shaping Icelandic society. Or we can decide that the role of the university should solely be participation in the knowledge economy. However, we believe that the latter option is not a real option since it will make us lose the very idea of what a university is. The main building will remain, majestic in its simplicity, but it will not stand for anything.Undanfarna hálfa öld eða svo hafa fatlaðir nemendur öðlast aukinn rétt til náms samhliða viðurkenningu á að þeir eru ekki einungis hluti af samfélaginu heldur einnig þátttakendur í því. Lengst af hefur háskólanám aðallega verið fyrir þau sem lokið hafa stúdentsprófi og fólki með þroskahömlun eingöngu staðið til boða aðgreind fullorðinsfræðsla. Árið 2007 bauð Kennaraháskóli Íslands í fyrsta sinn upp á starfstengt diplómanám fyrir fólk með þroskahömlun. Um var að ræða svar við kröfu fólks með þroskahömlun um aukin tækifæri til náms. Tilgangur diplómunámsins var að veita fólki með þroskahömlun möguleika til fullgildrar samfélagsþátttöku. Síðan þá hefur mikið vatn runnið til sjávar, Kennaraháskólinn sameinast Háskóla Íslands undir formerkjum Menntavísindasviðs og 115 nemendur hafa brautskráðst úr náminu (haust 2022). Háskólanám fyrir fólk með þroskahömlun ögrar hugmyndum um háskólanám en gagnrýnisraddir hafa haldið því fram að með því að bjóða nemendum með þroskahömlun inn í skólann sé dregið úr gæðum hans. Í þessari grein skoðum við nánar þessa gagnrýni með því að svara eftirfarandi spurningum: (a) Hvað er góður háskóli? (b) Fyrir hverja er háskólinn? (c) Hvernig er inngildandi háskólanám? (d) Gengisfellir inngildandi menntun háskólanám? Höfundar komust að þeirri niðurstöðu að góður skóli þurfi að vera bæði góður í fræðum og gott samfélag. Háskóli Íslands þurfi því að gera það upp við sig fyrir hverja hann er og fyrir hvað hann stendur. Inngildandi háskólanám er vel framkvæmanlegt og jafnvel eftirsóknarvert en það gerir miklar kröfur um gæði náms og kennslu
Upplifun grunnskólakennara af eigin velfarnaði út frá PERMA
No full textThis article focuses on the well-being of Icelandic compulsory school teachers. Teachers’ well-being is not only important for teachers themselves but also affects their students’ well-being and academic success. Low recruitment to the profession and high turnover as teachers resign or retire, have been causes for concern in Iceland as well as in other countries in recent years. Research on professional competence has shown the necessity for teachers to possess the skills needed to meet the demands of the profession and stand firm in their professionalism, in addition to possessing strategies for coping with stress. Without these, their professional identity may suffer which can in turn have a negative effect on job satisfaction. This increases the likelihood of teachers retiring or changing careers. One aspect of maintaining a stronger professional identity is to look at teachers’ well-being, as several studies have found that teachers who experience well-being are more satisfied and effective at work and less likely to leave the profession. In addition, their students appear to experience a greater sense of well-being and to achieve more.The aim of the study was to examine in depth, different elements of the well-being of Icelandic compulsory school teachers who consider themselves to be happy. This was done by applying Seligman’s PERMA Well-Being Theory to see how well it captures the elements of teachers’ well-being. PERMA defines five important elements to experience well-being: positive emotions, engagement, relationships, meaning, and accomplishment. The PERMA-Profiler was used to develop an interview guide together with more general questions about well-being. Eight in-depth interviews were conducted with working compulsory school teachers who feel happy in their work and their personal lives. The data was thematically analyzed, both deductively, where answers were matched with the PERMA elements, and inductively, where a search for other themes was conducted.All the PERMA elements came through in the data as well as two elements outside PERMA: self-knowledge and vitality. Positive emotions came through the strongest and is the element that interacts with all the other elements. The teachers experience pride, joy, and gratitude as well as emotions that arise from other PERMA aspects. Engagement appeared in the interest the teachers have for their work, fast-paced lessons and in diverse hobbies they have where they experience flow. The teachers have satisfying social networks that include family members and friends and good relationships with colleagues, supervisors, and students. They emphasize the importance of a positive and rewarding work environment to offset the demands of the job and to lighten their loads. Having a sense of purpose is strongly expressed by the teachers and originates in self-acceptance, self-transcendence, rewarding relationships, and intimacy. The most common thread was how proud the teachers are of their choice of profession because they feel they can make a difference. The teachers experience a sense of accomplishment when they see their students make progress and succeed, and they are aware of their role in this. They are willing to put in a great amount of effort to help their students achieve success; they are persistent and do not give up easily. As mentioned, two themes emerged outside PERMA, self-knowledge, and vitality, which were both quite prominent. With good self-knowledge, teachers know their own feelings, reactions, strengths, and weaknesses quite well and are aware of the importance of setting boundaries and managing stress. They know how they want things to be done and what is best for themselves and their students. Teachers who stand firm in their professionalism and know what they stand for, experience stronger self-efficacy, which affects their job satisfaction. Vitality refers to the energy needed to be a successful teacher. Effective teaching requires a significant amount of energy, and the teachers feel it in their work. They are aware of the need to maintain their energy levels, and to do so, they use various methods such as meditation, exercise, spending time outside in nature, maintaining positive relationships, and having fun.The conclusion is that PERMA does not fully capture all the elements the teachers in this study consider important for their well-being. It does however, provide a useful framework for highlighting the individual and social aspects that comprise teachers‘ wellbeing. Increased understanding on well-being is import for teachers’ to gain knowledge on how they can improve their own well-being. The results can also help principals and policy makers to create working conditions that nurture the well-being of teachers and hopefully counteract the current exodus from the teaching profession.Í þessari grein er sjónum beint að velfarnaði (e. well-being) grunnskólakennara. Velfarnaður er ekki eingöngu mikilvægur fyrir kennara sjálfa heldur hefur hann einnig áhrif á líðan nemenda og velgengni þeirra í námi. Markmiðið með rannsókninni var að öðlast aukinn skilning á velfarnaði grunnskólakennara með því að skoða hversu vel PERMA-velfarnaðarkenning Seligman nær yfir velfarnað kennara sem meta sig hamingjusama í lífi og starfi. PERMA-velfarnaðarkenningin skilgreinir fimm þætti sem nauðsynlegir eru til að upplifa velfarnað en þeir eru: Jákvæðar tilfinningar, áhugi og innlifun, félagsleg tengsl, lífstilgangur og árangur. Tekin voru hálfopin viðtöl við átta starfandi grunnskólakennara og þeir spurðir út í velfarnaðarþætti PERMA auk opinna spurninga um velfarnað sinn. Viðtölin voru þemagreind, bæði með afleiðslu, þar sem svör þátttakenda voru mátuð við PERMA-þættina, og aðleiðslu, þar sem leitað var eftir öðrum sameiginlegum þemum. Viðtölin vörpuðu ljósi á hvernig PERMA-þættirnir birtust hjá kennurunum. Upplifun jákvæðra tilfinninga var áberandi og er sá þáttur sem er gagnvirkur við alla hina þættina. Þátttakendur upplifðu áhuga og innlifun í starfinu og félagsleg tengsl þeirra eru góð. Starfið rímar við lífstilgang þeirra og þeim þykir mikilvægt að upplifa árangur í því. Aðrir þættir utan PERMA sem komu fram voru sjálfsþekking og lífsorka og voru þeir nokkuð áberandi í velfarnaði þátttakenda. Niðurstöður sýndu að PERMA nær ekki fyllilega að fanga þá þætti sem viðmælendur telja mikilvæga fyrir velfarnað sinn þó kenningin geti verið gagnlegur rammi til að varpa ljósi á þá einstaklingsbundnu og félagslegu þætti sem stuðla að velfarnaði. Mikilvægt er að kennarar fái tækifæri til að auka þekkingu sína og getu til að huga að eigin velfarnaði. Einnig geta niðurstöðurnar gefið vísbendingar fyrir stjórnendur og stefnumótandi aðila um hvernig megi skapa starfsaðstæður þar sem hlúð er markvisst að velfarnaði kennara og hugsanlega draga úr brotthvarfi úr kennarastéttinni
Ákvörðun þolenda ofbeldis að tilkynna brot til lögreglu
Get PDFAs most crimes are never reported, official police data underestimates the true extent of crimes. Decisions to report also varies between groups resulting in a systematic bias in data used to form police changes in the criminal justice system. The current research focuses on the impact that crime types, victims SES, and trust towards the police has on decisions to report. The study uses a combined dataset of victimization surveys conducted annually from 2014 to 2021 (n = 19,440). Results show that fewer victims of gender-based violence report than victims of other types of crimes. Victims’ perception of the seriousness of the violence has the strongest impact on decision to report. Young people and people in rural areas are less likely to report than other groups. The article reviews the complex relationship between trust towards the police and decisions to report violence. The findings indicate that a recent experience of violent victimization reduces trust towards the police. Reporting gender-based violence has a tendency to reduce trust towards the police but reporting other types of physical violence is associated with increased trust. The results also show that victims of serious intimate partner violence have become more likely to report to the police in recent years than before 2018.Aðeins hluti þolenda ofbeldis tilkynnir til lögreglu og vanmetur því opinber afbrotatölfræði raunverulegan fjölda brota. Þar sem að vilji fólks til að tilkynna er mismunandi á milli hópa innihalda gögnin einnig kerfisbundna skekkju. Þannig getur verið að gögn sem eru notuð til að móta stefnu- og lagabreytingar í réttarkerfinu gefi upp ranga mynd af algengi og eðli brota. Í rannsókninni er skoðað hvaða tengsl tegund brotaflokks, félagsleg staða þolanda, og traust til lögreglu hafa á ákvörðun um að tilkynna ofbeldi. Rannsóknin byggir á samsettu gagnasetti þolendakannana sem lagðar voru fyrir árlega frá 2014 til 2021 (n = 19.440). Niðurstöður sýna að hlutfallslega færri þolendur kynbundins ofbeldis tilkynna til lögreglu en þolendur allra annarra brotaflokka. Mat þolanda á alvarleika brotsins hefur sterkustu áhrif á hvort ofbeldi til er tilkynnt til lögreglu. Ungt fólk og fólk utan höfuðborgarsvæðisins leitar síður til lögreglu en aðrir hópar. Í greininni er farið yfir flókin tengsl á milli trausts til lögreglu og ákvarðana um að tilkynna ofbeldi. Rannsóknin gefur til kynna að fólk sem hefur nýlega reynslu af ofbeldi beri minna traust en þau sem ekki hafa slíka reynslu, og traust er minna hjá þolendum kynbundins ofbeldis sem hafa tilkynnt en þeim sem ekki hafa tilkynnt til lögreglu. Þetta á ekki við um annars konar líkamsárásir. Rannsóknin gefur auk þess til kynna hlutfallslega fleiri þolendur alvarlegs ofbeldis í nánum samböndum tilkynni nú en á árunum 2014 til 2017
Orðabækur, tungumálanám og tungumálakennsla
No full textThis article focuses on teaching the use of dictionaries in language learning. Prior research has shown that the correct use of dictionaries contributes to a better encoding of the L2 and that skills in the use of dictionaries promote independence and increase the student’s activity in the language learning. Nowadays, foreign and second language learners have access to dictionaries for different levels of learning, both bilingual and monolingual as well as paper dictionaries or electronic dictionaries in various forms. According to surveys, most language learners prefer to use online bilingual dictionaries. The new technology, however, has not led to increased proficiency in dictionary use on the contrary, surveys indicate deficient skills. This can be attributed to the lack of systematic instruction and specific training in dictionary use. It is up to the language teacher to teach students dictionary use as well as to guide themto select the appropriate dictionary. In order to be able to teach the use of dictionaries and to evaluate which dictionaries should be used at different language levels, the language teacher must have some knowledge of the different types of dictionaries and the structure and content of a dictionary. This article describes the organization of a master’s course on lexicography for future Spanish teachers, the purpose of which is to train future teachers in assessing which dictionaries are adequate for students at different language levels andin teaching dictionary skills/use. Finally, the article reports on the results of a study investigating the use of dictionaries among students of Spanish in several secondary schools in the Reykjavik area.Keywords: dictionary use, second language acquisition, language teachingÍ þessari grein beinast sjónir að notkun orðabóka í tungumálanámiog -kennslu. Niðurstöður rannsókna sýna að rétt notkun orðabókastuðlar að betri og markvissari málbeitingu tungumálanema og aðþekking og færni í notkun orðabóka ýtir undir sjálfstæði og eykurvirkni nemandans í málanáminu. Nú á dögum hafa nemendur íerlendum tungumálum aðgang að orðabókum fyrir mismunandimálfærnistig, bæði tvímála- og einmálaorðabókum á pappír eða árafrænu formi. Samkvæmt könnunum kjósa flestir tungumálanemarað nota rafrænar tvímálaorðabækur. Ný tækni hefur hins vegar ekkiaukið færni nemenda í orðabókanotkun, þvert á móti sýna kannanirað hæfni/færni nemenda í notkun orðabóka er ábótavant. Það máeflaust rekja til þess að kennslu og þjálfun í notkun orðabóka eráfátt. Það er á hendi tungumálakennarans að kenna nemendum aðnota orðabækur og leiðbeina við val á þeim. Eigi tungumálakennariað vera í stakk búinn til að kenna notkun orðabóka og meta hvaðaorðabækur hæfi mismunandi málfærnistigum verður hann að hafahugmynd um gerð þeirra og byggingu. Hér er sagt frá tilurð ogskipulagi námskeiðs á meistarastigi ætluðu verðandi spænskukennurum.Tilgangurinn með námskeiðinu er m.a. að leiðbeina verðandikennurum í að meta hvaða orðabækur henta best fyrir nemendur áýmsum málfærnistigum og að kenna nemendum að nota orðabækur.Einnig er sagt frá könnun um notkun orðabóka sem nýlega var gerðí nokkrum framhaldsskólum á höfuðborgarsvæðinu.Lykilorð: orðabókanotkun, tungumálanám, tungumálakennsl
Gagn og gaman af styttra námi erlendis sem hluta af tungumálanámi á háskólastigi
No full textThe topic of this paper is the effect and value of a short-term studyabroad program as a part of university studies. The paper presents a study conducted among Icelandic students of German participating in a two-week course in Germany which aimed at enhancing spoken language skills. The course is offered by the Faculty of Languages and Cultures of the Karl Eberhard University in Tübingen, Germany. The study shows that this short-term program increases the language input greatly and has a positive impact, not only on the students’foreign language skills but also on various other aspects, such as cross-cultural understanding, intercultural sensitivity, knowledge of German culture, the German language, and everyday life in Germany. Also, staying in a German-speaking country leads to changing attitudes and habits of the students. The study shows that the course equips students of German and other disciplines with intercultural experience and increases their intercultural sensitivity.Keywords: short-term study abroad, intercultural experience, German, spoken language skills in GermanyÍ þessari grein er umfjöllunarefnið styttra nám erlendis sem hluti af háskólanámi, sérstaklega í tungumálum. Fjallað er um hugtakið styttra nám erlendis sem og mikilvægi og gagnsemi þess í ýmsu háskólanámi. Meginviðgangsefni greinarinnar eru niðurstöður rannsóknar sem gerð var meðal íslenskra háskólastúdenta sem lokið hafa námskeiðinu Talfærninámskeið í Þýskalandi. Námskeiðið er í boði við Mála- og menningardeild en kennt er við Karl Eberhard-háskólann í Tübingen í Þýskalandi. Rannsóknin miðar annars vegar að því að komast að raun um hvort og þá á hvaða hátt styttra nám erlendis hefur áhrif á færniþætti tungumálsins og er þá sérstakleg litið til þeirraáhrifa sem aukið ílag hefur á tungumálakunnáttu háskólastúdenta. Hins vegar er einnig horft til annarra þátta, s.s. þess hvernig þekking á þýsku samfélagi, viðhorf til þýskrar menningar og þýska tungumálsins breytist. Enn fremur er fjallað um hæfni stúdenta til þess að umgangast Þjóðverja við mismunandi aðstæður með viðeigandi hætti og það hvernig næmi þeirra fyrir menningu og siðum annarra málsvæða breytist.Lykilorð: styttra nám erlendis, talfærninámskeið í Þýskalandi, þýska, menningarlæs
„Núna eru allir einhvern veginn rosa uppteknir og það er enginn sem svona heldur utan um krakkana“: Þörf á foreldrafræðslu: Sýn umsjónarkennara á miðstigi grunnskóla
No full textFamily life has changed in recent decades and become more complex, leading to new challenges regarding children’s upbringing. In modern society, most parents have jobs outside of the home and children spend a large part of their day in school. Therefore, we can assume that supervisory teachers are aware of children’s needs, as well as their parents, due to the emphasis on cooperation between school and home (lög um grunnskóla [Act on Compulsory Education] no. 91/2008; Mennta- og menningarmálaráðuneyti, [Ministry of Education and Culture], 2011).The aim of the study is to provide insight into the challenges associated with parenting children 10–13 years of age in modern society, according to Icelandic supervisory teachers’ estimation. Moreover, the objective is to explore the teachers’ perspectives on parents’ and supervisory teachers’ roles and responsibilities in parenting, along with their estimation of the need for parental support and parent education. The data consists of semi-structured interviews with eight supervisory teachers in 5th–7th grade in middle schools. The data was analysed using thematic analysis (Braun og Clarke, 2006). Three main themes were explored: (1) High sociological demands are made on parents and children; (2) increasing demands from parents on teachers to participate more in children’s upbringing and; (3) the need for increased parental support and parent education.The main findings revealed that Icelandic society places significant pressure and demands on parents, resulting in parents’ busy lives. These sociological demands cause Icelandic society to be fast-paced, with parents lacking time, thus causing stress and strain on families. The job market plays a major role in this high tempo. The schools also make demands on parents, such as monitoring the children’s academic progress. Children’s after school activities makes demands on parents as well. Additionally, parents’ social and personal lives are a source of strong pressure. Therefore, it is not surprising that some parents have neither the time nor energy to monitor and support their children’s school attendance and academic progress, as the elementary school law stipulates (nr. 91/2008, paragr. 18). Parents’ responsibilities for their children’s education and behavior are clearly expressed in the law of the land (lög um grunnskóla no. 91/2008; Reglugerð um ábyrgð og skyldur aðila í skólasamfélaginu [Regulation on the Responsibilities and Obligations of Partners in the School Community] no. 1040/2011) and teachers require parents to be more actively involved in their children’s education.Teachers experience increasing demands from parents to the effect that teachers participate more in children’s upbringing. For instance, many parents want teachers’ assistance in solving communication difficulties between children, even in cases that happen after school hours. However, the teachers do not feel able to meet these demands. They say the workload and related stress is already excessive. Besides, they do not see this as part of their job as teachers nor are they trained in field of parent education. The teachers would have liked to learn more about collaboration between school and parents during their education process. According to the National Curriculum Guide (Mennta- og menningarmálaráðuneyti, 2011), teachers are obliged to attend to the upbringing of their students and are responsible for their well-being However, it is not further explained what this entails. The role of parents and teachers, respectively, remains unclear. A good example of this vagueness is when children need support and guidance in solving communication problems with their peers. Is that the role of teachers or parents? Does it matter whether this happens during or after school hours?The teachers want parents to take responsibility for their children. They think there is a real need for parent education and parental support in bringing up 10–13 year old children. The teachers say that parents need to be educated in setting limits and boundaries and emphasize the importance of parents spending time and communicating successfully with their children. The children urgently need guidance in using computers and smart devices, especially when it comes to social media. Some of them have access to their own social media accounts, despite the age limit being 13 years or older. Some of the teachers expressed concerns regarding the effect these factors have on children and speculated that this could have a negative influence with respect to anxiety and depression among children. The teachers said it would be beneficial to conduct parent education in the schools although some doubted that parents would take the time to attend.The results of this study should be an important contribution to the discussion on parents’ and teachers’ roles and responsibilities in children’s upbringing. Also, the findings are important for policy formulation regarding parent education and support for those who work with parents. Thus, the findings should be of value both for parents and their children.Þær breytingar sem hafa orðið á fjölskyldulífi undanfarna áratugi hafa leitt af sér nýjar áskoranir í uppeldi barna. Þá upplifa margir foreldrar streitu vegna samhæfingar fjölskyldu- og atvinnulífs. Markmið rannsóknarinnar er að varpa ljósi á áskoranir í uppeldi 10–13 ára barna að mati umsjónarkennara. Aukinheldur að skoða sýn þeirra á hlutverk og ábyrgð foreldra og umsjónarkennara á uppeldi sem og mat þeirra á þörf á stuðningi og uppeldisfræðslu fyrir foreldra. Tekin voru viðtöl við átta umsjónarkennara 5.–7. bekkja í grunnskólum. Helstu niðurstöður eru þær að miklar samfélagslegar kröfur eru gerðar til foreldra sem verða til þess að foreldrar eru mjög uppteknir. Umsjónarkennararnir finna fyrir kröfu frá foreldrum um að þeir styðji þá enn frekar en áður við uppeldi barna sinna. Umsjónarkennurunum finnst það varla vera sitt hlutverk, þeir séu hvorki menntaðir til þess né sé þeim mögulegt að bæta á sig fleiri verkefnum. Þeir vilja að foreldrar beri ábyrgð á og sinni uppeldi barna sinna. Þeir telja foreldra 10–13 ára barna hafa þörf á stuðningi og uppeldisfræðslu. Niðurstöður rannsóknarinnar ættu að vera mikilvægt innlegg í umræðu um hlutverk og ábyrgð foreldra og kennara á uppeldi barna. Einnig ættu þær að nýtast við stefnumótun foreldrafræðslu og uppeldisráðgjafar, vera stuðningur fyrir þá sem vinna með foreldrum og með því vera mikilvægar fyrir foreldra og börn
„Mér líður eins og ég tilheyri, veit að hún lærir tungumálið fljótt.“ Foreldrar með fjölbreyttan bakgrunn og fullgildi við upphaf leikskólagöngu
No full textThis article is based on a study that sought to understand the experiences and views of parents with diverse backgrounds and their meaning of belonging to a preschool community in the context of their children’s transition to preschool. The relocation of people from other countries has significantly increased the diversity of families of preschool children in Iceland. Moreover, an increasing number of children are now entering preschool at younger ages. The transition from home to preschool can be complex and challenging for parents and children (Tobin, 2020). In Iceland, where inclusive schooling is based on democratic practices that emphasise equity, it is the official policy that all children participate in pedagogical work (Mennta- og menningarmálaráðuneytið [Ministry of Education and Culture], 2011). The present study is inspired by Yuval-Davis’s theory (2006, 2011) regarding the multifaceted concept of belonging and research addressing this notion. Belonging is thought to be related to the basic human need to experience a sense of belonging to other people, places and things; as such, an individual’s experience of belonging affects their learning, behaviour, well-being and self-perception (May, 2013; Stratigos et al., 2014). Yuval-Davis (2011) also distinguished between the sense of belonging and the politics of belonging. This article will answer the following two questions:What are parents’ experiences when transitioning from home to preschool?What are parents’ experiences and views regarding belonging to a preschool community?The staff of the preschool participating in the study had extensive experience working with families from diverse backgrounds. Children younger than two years of age begin preschool in the fall, and during the transition process, parents are expected to participate with their child for a few days to give staff the opportunity to learn about each child’s routines from their parents; at the same time, children and parents become familiar with the preschool’s learning environment. Because this arrangement must be flexible to accommodate the needs of children and their parents and promote security for everyone involved, a specific staff member is selected to develop close relationships with certain families (Hrönn Pálmadóttir, 2020; Reykjavíkurborg [City of Reykjavik], 2010). Data for the present study were collected using qualitative research methods. Individual semi-structured interviews were conducted with eight parents of six children under the age of two. Both parents of two children had foreign backgrounds, the parents of another two children were Icelandic, and one parent of two of the children had a foreign background; notably, two of the children received additional support in the preschool. For all the parents except one couple, this collaboration with the preschool was their first experience. A data analysis was performed through thematic analysis, a flexible method used to plan and analyse data (Braun & Clarke, 2013); and the findings were categorized into two themes: Transition to preschool and communication and participation. The transition to preschool resulted in significant changes to family life; some of the parents reported that they experienced anxiety before their child started preschool, because they found it difficult to imagine how their child would cope with the changes and become part of a large group of children. It was therefore important for parents to be able to choose which preschool their child attended. Communicating with the preschool director and unit leader in the beginning forms an important basis for continued connections with the preschool. Parents consider being listened to and having their views respected to be important, and teachers should understand that the well-being of parents and that of children are intertwined. Having an interpreter present in the introductory preschool interview and during the first days of adjustment is essential to bridge the language gap. It is also useful to contact people within the preschool who speak the same language as the parents to share information or resolve problems that arise during the adjustment process. The parents’ sense of belonging was intertwined with opportunities for them and their children to communicate and participate in the preschool community. It was the preschool teachers’ role to lead the collaboration and create trust through communication with parents. Additional emphasis was placed on daily communication and a regular flow of information to parents. All the parents were concerned about their children’s language acquisition, and some connected this to the feeling of belonging to the preschool community; they also felt it was important that the different languages spoken within the preschool were reflected in the school’s environment. The parents were unfamiliar with one another, however, and had limited contact with other parents in the preschool. According to YuvalDavis (2011), it is crucial to experience the sense of belonging to a certain group and this can affect power relations within society. While parents’ views and experiences related to the meaning of belonging in a preschool community may differ, some families’ experiences while transitioning and their sense of belonging present a complex challenge; during the transition process from home to preschool, families who are at risk of being marginalised require particular attention and support.Greinin er byggð á rannsókn þar sem leitast var við að skilja hvaða merkingu foreldrar með fjölbreyttan bakgrunn leggja í reynslu sína af samskiptum og þátttöku við upphaf leikskólagöngu barna sinna. Í rannsókninni er stuðst við hugtakið fullgildi sem er þýðing á enska hugtakinu belonging. Það vísar til tilfinningar einstaklingsins af félagslegum tengslum ásamt tækifærum til samskipta og þátttöku. Hugtakið fullgildi er margslungið og greinir Yuval-Davis (2006, 2011) á milli tilfinningalegs fullgildis (e. sense of belonging) og pólitísks fullgildis (e. politics of belonging). Fullgildi er talið tengjast grundvallarþörf manneskjunnar um að tilheyra fólki, stöðum eða hlutum. Reynsla fólks af því að tilheyra hafi þannig áhrif á nám, hegðun, vellíðan og sjálfsmynd þess (May, 2013; Stratigos o.fl., 2014). Eigindlegar rannsóknaraðferðir voru notaðar við öflun gagna. Tekin voru hálfopin viðtöl við átta foreldra sex barna; feður og mæður tveggja barna og mæður fjögurra barna. Börnin voru öll undir tveggja ára aldri og höfðu verið í leikskólanum frá tveimur upp í fimm mánuði þegar rannsóknin hófst. Foreldrar tveggja barna voru með erlendan bakgrunn, tvö barnanna með íslenskan bakgrunn og tvö þeirra með annað foreldri með erlendan bakgrunn. Tvö barnanna nutu sérstaks stuðnings í leikskólanum. Greining gagna fór fram með þemagreiningu, en hún er sveigjanleg aðferð sem notuð er til að skipuleggja og greina gögn (Braun og Clarke, 2013). Niðurstöður rannsóknarinnar sýndu að upphaf leikskólagöngu fól í sér miklar breytingar á lífi fjölskyldnanna. Val á leikskóla, þáttökuaðlögun og skipulag leikskólastarfsins sköpuðu mikilvægan grunn fyrir væntingar foreldranna af samskiptum og þátttöku í samfélagi leikskólans í framhaldinu. Í hugum foreldra var fullgildi samofið tilfinningunni af trausti og öryggi í garð leikskólans. Mikilvægt væri að leikskólinn stuðlaði að tengslum og samstarfi við foreldra, auk þess að leggja áherslu á tungumál og félagsleg samskipti barnanna í því augnamiði að þau upplifðu fullgildi innan barnahópsins
Þróun leikskóla á Íslandi: Samtal við skrif Jóns Torfa Jónassonar
No full textIn 2006, Dr Jón Torfi Jónasson published Frá gæslu til skóla: Um þróun leikskóla á Íslandi [From Caregiving to School: On the Development of Preschools in Iceland], a book that analyses the development of Iceland’s preschool system from various perspectives and discusses both the stability of the discourse about preschool and conflicting views on preschools. Addressing the concept of so-called “schoolification” in relation to the history of preschool education in Iceland, the book also examines the formal framework and practices of preschools in the country as well as preschool teacher education.In the 16 years since the book’s publication, the population of children in Iceland’s preschools has become increasingly diverse. In response, policymakers, administrative leaders, principals, and preschool teachers have increasingly had to adjust policy and preschool practices for diverse groups of children. In parallel, preschool teacher education has evolved significantly in the country, and working as a preschool teacher now requires a master’s degree.This article reflects on some of the trends that Jónasson observed 16 years ago, guided by the questions of what has happened in preschools in Iceland during that period and in what direction the preschools are headed. On the one hand, the article examines external factors, including recent social changes in Iceland, developments in the country’s preschool teacher education and public policy regarding preschool education. To that end, public policy documents from the last 16 years are analysed to identify changes as well as consistency in such trends in preschools. On the other hand, it also focuses on internal factors by analysing how public policy has or has not influenced preschool practice. For that purpose, research conducted in preschools in Iceland in recent decades is examined.In keeping with Jónasson’s book, the article elaborates on preschools as places for education and caregiving (gæsla) and argues that they have to be both. With reference to the concept of schoolification in Icelandic preschools, the article also investigates why continuity in children’s education has not become a reality. Furthermore, the changes the Convention on the Rights of the Child has caused in how children are viewed are discussed as well.Above all, the article concludes that the development of the framework and policy of preschools in Iceland has been exemplary in several ways. However, indications of inconsistencies between policy and practice can be identified; these are, for instance, highlighted in the discrepancy between the national curriculum guidelines’ emphasis on play as children’s primary mode of learning and, conversely, on documentation as the primary way of evaluating children’s learning in preschool. In reality, the emphasis on standardised tests for limited skills used to assess preschool children’s learning and development has increased. Discontinuity is another source of inconsistency. For instance, Iceland’s education policy stresses continuity in children’s learning in terms of six pillars—literacy, sustainability, health and well-being, democracy and human rights, equality and creativity—from preschool to secondary school. In reality, preschools are, however, largely considered to be a preparatory step towards attending primary school instead of considering what children have already learned in preschool by the time they enroll in primary school. Although the enactment of the Convention on the Rights of the Child was a milestone in assuring children’s rights in Iceland, it remains unclear how the views presented in the Convention have been manifested in preschool practices, despite clear indications that preschools are taking the Convention seriously.Inconsistency between Icelandic preschool policy and practice warrants attention and reflection, especially to ensure follow-up on policy. It is also worrying that preschool teachers are in the minority in preschools and that their professional views are not always in the foreground.Árið 2006 gaf dr. Jón Torfi Jónasson, prófessor út bókina Frá gæslu til skóla: Um þróun leikskóla á Íslandi. Þar greindi hann þróun leikskólastigsins frá mörgum ólíkum sjónarhornum, fjallaði m.a. um stöðugleika orðræðunnar um leikskóla og um hvað umræður og deilur um leikskólastarf snerust. Í ritinu er farið yfir sögu leikskólans á Íslandi, formleg umgjörð hans og starfshættir skoðuð sem og menntun leikskólakennara. Þá fjallaði höfundur sérstaklega um bæði bóknámsrek og kerfisrek í skólakerfinu. Í þessari grein verður litið til baka og nokkur þeirra álitaefna sem Jón Torfi veltir upp skoðuð nú 16 árum síðar. Spurt er: Hvað hefur gerst í málefnum leikskólans á hálfum öðrum áratug? Á hvaða vegferð er íslenski leikskólinn? Sjónum er annars vegar beint að ytri áhrifaþáttum, svo sem samfélagsbreytingum liðinna ára, breytingum á leikskólakennaramenntuninni og opinberri stefnumótun í málefnum leikskólans. Hins vegar er litið til innra starfs leikskólans og leitast við að greina þau áhrif sem stefnumótunin hefur haft eða ekki haft á starfshætti leikskólans. Fjallað er um leikskólann sem gæslu eða skóla og færð rök fyrir að í leikskólum fari fram hvort tveggja; nám og umönnun. Bóknámsrek í leikskólum landsins er til umfjöllunar og velt vöngum yfir ástæðum þess að samfellt nám barna hefur ekki orðið að veruleika. Loks eru þær breytingar sem orðið hafa á viðhorfum til barna í kjölfar Sáttmála Sameinuðu þjóðanna um réttindi barnsins reifaðar. Notuð var skjalagreining og farið yfir opinber gögn um leikskólann á liðnum 16 árum. Meginniðurstaða greinarinnar er að sú þróun sem orðið hefur varðandi ytri umgjörð og innra starf íslenska leikskólans sé um margt til fyrirmyndar. Hins vegar virðast vera teikn á lofti um ósamræmi milli opinberrar stefnu og starfshátta sem benda til þess að huga þurfi betur að innleiðingu og eftirfylgni stefnumótunar