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Developing the work of special education teachers

The overall aim of the project is to contribute to an increased understanding and knowledge of possibilities of development in the work and role of special education teachers in secondary schools.The project has two purposes: 1.To find those contradictions in the work of the special education teachers that on the one hand constitute obstacles to the development of the remedial education, on the other hand contain the potential of development in the field of special education. 2.By educational intervention increases the capacity of teachers to identify the problems in the current remedial education, to find constructive solutions and by development work develop and change the current working and teaching methods in remedial education.The target group of this project is seven special education teachers in five secondary schools in the Swedish speaking parts of Finland. -Development work research, which has its roots in the activity theory, was choosen as the theoretical and methodological framework for the project.The perspective of this framwork is dynamic, which makes it possible to study development and change in an organization or an activity, in this case the remedial education in secondary schools.The project follows the development cycle of developmental work research: a) analysis of the activity, b) creation of new forms of activity by educational intervention, c) development of the activity itself and d) evaluation of the development work and the changed activity of the field of special education. -The metods of the project are qualitative; open-ended interviews, group discussions, observations and documentary material.The results of the study are of importance in both basic and further training of special education teachers as well in school development research.

Publication(s)

29.3.1996 / 1.4.1996