ABSTRACT Student loans and grants is one of the primary tools for policymakers to provide equal opportunities to pursue higher education. However, policymakers are also tasked with using scarce public resources efficiently. Concerns over slow progression and low completion rates led to a significant restructuring of the financial aid system in Norway in 2002–04 which made previously unconditional grants conditional on adequate academic progression, aiming to provide financial incentives for students to complete their studies. We show that under the new system, the gap in grant amounts received between students from different socioeconomic backgrounds have increased substantially, with advantaged students receiving a majority share of the grant disbursement. Such distributional effects could be justified if efficiency is the primary policy objective, but raises issues for policymakers who might also value equitable outcomes.

ABSTRACT Efforts to advance inclusive education have gained increasing attention in Sweden and the Netherlands. Effective cross-sector collaboration among diverse stakeholders is essential to ensure that all children’s needs are adequately met. However, existing service delivery models remain largely referral-based, focusing on the individual needs of a child. There is a growing need for system-wide, context-based approaches that enable inclusion and belonging of all children. One such model is Partnering for Change (P4C), developed in Canada. Implementing P4C in new contexts requires careful consideration of cultural and systemic differences. This paper describes the process of adapting the P4C model for the Dutch and Swedish educational contexts, guided by a four-phase framework and a multiphase mixed-methods approach. It presents the adapted P4C model and shares key lessons, offering insights into effectively embedding inclusion-related service delivery in education.

ABSTRACT This study provides a scoping review of the use of international large-scale assessments (ILSAs) focused on information and communication technology (ICT) within academic research. We analyzed 114 peer-reviewed journal articles published between 1991 and November 2025, providing bibliographic information on their distribution across time, journals and regions. We offer an overview of research across four study types: scale evaluation, descriptive, effectiveness, and case studies. Our findings show that ICT-focused ILSAs have been less frequently used than other assessments. Articles are predominantly published in journals specializing in ICT in education, with research concentrated in certain regions and educational systems. We observe a shift in publication types and topics, from descriptive studies of ICT inputs and use cases to more nuanced effectiveness analyses exploring a broad range of outcomes and factors. By mapping and analyzing these patterns, this study offers a valuable reference for future research on ICT in education.

ABSTRACT When grade point averages (GPAs) are used for admission into tertiary education, there is an implicit assumption that any two identical GPAs convey the same level of academic competency. However, this assumption does not hold when students are free to choose elective subjects and there are differences in their difficulty and dimensionality. In this study, we utilized item response theory to examine dimensionality and difficulty of 11 elective subjects in Norwegian high school, while accounting for self-selection bias, using data from 21,666 third year students. Our results show that the GPA is best represented as a multidimensional construct. Additionally, we demonstrate that the selection bias in observed subject grade averages for electives conceals considerable differences in difficulty levels. Hence, the GPA of Norwegian high school students does not only reflect academic competency but also the decisions made regarding which elective subjects to take.

ABSTRACT Slightly more than three decades have passed since major educational reforms were implemented in Sweden, radically changing the conditions for social groups to navigate the educational landscape. Following decentralization, and the introduction of independent schools and school choice in the 1990s, managing market mechanisms became crucial for parents when assessing their children’s educational opportunities. This article uses census data and family interviews to analyze how social groups make use of the educational system. The results show how the social structure of compulsory schools is characterized by the dominant position of culturally upper-middle-class families, often recognized for their substantial investments in education. These families display an ambivalence toward the market logic and an unease with competition over educational positions. Simultaneously, it is these particular families’ school choices that structure the social space of the local school market in focus in this study, revealing the importance of studying local markets.

ABSTRACT Early childhood education and care providers play a key role in identifying and responding to child maltreatment. The Norwegian Stine Sofie’s Kindergarten Package is a train-the-trainer intervention designed to strengthen kindergarten educators’ ability in this regard. We evaluated its effectiveness on five self-reported individual-level outcomes related to knowledge, competence, and attitudes. Kindergartens were assigned to either an intervention or wait-list control group using a cluster randomized controlled design. A total of 1363 educators from 163 kindergartens participated at baseline, with two follow-up assessments. Educators in the intervention group reported (a) increased knowledge about maltreatment, (b) improved action confidence related to responding to concerns about maltreatment, and (c) greater trust in the child welfare system. These effects persisted at four to six months follow-up. Results for the two remaining outcomes were statistically non-significant. We conclude that the intervention had positive effects on educators’ self-reported ability to identify and respond to maltreatment.

ABSTRACT This paper explores the educational and career trajectories of 15 STEM-interested participants 10 years after graduating from upper-secondary school, continuing a longitudinal study that covers 11½ years in total. Through qualitative interviews, the study examines participants’ paths during and after higher education, revealing a general stability in their chosen trajectories. Most participants remained on the career paths they set two to three years after graduation. However, subtle movements beneath the surface indicated that some participants still considered possible changes, with some having already made adjustments. A key theme in this phase was the challenge of balancing family and career, which influenced the participants’ decisions regarding work location and career opportunities. Utilising a transitional-learning framework, the study found that while most participants adopted a growth strategy to enhance their prospects, a few struggled to adapt to societal expectations, yet none challenged the overarching structures.

ABSTRACT Background This study aimed to identify distinct patterns of teaching practices in Swedish compulsory schools and their influence on adolescents’ subjective well-being, focusing on school satisfaction and stress. We differentiated among teacher-centered, student-centered, and student-dominated practices using a person-oriented approach. Methods Data were drawn from a nationally representative sample of 9th-grade students in the Swedish Evaluation through Follow-Up Survey. Latent class analysis identified teaching practice subtypes based on student perceptions, and linear regressions assessed differences in subjective well-being across these subtypes. Results Three distinct classes emerged: student-centered, student-dominated, and teacher-centered practices. Student-centered practices correlated with moderate school satisfaction, while student-dominated practices showed the highest satisfaction but increased stress. Teacher-centered practices resulted in the lowest satisfaction among the classes. Discussion Findings indicate that student-centered and student-dominated practices likely enhance subjective well-being, though overly autonomous settings may increase stress, underscoring the need for balanced instructional approaches.

ABSTRACT A key to developing inclusive practices resides in teacher-student interactions; however, little is known about the details of practice at the classroom level. Through investigating what teachers and students consider as valuable in their interactions, and how their accounts can be understood in relation to participation, the purpose of this article is to gain insight in how teacher-student interactions may contribute to shaping inclusive approaches in the classroom. Interviews with teachers and students in two 5th grade classrooms in Norway are analysed, conducting a reflexive thematic analytical approach. Findings indicate that the teacher-student interactions are characterised by teachers creating space for student participation through the qualities of care, feeling safe, trust, respect, mutual joy, and appreciation. We argue that these valued qualities may be understood as recognitional practices, which shape inclusive approaches in the classroom by creating space for student participation in teacher-student interactions.

ABSTRACT The aim of this study was to capture the characteristics of teacher collaboration and aspects of teacher culture which hinder or enable co-teaching in Finnish schools where co-teaching has been implemented. The data of this multiple case study were collected in three Finnish primary schools where co-teaching between special education and class teachers has been implemented. Data comprised three focus group interviews with teachers (N = 12), and was analysed with a deductive approach, guided by Hargreaves’ ([1994]. Changing teachers, changing times. Teachers’ work and culture in the postmodern age. Cassell.) forms of teacher culture. Differences and similarities regarding the characteristics of teacher collaboration in the schools appeared. The results indicate that a teacher culture characterised by a certain flexibility, collective autonomy and support from the school leader enables co-teaching. To make progress, teachers need leadership to impose guidelines. This leadership is particularly important when teachers choose not to collaborate and when the location of learning is prioritised over the quality of instruction.