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The Neuroplastic Brain: Current Breakthroughs and Emerging Frontiers
Get PDFNeuroplasticity, the brain’s capacity to reorganize itself by forming new neural connections, is central to modern neuroscience. Once believed to occur only during early development, research now shows that plasticity continues throughout the lifespan, supporting learning, memory, and recovery from injury or disease. Substantial progress has been made in understanding the mechanisms underlying neuroplasticity and their therapeutic applications. This overview article examines synaptic plasticity, structural remodeling, neurogenesis, and functional reorganization, highlighting both adaptive (beneficial) and maladaptive (harmful) processes across different life stages. Recent strategies to harness neuroplasticity, ranging from pharmacological agents and lifestyle interventions to cutting-edge technologies like brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) and targeted neuromodulation are evaluated in light of current empirical evidence. Contradictory findings in the literature are addressed, and methodological limitations that hamper widespread clinical adoption are discussed. The ethical and societal implications of deploying novel neuroplasticity-based interventions, including issues of equitable access, data privacy, and the blurred line between treatment and enhancement, are then explored in a structured manner. By integrating mechanistic insights, empirical data, and ethical considerations, the aim is to provide a comprehensive and balanced perspective for researchers, clinicians, and policymakers working to optimize brain health across diverse populations.publishedVersio
A Digital Outpatient Service With a Mobile App for Tailored Care and Health Literacy in Adults With Long-Term Health Service Needs: Multicenter Nonrandomized Controlled Trial
Get PDFBackground: Patients with long-term health needs are often expected to actively participate in outpatient care, assuming that they have appropriate health literacy and digital health literacy. However, the association between participation in a digital outpatient service and health literacy remain unclear.
Objective: This study aims to evaluate whether digital outpatient care for 6 months improved health literacy, health-related quality of life (HRQoL), digital/eHealth literacy, and the use of health care services compared with usual care.
Methods: We conducted a multicenter nonrandomized trial with 1 intervention arm and 1 control arm. Patients aged ≥18 years receiving outpatient care in the pain, lung, neurology, or cancer departments at 2 Norwegian university hospitals were allocated in a 1:2 ratio, favoring the intervention arm. The intervention arm received digital outpatient care using tailored patient-reported outcome measures, self-monitoring, and chats for timely contact with the outpatient clinic. Patient responses were assessed by health care workers via a dashboard with a traffic light system to draw attention to the most urgent reports. The control arm received usual care. The data were collected at baseline and after 3 and 6 months. The primary outcome was the change in health literacy according to the Health Literacy Questionnaire domain understanding health information well enough to know what to do from baseline to 6 months. The mean difference in change between the 2 treatment arms was the effect measure. The secondary outcomes were additional domains from the Health Literacy Questionnaire, digital/eHealth literacy, HRQoL, acceptability of the digital intervention, and health service use.
Results: Overall, 162 patients were recruited, 55 (34%) in the control arm and 107 (66%) in the intervention arm, with a 17.3% attrition rate after 6 months. There was no statistically significant difference in the primary outcome, “understanding health information well enough to know what to do,” between the arms at 6 months (mean difference –0.05, 95% CI –0.20 to 0.10; P=.53). After 3 months, the health literacy domains actively managing my own health (–0.15, 95% CI –0.30 to –0.00; P=.048) and understanding health information well enough to know what to do (–0.17, 95% CI –0.34 to –0.00; P=.03), as well as both physical (–3.29, 95% CI –5.62 to –0.96; P=.006) and mental HRQoL (–3.08, 95% CI –5.64 to –0.52; P=.02), improved in the digital outpatient intervention arm compared with the control arm.
Conclusions: This study explored digital outpatient care. Although no statistical differences were observed in patients’ health literacy after 6 months, our data indicate an improvement in health literacy domains and HRQoL at 3 months. The participants reported high satisfaction with the digital outpatient care intervention, and our findings highlight the potential of digital interventions in outpatient care.publishedVersio
Seeing several sides of the story: Unpacking an ethical dilemma in home-based care
Get PDFHealthcare professionals in home-based care face various challenges at the system and patient levels, which can lead to ethical dilemmas. In addition, home-based care workers lack arenas to share their experiences, as they are often scattered across the care district, work alone, and do not have the immediate support of a colleague. Based on ethnographic fieldwork among professional caregivers in home-based care in Norway, we present a case of an ethical dilemma that occurred during a patient visit. Using a narrative ethics approach, we unpack the case into six “stories” and show the context of the ethical dilemma. Home-based care staff may not be aware of an ethical dilemma as it unfolds. Reflection on the case leads us to suggest that staff would benefit from some form of clinical ethics support to learn, share stories, and receive support. We also suggest that professional caregivers and patients would benefit from advance care planning as a way to clarify expectations between patients and healthcare professionals. Clinical ethics support and advance care planning are ways for staff and patients, respectively, to let their voices and stories be heard.publishedVersio
Pulsed Ultrasonic Fields
Get PDFThis report is a summary of the medical ultrasound activity at Oslomet over several years. The modelling of pulsed field propagation and generation is based on the method of the spatial impulse response method. A novel numeric algorithm for calculating the spatial impulse response has been developed and tested. The novel algorithm uses weighted binning to reduce the numeric noise in the calculation and the computation time can therefore be reduced. The method can be used for any source function. The method has been tested by comparison to piecewise analytic solutions and measurements. The measurements have been done in a water tank with several transducers as sources. Some of the transducer’s impulse responses were modified by digital inverse filtering. Measurements of pulse responses and beam profiles have verified the calculation method. Measurements of harmonic generation and propagation has been demonstrated, showing a narrower beam profile. Depth resolution was measured by applying deconvolution and the theoretical minimum of one-half period was achieved.publishedVersio
Et yrkesdidaktisk aksjonsforskningsprosjekt om ungdom som har falt ut av skolen, men som velger lærekandidatordningen mot fagbrev i salgsfaget gjennom et læringssenter
Get PDFFrafall har i mange år vært et problem i yrkesfaglig videregående opplæring i Norge, og det er et stort behov for kunnskap om og eksempler på hvordan man kan gi en riktig oppfølging og en relevant opplæring til de som har falt ut av skolen. Min bakgrunn for å sette i gang et praktisk aksjonsforskningsprosjekt var utallige møter med ungdom i en slik situasjon gjennom mine 17 år som lærer på videregående og samtidig ungdomsarbeider i en frivillig organisasjon. Utdanningssystemet har samfunnsforpliktelser når det gjelder tilpasset opplæring og inkludering av elever i yrkesutdanning som forskning viser ikke blir fulgt opp tilstrekkelig (Haug, 2020; Markussen et al., 2008; NOU 2019: 25). En gjennomgang i et systemperspektiv synliggjør behovet for å finne nye tilnærminger til å ivareta disse forpliktelsene, og viser hvilken rolle et læringssenter kan spille i så måte. Jeg har benyttet Goodlads (1986) teori om læreplananalyse og Bronfenbrenners systemteori (1979) for å beskrive systemene rundt de elevene som er knyttet til læringssenteret. Avhandlingens kunnskapsbidrag er syntese av en modell og teori for et læringssenter, og et forslag til en læringssenterdidaktikk Denne avhandlingens forskningsmål er å bidra med ny, forskningsbasert kunnskap om læringssenter, opplæringskontor og lærekandidatordningen som en alternativ lærings- og kompetanseutviklingsarena for yrkesfagelever som er i faresonen for å falle ut av opplæringsløpet, innen salgsfaget og mer generelt. Den vil bidra med kunnskap om hvilke muligheter og utfordringer en slik læringsarena kan inneholde, og om hvilke organisatoriske og didaktiske kvalitetskriterier som må oppfylles for at den skal fungere godt. Det teoretiske grunnlaget er sterkt fundamentert i yrkesdidaktikken og den didaktiske relasjonsmodellen (Hiim & Hippe, 2001), og erfaringslæring (Dewey, 1938) gjennom helhetlig yrkesopplæring (Sund, 2005; Haaland & Nilsen, 2020). For å skape motivasjon og engasjement var det nødvendig å tenke nytt i forhold til innlæring og metoder. Målgruppen var ungdom mellom 18 og 23 år. Gjennom opplæring i salgsfaget, grunnleggende nøkkelkompetanse og psykososial støtte skulle de komme i gang med en yrkesfaglig karriere som salgsarbeidere (Sylte, 2017). Freires (2005) frigjørende pedagogikk og kritisk teori fra blant annet aksjonsforskning er med å gi føringer for deltakelse, refleksjon og demokratiske prosesser (Carr & Kemmis, 1986). Problemstillingen for ph.d.-avhandlingen er: Hvilke yrkesdidaktiske, psykososiale og organisatoriske betingelser skal til for å utvikle og drive et læringssenter tilpasset elever som er falt ut av skolen, rettet mot å gi dem mulighet til å bli lærekandidater i salgsfaget? Ut ifra denne problemstillingen er det tre forskningsspørsmål: 1. Hvilke sentrale yrkesdidaktiske betingelser må være oppfylt for å oppnå meningsfylt, erfaringsbasert og relevant opplæring i salgsfaget på læringssenteret, opplæringskontoret og i bedriften? 2. Hva er de psykososiale betingelsene som skal til i en utviklingsprosess for at ungdom som er falt ut av skolen skal delta i yrkesopplæring rettet mot at de skal få mulighet for å bli lærekandidat? 3. Hvordan kan læringssenteret organisere samarbeid med involverte parter som opplæringskontor, bedrifter, NAV, frivillige organisasjoner og ulike støttesystemer for å skape gode læringsbetingelser for ungdom som er falt ut av skolen? Min forskningstilnærming er pedagogisk aksjonsforskning inspirert av Educational Action Reseach i Storbritannia, samt praktikerforskning (Hiim, 2010). Tilnærmingen er begrunnet ut fra et ønske om å utvikle kunnskap om pedagogisk virksomhet i samarbeid med de som er involvert i virksomheten, gjennom en form for praktiske «eksperimenter». Aksjonsforskeren med sin profesjonskompetanse deltar selv i prosessen i dialog med brukerne og andre som er aktive i forskningsområdet. Prosjektets problemstilling favner vidt, og forskningsspørsmålene vedrører aktører med mange forskjellige roller: læringssenteret, bedriftene og ungdommene selv, men også de som står rundt. I tillegg er perspektiver fra skole, helseinstitusjoner og Nav, og samarbeidet mellom disse inkludert. Systemperspektivet er viktig å få frem for å synliggjøre samfunnets ansvar. Det er også sentralt å vise hvilken rolle organisasjonen har for at ungdommenes meninger skal bli tatt på alvor gjennom deres aktive deltakelse i prosessen for å bli agent i eget liv (Shier, 2001; Bandura, 2006). Inkludering står sterkt i opplæringsloven blant annet gjennom praksisbasert tilpasset opplæring (Haug,2020; Kunnskapsdepartementet, 2017). Datainnsamlingen ble gjort i form av logger og notater fra observasjoner og samtaler i læringssenteret og praksisbedriftene. I tillegg utgjorde resultater fra elevoppgaver, gruppesamtaler med elevene og referater fra møter i bedrifter et viktig materiale. Ved å kombinere disse metodene ble det mulig gjennom egen tilstedeværelse og deltakelse i aksjonene å få innblikk i hvordan arbeidet og opplæringen i læringssenteret og lærebedriftene faktisk foregikk, og å finne begrunnelser for valg av tiltak. Mine hovedfunn viser at det er et behov for et læringssenter. De organisatoriske rammene for et læringssenter må legge til rette for langsiktig oppfølging med mindre grupper, profesjonell yrkesdidaktisk opplæring, et verksted, og tett samarbeid med næringslivet og frivillige organisasjoner. Forskningen min antyder også nødvendigheten av en ny læringssenterdidaktikk som har fokus på sosial støtte, psykososiale utfordringer, arbeidsinkludering og yrkesdidaktikk. Den praktiske organiseringen foreslås gjennomført gjennom fire faser som jeg har prøvd ut i prosjektet. Første fase gir en mulighet for å bli kjent og få et interessant og meningsfullt syn på læring gjennom øvelser som gir glede, inspirert av lek og utforskning. Vi forsøker samtidig gjennom autonome valg å snu motivasjonen for videre opplæring fra en påtvunget, ytre regulert til en internt regulert motivasjon, ved å la elevene jobbe med hobbyer eller faglige oppgaver de har interesse for (Ryan & Deci, 2000), og ved å bygge mestringstro på flere ulike områder gjennom mestringserfaringer, modellæring, imitasjonslæring og veiledning (Bandura, 2006) sammen med praktiske øvelser i salgsfaget. Andre fase har gjennom interessedifferensiering fokus på at nøkkelkompetanse og kunnskaper om salgsfaget må finnes for å få en jobb. Hvis innholdet innrettes mot helhetlige læreprosesser i samarbeid med en organisasjon, vil elevene se at faget ikke er fragmenterte øvelser uten sammenheng, men relevant for å bygge den spesifikke kompetansen og kunnskapen de selv trenger. Tredje fase har fokus på tett samarbeid med praksisbedriftene for å få til en arbeidspraksis som er relevant og meningsfull for alle parter. Ved et slikt tett samarbeid, blir ungdommene en ressurs istedenfor en byrde. Fjerde fase kan gjennomføres på ulike måter, men må være basert på ungdommenes ønsker, videre planer for livet, og mulighetene som er lagt i det interprofesjonelle samarbeidet. Læringssenteret må legge til rette for ulike former for grunnkompetanse som en vei mot et fullt fagbrev. Et læringssenter vil gjennom læringssenterdidaktikken også jobbe med trening i livsmestring og gi hjelp ved psykososiale problemer. Didaktikken må inneholde en bredde og variasjon av virkemidler, som må tilpasses individuelt i møte med den enkelte ungdom. Viktige begreper som resiliens, motstand mot læring og hverdagsbevissthet kan hjelpe til å finne fokus og sette ord på noen utfordringer og muligheter for dem som skal drive et slikt arbeid (Rutter, 2006; Illeris, 2012. Teorier rundt arbeidsinkludering, drivkraftsdimensjonen og innholdsdimensjonen må forenes med den didaktiske relasjonsmodellen (Spjelkavik 2016; Spjelkavik et al., 2020). En hovedhensikt i prosjektet har vært at elevene skulle få nytt håp for fremtiden, styrke sin selvstendighet, og at elevene gjennom yrkesdidaktisk opplæring skulle utvikle en begynnende, helhetlig yrkeskompetanse innen salg (Freire, 2005; Bandura, 2006; Sund, 2005; Hiim, 2013).
Students dropping out of vocational upper secondary education has been an issue in Norway for many years and there is a great need to attain knowledge about the causes and to provide appropriate examples in order to support the affected students with the most fitting follow-up and training for the individual. My background for starting a practical action research project was 17 years as a teacher at upper secondary school as well as in the position of youth worker in a voluntary organization. It has been central to elucidate which societal obligations the education system has in terms of differentiated instruction and inclusion to meet the needs of students in vocational education. I have used Goodlad's (1986) theory of curriculum analysis and Bronfenbrenner's system theory (1979) to describe the systems around the students who are connected to the learning center. The dissertation's contribution to knowledge is a synthesis of a model and theory of a learning center, and a proposal for a learning center didactics. This dissertation's research aim is to contribute new, research-based knowledge of a learning centre, apprenticeship training agency (opplæringskontor) and the training candidate scheme (lærekandidatordningen) as an alternative learning and competence development arena for vocational students who are at risk of dropping out of the educational system, within the sales module and more generally in society.. The theoretical basis is strongly grounded in the vocational didactics and the didactics relationship model (Hiim & Hippe, 2001), and experiential learning (Dewey, 1938) through comprehensive vocational training (Sund, 2005; Haaland & Nilsen, 2020). In order to create motivation and commitment, it was necessary to use a new approach in relation to learning and methods. The target group was young people between the ages of 18 and 23. Through training in the sales profession, basic key competences and psychosocial support, the goal for the students was to achieve a career in the sales profession. Freire's (2005) liberating pedagogy and critical theory from action research contribute to guidance for participation, reflection and democratic processes (Carr & Kemmis, 1986). The problem statement for the PhD thesis is: Which vocational didactic, psychosocial and organizational conditions are needed to develop and run a learning center adapted to students who have dropped out of school, aimed at giving them the opportunity to become apprentice candidates in the sales profession? Based on this problem statement, there are three research questions I attempt to answer: 1. Which central vocational didactic conditions must be met in order to achieve meaningful, experience-based and relevant training in sales at the learning center, apprenticeship training agency and in the relevant training establishment? 2. What are the psychosocial conditions needed in a development process for young people who have dropped out of school to participate in vocational training aimed at giving them the opportunity to become apprentices? 3. How can the learning center organize cooperation with the relevant parties such as the apprenticeship training agency, participating establishments, NAV, voluntary organizations and various support systems to create good learning conditions for young people who have dropped out of school? My research approach is educational action research inspired by Educational Action Research in the UK, as well as practitioner research (Hiim, 2010). The approach is based on a desire to develop knowledge about educational activity in collaboration with those involved in the activity, through a form of practical "experiments". The action researcher, with his professional expertise, participates in the process himself in dialogue with the users and others who are active in the research area. The project's issues are wide-ranging, and the research questions concern participants with diverse roles: the learning centre, the participating establishments and the young people themselves as well as other supportive participants involved. In addition, inputs from schools, health institutions and Nav, and the collaboration between these are included. It is important to emphasize the system perspective in order to make society's responsibility visible. It is also central to show what role the organization has in ensuring that young people's opinions are taken seriously through their active participation in the process of personal agency (Shier, 2001; Bandura, 2006). Inclusion features strongly in the Education Act, for example through practice-based adapted education (Kunnskapsdepartementet, 2017). The data collection was done in the form of logs and notes from observations and conversations in the learning center and the training establishments. In addition, results from student assignments, group discussions with the students and minutes from meetings of companies constituted important material. By combining these methods, it became possible through the researcher’s own presence, observation and participation in the actions to gain an insight into how the work and training in the learning center and the training establishments actually took place, and to find justifications for the choice of measures. My main finding demonstrate that there is a need for a learning center. The organizational framework for a learning center must facilitate long-term follow-up with smaller groups, professional vocational didactics training, a workshop, and close cooperation with training establishments and voluntary organizations. My research also highlights the necessity for a new learning center didactics that focuses on social support, psychosocial challenges, work inclusion and vocational didactics. The practical organization is proposed to be carried out through four phases which was carried out in the project. The first phase provides an opportunity to get to know each other and gain an interesting and meaningful view of learning through exercises that bring joy, inspired by play and exploration. At the same time, through autonomous choices, we try to turn the motivation for further education from a forced, extrinsic motivation to an intrinsic motivation, by letting the students work on hobbies or professional tasks they are interested in (Ryan & Deci, 2000), and by developing self-efficacy in several different areas through mastery experiences, model learning, imitation learning and guidance (Bandura, 2006) together with practical exercises in the sales profession. The second phase, through interest differentiation, focusing on the importance of social competences and knowledge of the sales profession must be present in order to get a job. If the content is geared towards holistic learning processes in collaboration with an organization, students will see that the subject is not fragmented exercises without context. The third phase focuses on close cooperation with the practice establishments to achieve a work practice that is relevant and meaningful for all parties. With such close cooperation, the young people become a resource instead of a burden. The fourth phase can be carried out in various ways, but must be based on the young people's wishes, further plans for their lives, and the opportunities that have been created in the interprofessional collaboration. Through the learning center didactics, a learning center will also work with training in coping with life and provide help with psychosocial problems. The didactics must contain a breadth and variety of tools, which must be individually adapted to meet the individual young person. Important concepts such as resilience, learning resistance and awareness of daily life challanges can help to find focus and put into words some challenges and opportunities (Rutter, 2006; Illeris, 2012). The main aim of the project has been that the pupils should strengthen their independence, and that through vocational didactics training the students can develop a basic, overall vocational competence in sales (Sund, 2005; Haaland & Nilsen, 2020; Hiim, 2013).publishedVersio
Gode boliger for eldre. En litteraturgjennomgang
Get PDFHva kjennetegner gode boliger for eldre? I dette notatet gjennomgår og beskriver vi ti forhold som tidligere forskning har trukket fram som viktige: 1) beliggenhet, 2) tilgjengelighet utenfra, 3) tilgjengelighet innendørs, 4) muligheter for å gjøre tilpasninger, 5) lettstelthet og vedlikeholdsvennlighet, 6) trygghet og sikkerhet, 7) følelsesmessig tilknytning og tilhørighet, 8) sosiale aspekter, 9) økonomisk overkommelighet og 10) tilgang til tjenester.
Litteraturgjennomgangen er basert på atten skandinaviske studier og er del av prosjektet «Kunnskapsoversikt – hva kjennetegner gode boliger for eldre?». Prosjektet er gjennomført av NOVA, i samarbeid med NIBR, på oppdrag fra Husbanken.publishedVersio
Bilingual children reach early language milestones at the same age as monolingual peers
Get PDFIn this longitudinal study, we compare the age of reaching early developmental milestones in bilingual and monolingual children and between the bilinguals’ two languages. We present data from 302 Polish bilinguals (living outside of Poland with various majority languages) and 302 Polish monolinguals, aged M = 12.78 months on study entry (range: 0–24 months), matched on sex, age at study entry, duration of parental reporting, and parental education. The milestones under investigation include crawling, walking, babbling, first, 10th, 50th word, and first multi-word utterances. The data was collected with a specially designed mobile app, in which parents reported their children’s development repeatedly. Using this relatively big sample and looking at a wide range of investigated milestones, we present evidence that typical bilingual development follows a trajectory similar to monolingual development. We also evaluate the feasibility and usefulness of online data collection using mobile apps to study early language development.publishedVersio
The goal of research-based learning in teacher education: Norwegian and Finnish teacher educators’ perspectives
Get PDFWithin research-based teacher education, there is still a lack of common understanding and consensus regarding what research-based learning means and how it should be organised. In this study, the aim was to explore how teacher educators perceive student teachers’ research-based learning within teacher education in Norway and Finland. The study collected data through interviews with 22 teacher educators. The analysis was done in an inductive way, inspired by constant comparative analysis. The results are categorized into four main areas: 1) academic writing, 2) research competence, 3) critical and analytic thinking and 4) lifelong learning in the teaching profession. These categories represent how teacher educators envisage the development of student teachers’ research-based learning. In the discussion, the theoretical framework of research-based-learning drives the reflection about the categories and the relationship between them. The study concludes that both narrow and broad views of student teachers’ research-based learning, founded on the four categories, are necessary for the development of professional teachers. The narrow views lay the foundation for the broader ones, emphasizing that it is equally important for student teachers to achieve the goals of both perspectives.acceptedVersio
Verdimatrisen – et konseptuelt rammeverk for journalistisk verdiskaping
Get PDFJournalistikkens verdiskaping handler om å imøtekomme ulike interesser – samfunnsmessige, økonomiske, profesjonsbaserte og publikumsbaserte. Dette representerer ulike verdiperspektiv i journalistikken, der medienes ideelle og kommersielle formål ofte står mot hverandre. De strukturelle endringene i medielandskapet har konsekvenser for hvilke interesser og verdiperspektiv som øver størst innflytelse på journalistikken som praksis og produkt. Et kjennetegn ved denne utviklingen er nyhetsmedienes økte avhengighet og oppmerksomhet om å skape verdi for publikum og den omfattende bruken av publikumsdata som veiledning i det redaksjonelle arbeidet. I denne konseptuelle artikkelen tar jeg for meg verdiskaping i journalistikken og presenterer et rammeverk – en verdimatrise – for å analysere hvordan journalistikken formes av ulike verdiperspektiv, og hvordan publikumsvridningen i journalistikken virker inn på dette.The value creation of journalism revolves around accommodating various interests - societal, economic, profession-based, and audience-based. This represents different value perspectives where the idealistic and commercial purposes of the media often conflict. The structural changes in the media landscape have consequences for which interests and value perspectives exert the greatest influence on journalism as practice and product. A characteristic of this development is the news media’s increased focus on creating value for the audience and the extensive use of audience data as guidance in editorial work. In this conceptual article, I address value creation in journalism and present a conceptual framework - a value matrix - for analyzing how journalism is shaped by various value perspectives and how audience orientation in journalism affects this.publishedVersio
Experiences of Using Urban Growth Agreements to Influence Local Land Use Policy and Stop Sprawl
Get PDFUrban growth agreements are key tools for achieving the goal of zero growth in passenger road traffic volumes in Norwegian metropolitan areas. Agreements are negotiated in multi-level and cross-sectoral processes where local politicians meet strong expectations and incentives to alter their land use policies and stop sprawl. This paper analyses the effectiveness of the policy instrument in influencing local land use policy, whereby key issues were raised in the negotiations concerning land use, local politicians’ reflections on changing their policies and why they were reluctant to stop sprawl. This research was designed as a comparative case study with three negotiation processes as cases. Data were collected through document studies and interviews with 36 professionals and politicians. Key issues in the negotiations over land use regarded principles of authority in land use planning and decision-making and substantial disagreements concerning land use policies. Local politicians saw sprawl as necessary for attaining local objectives. Conflicting framings of the policy issue, namely ‘stopping sprawl to achieve zero traffic growth’ and ‘continuing sprawl to attain local objectives’, explained the policy controversy that made discourse difficult. The resulting agreements did not directly influence local land use policies but might have an effect in the longer term.publishedVersio