Research topic/aim

This paper will present preliminary findings from an ongoing project having the Complementary Pedagogical Education (KPU60/75) program in focus. KPU 60/75 is a one-year teacher education program, directed to students with a bachelor's degreeor a professional qualification. With a particular focus on the KPU-program leading to a primary teacher’s degree (KPU-75),the overarching aim is to investigate which professional knowledge and competencies are legitimized through the education courses.

The following questions will be addressed:

What knowledge base for teachers i.e. professional knowledge, competencies, norms and ethical values appear innational policy documents?

Following this, how is teachers' knowledge base reinterpreted and implemented in local policy documents (in courseplans and examinations)?

What knowledge and competencies do the student teachers at KPU-75 think they need in their future profession as teachers? KPU 60/75 was introduced in January 2021 by the Government in a memorandum proposing an "accelerated track" within teacher education for students with specific bachelor's programs selected and listed in the government's policy (U2021/00301, 2021). Although the possibility for students with academic backgrounds to become teachers through short teacher education is not new, this recently established KPU-program differs from previous KPU. The former program is somewhat longer (90 ECTS credits) and is available as an alternative pathway for students with a bachelor's degree in academic subjects that are also part of the school curricula. Regarding requirements for the new KPU, it is unclear how a bachelor's degree that is not within one of the school's subjects or a professional qualification contains subject knowledge relevant to the teaching profession. Furthermore, the new program reduces its content by concentrating solely on the "most essential" knowledge and competencies needed for becoming a teacher. Another key distinction from earlier KPU programs is that the students could gain both a primary school teacher degree (KPU-75), allowing them to teach in preschool classes and grades 1–3 and 4–6, and a subject teacher degree (KPU-60), for teaching in grades 7–9 and upper secondary school. Taken together and concerning this study, this reform involves a major intervention in the knowledge base for teachers, which in the long run will have consequences for the teaching profession.

Theoretical framework

Theoretically, the project will draw from professional theory (Brante et.al., 2019) and educational sociology (Bernstein, 2000)to investigate the outcomes of the policy chain that began with the government's memorandum and resulted in the establishment of the KPU-75 program. From a professional theory perspective, this initiative raises intriguing questions, particularly concerning teacher’s professional knowledge base, which is considered an essential element within the broader professional context.

Methodological design

The empirical material for this paper consists of policy documents and student essays about students’ professional expectations.

Expected conclusions/findings

The project will contribute to understanding how the knowledge base of the teaching profession changes through political governance and what consequences this will have for the teaching profession and, by extension, for schools and society.

Relevance to Nordic educational research

However, although Sweden is in focus here, the results are relevant concerning the political governance of teacher educationin the other Nordic countries.