1. Flexibility and Responsibility in Teacher Education: Experiences and Possibilities in Iceland and North Norway Þuríður Jóhannsdóttir and Randi Skjelmo NERA-congress in Reykjavík March 10 -13, 2004

2. Distance learning for northeners Iceland University of Education in Reykjavík Department of Teacher Education in Tromsø University College serving the need for having educated teachers in sparsely populated rural areas

3. Methods and theoretical background How different needs of communities and individuals have been met with flexible programs, and the important role that the Internet has played in opening up new possibilities for distance education How the use of diverse ICT tools has influenced the structure of the programs as well as both learning tasks and teaching methods Situated learning - learning is a function of the activity, context, and culture in which it is situated Activity theory guiding us exploring the effectiveness of everyday learning environments in research

4. The Case of the Iceland University of Education over 2000 students, of which more than 50% are enrolled in distance education programs. IUE has played a leading role in the development of distance education on the Internet in Iceland from the start in 1993

5. The Case of the Department of Teacher Education in Tromsø University College roughly 1200 students enrolled in teacher education about 40% of these students follow the decentralized program the educational ministry of Norway has emphasized: –the development and use of ICT in teacher education, as part of a policy to enhance use of ICT in education at all school levels.

6. History - Changes How have the distance programs in teacher education developed in the last 5-10 years? –Changes in ICT –Changes in ideology –Changes in policy

7. The Development in Iceland Policy to be an open and flexible institution that offers all its educational programs at a distance through the Internet This form of education is becoming a known and popular form for learning Life-long learning centres in rural communities support distance learners Positive effects of distance teacher education in rural communities Teacher continue and take graduate studies in distance learning programs

8. The development in Norway Meeting Different Needs of Heterogeneous Student Groups Transformation in teacher education Reforms in primary and secondary schools that will result in students graduating with more differentiated knowledge and competence New legislation that gives adults the right to admission to a university built on evaluated real competencies

9. The driving motivation No longer shortage of educated teachers in rural communities But demand for open and flexible education in an educational market Emerging needs in society for new form and content in education The universities’ role to be alert participants in dialogue with their social environment

10. Distance learning in social context The first distance-learning programs involving the use of the Internet –in Iceland in 1993, –and in Tromsø in 2000, good examples of how studies were planned in a social and techno-cultural context where distance teaching and learning activity was scaffolded by both ICT and the school communities in the district.

11. More challenges Heterogeneous student groups Distance students are in different places and different social positions with inherent differences in possibilities and interests The teachers’ challenge to learn to use ICT-tools to support students Extend their professionalism to include distance teaching and learning Both technical and social contexts are important