Purpose: The current article on social studies in primary and secondary education in Norway covers a range of relevant topics which starts with a brief context of Norwegian society, history and social studies framework. Main topics are the new (2020) curriculum, textbooks analyses, social studies teacher competence and practices followed by…

This article investigates how learning outcomes, a concept inspired by an Anglo-Saxon curriculum approach, are expressed in policy documents, with an emphasis on expectations articulated to teachers. Developments in education policy for the last two decades reflect a widespread expansion of learning outcome orientation in curricula and assessment…

In 2011 a new national curriculum for the education of engineers was established in Norway. The objective of the curriculum is to ascertain that engineering education is professionally oriented, integrated, research-based and has a high academic standard. Institutions are instructed to facilitate a holistic approach to the engineering profession,…

This case study of the development of the Norwegian compulsory school curriculum of 1997, "Laereplanverket 1997," parallels a study of the development of the "Illinois Learning Standards" of 1997. The pair of case studies is designed to explore the administration of state-based curriculum-making and, in particular, the use in…

Innovation is essential for the education sector. The ways in which curriculum decision making is organised reflects different implicit approaches on how educational systems pertain to promote innovation in education. Curriculum holds an outstanding place when seeking to promote innovation in education, as it reflects the vision for education by…

Papers from the proceedings of the 14th Annual Conference of the Bulgarian Comparative Education Society was submitted in two volumes. Volume 1 contains papers submitted at the conference held in Sofia, Bulgaria, June 14-17, 2016. Volume 2 contains papers submitted at the 4th International Partner Conference of the International Research Centre…

Studied the development of the new Norwegian curriculum and the formulation of the subject syllabuses within broader related principles. Data from several sources, including interviews with educators and policy makers, show the tensions, conflicts, and achievements of the formation of the curriculum policy. Considers some implications for…

Examined the key constructs of Norway's centrally-based curriculum reform plan, Laerplan 97 (L97), interviewed those responsible for designing the subject related curricula, and administered teacher questionnaires (n=54). Findings show how the journey from policy making to effective classroom practice would benefit from a continuing interface with…

Acknowledging that, although a survey of educational offerings in Norway reveals courses in theater, mass media, and speech therapy, the curriculum does not contain oral communication courses per se, such as those found in the United States, this article compares how and why general education systems and speech education have developed differently…