The aim of this systematic review is to investigate reasons for the difficulties of recruiting students to education programs and the challenge of retaining trained teachers in the profession. It also takes a closer look at which measures can be considered to address these matters.
Poor recruitment of students for teacher training courses in Norway is unfortunately an ongoing issue, at the latest this summer and autumn. In addition, retaining qualified teachers in the teaching profession, both in schools and kindergartens, has proven difficult. According to Statistics Norway, one in three teacher trainees work outside school.(source in Norwegian)
This situation was part of the reason for the Ministry of Education granting the Høgskulen på Vestlandet (HVL) project funds to investigate and test measures to strengthen recruitment to teacher training and to promote a positive view of the teaching profession. As a result of this assignment, HVL contacted the Knowledge Center for Education (KSU) at the University of Stavanger with the wish to make a systematic review of knowledge in the field.
The systematic review was carried out in collaboration between KSU and researchers at Durham University. The aim was to provide research-based knowledge about strategies for recruiting and retaining teachers.
The systematic review was completed this summer, and presented during Arendalsuka (source in Norwegian) on 17 August.
On the occasion of the launch, a debate was organized on the topic (source in Norwegian), in which high-profile participants from both politics, the education sector and the Norwegian public took part.
- The systematic review on recruitment to teacher education (in Norwegian, PDF)
- The appendix to the systematic review (in English, PDF)