Search results

The purpose of this paper is to conduct a structured review of literature on lesson study (LS) in initial teacher education (ITE). The focus was on how learning and observation were discussed in studies of LS in ITE.

Each national team (in Norway and Britain) undertook independent searches of published peer-reviewed articles. The resulting articles were then combined, screened and collaboratively reviewed, the focus being on two areas of enquiry: how learning is represented and discussed; and the extent to which observation is described and used to capture evidence of learning.

The literature review indicated that there was no universally held understanding of, or explanation for, the process of observation, how it should be conducted, and who or what should be the principal focus of attention. There was also a lack of clarity in the definition of learning and the use of learning theory to support these observations.

This study was limited to a review of a selection of peer-reviewed journal articles, published in English. It arrives at some tentative conclusions, but its scope could have been broadened to include more articles and other types of published material, e.g. theses and book chapters.

Research that investigates the use of LS in ITE needs to be more explicit about how learning is defined and observed. Furthermore, LS research papers need to assure greater clarity and transparency about how observations are conducted in their studies.

This literature review suggests that discussion of both learning and observation in ITE LS research papers should be strengthened. The review highlights three principal challenges that ITE LS researchers should consider: how to prepare student-teachers to observe (professional noticing being a promising option), the wide variation in the focus of classroom observation in ITE lesson studies, and discussion of what is understood by learning needs to stand at the heart of preparation for lesson studies in ITE.

The aim of the study is to better understand how lesson study (LS) contributes to challenging teachers' views of mathematics teaching and learning.

This study is part of a wider ongoing project aiming at improving primary mathematics teaching in Malawi through professional development (PD) of teachers using a LS model. The units being analyzed are teachers' written reflections and lesson plans. The analytical approach is qualitative content analysis.

Initially, the participating Malawian primary teachers report traditional views of mathematics teaching and learning. After having participated in a LS cycle, they reported on the need to work on how to involve and create space for learners' participation in mathematic lessons and highlight the importance for learners to discover mathematics on their own.

This is a small-scale study due to LS being quite new in the Malawian context and the need to test before possible upscaling.

The paper includes a description on how LS might contribute to challenging Malawian teachers' views of mathematics teaching and learning; this can be valuable information for others who are attempting to use LS in a similar context.

This paper fulfills an identified need to learn more about how LS might contribute to challenging teachers' views of mathematics teaching and learning worldwide.

The purpose of this paper is to better understand the challenges involved in introducing Lesson Study (LS) into teacher education in Malawi by studying mathematics teacher educators’ (TEs’) understanding of planning for LS.

This study is a part of a wider ongoing project designed to improve the quality and capacity of mathematics teacher education in Malawi. One of its components is professional development of all mathematics TEs in Malawi using an LS model. The units being analyzed comprise of the TEs’ written lesson plans and qualitative content analysis is the chosen analytical approach.

Based on the analyzed research lesson plans, the TEs have difficulty in focusing on their own learning parallel to the student teachers’ (STs’) learning, and struggle with predicting STs’ responses to tasks. In addition, there is a pervasive lack of emphasis on planned and focused observation of STs’ learning, as evidenced by a review of the research lesson plans.

This is a small-scale study due to LS being introduced to Malawi teacher education for the first time and the need to test before possible upscaling.

The paper includes a description of mathematics TEs’ understanding of LS in an African context, which can be a valuable information for TEs who are attempting to use LS.

This paper fulfills an identified need to learn more about TEs’ understanding of LS worldwide.

Attendance at matches in the smaller European football leagues is challenged by the increased number of live broadcast matches, particularly covering the biggest leagues. The purpose of this paper is to analyse the effects of live broadcasting, match scheduling and other factors on stadium attendance in the top division of Norwegian football.

The analysis is based on a fixed effects regression model on attendance at match levels covering the period 2005 to 2011.

The main results show two different effects. While live broadcast domestic matches on “free TV” is positively correlated to stadium attendance, the increased number of “imported” matches from the big-five leagues is a substitute. Moreover, matches played on weekdays have a lower level of attendance than weekend matches.

The increased number of imported live broadcast football matches from the biggest European leagues influences and widens the financial gap between the biggest and the smaller football leagues. One possible solution for reducing the substitution effect from these matches is a more efficient match schedule in the Norwegian top division in football.

Norway has a small population with a high interest for football. This paper measures effects on attendance in the Norwegian top division in football matches with regards to the increased number of live broadcast matches both from the domestic league and from the big five football leagues.

The paper reports on a study of private investors' assessment of projects. The study includes both financial and non‐financial analysis of projects, with an emphasis on non‐financial analysis. The purpose of this paper is to explore factors that influence the substance (investment quality) of projects, and how that substance should be evaluated.

Results in this paper are based on literature studies as well as interviews. A state‐of‐the‐art analysis has been carried out related to private ownership, venture capital investments, corporate finance and project management. Ten prominent Norwegian decision‐makers are interviewed.

Results are present in two perspectives. The first perspective represents factors that contribute to the substance of a project. The second perspective illustrates how the substance of a project is analysed. Results from this study indicate that the substance of a project is not only dependent on the characteristics of the deliverables, but is also context dependable. The involved decision‐makers evaluate to what extent potential projects are compatible with company strategy, if they have trust in the people who will manage the investment, expected market development and exit options.

Different investors have their individual modes of operation. The results indicate that the formalised analyses that are presented in many textbooks are done, but at a late stage in the project selection process, partly serving as quality assurance. Initially, analyses are done on an aggregated level. In addition, the paper discusses to what extent the findings are applicable in a public sector context.

This paper studies how project selection is done by people investing their own money. Most previous research has focused on project selection from a managerial perspective, not from an owner's point of view.

This paper aims to develop a conceptual framework for analysing wide-ranging digital transformation processes of industries in regional contexts.

The paper includes theoretical work to create a conceptual framework. The paper illustrates and advances the framework by analysing examples from two clusters, one focused on the production of digital products and services and one centred on applying digital tools to make firms’ existing activities more efficient.

The paper distinguishes between three main and interlinked categories of digitalisation; development of scientific principles that form the basis for developing digital technologies; making of digital products and services; and application of these in production and work processes. Digital transformation of industries located in particular regions relate to changes of (regional) innovation systems. The authors interpret this as processes of asset modification, distinguishing between re-use of existing assets, creation of new assets and (strategic) destruction of outdated assets. Digital transformation may lead to various forms of innovation and path development activities in regional economies.

The paper highlights the importance of modification of assets in organisations and at the level of regional innovation systems to support digitalisation. Organisations need to build absorptive capacity for digitalisation. Regional innovation systems face the challenge to build relevant common assets.

The paper advocates a comprehensive framework to better understand how digital transformation unfolds. It challenges established economic geography approaches, which propagate firm-based views and centre stage skill and technological relatedness. An alternative conceptual framework for scrutinising digital transformation processes in industries in regional contexts is presented.

This paper sought to determine how a major sport event can become trapped in a winner's curse, in which the fierce competition to host the event forces organisers to spend more on acquiring and hosting it than what it is worth in economic terms.

This study used a combination of document analysis and 47 in-depth interviews with 51 individuals representing various private and public organisations involved in the implementation of the UCI 2017 Road Cycling World Championship. Snowball sampling and a semi-structured interview guide were used to ensure coverage of all relevant information.

The organiser and the host municipal lacked the necessary experience with events of this size and character. Information from previous championships events was not transferred, and the municipality administration did not utilise experiences from hosting previous events. Limited financial resources prevented the organiser from hiring enough employees with the necessary competence. Lack of communication between the stakeholders who contributed in hosting the event reduced the quality of planning and preparations. A dubious culture and lack of seriousness within the Norwegian Cycling Federation, which was the owner of organising company, seemed to have been transferred to organiser.

The research identifies some of the reasons why major sports events so often turns out to be more problematic than expected in economic terms, not only for the organiser but also for actors in the public sector in the host city. The novelty is that it goes into depth on the underlying reasons and the dynamic forces behind these problems.

Based on a representative survey of German subsidiaries in the UK, their parent companies and a comparative analysis to the Workplace Employee Relations Survey 1998, the article examines the impact of nationality of ownership on employee relations (ER) in German multinational companies (MNCs) operating in an Anglo‐Saxon setting. It also assesses whether in light of heightened international competition and the problems in the German ER model, there has been a weakening of the home country effect over time. The study finds little evidence of a home country effect in relation to ER structures but reveals a pronounced country‐of‐origin effect in the ER approach and style. There is also evidence that German MNCs have responded to the globalisation pressures of the 1990s by a heightened emphasis on the country‐of‐origin collective approach in their UK subsidiaries, whilst at the same time developing comprehensive direct human resource management employee involvement schemes to complement, rather than substitute collective ER.