No abstract

Vocational education, as part of the Norwegian upper secondary education, includes both school-based learning and workplace learning. While school-based learning is characterized by formal structures and guided by aims in the curricula, workplace learning is often informal, incidental and directed by the daily work-tasks. Assessment in workplace learning is mainly formative and different stakeholders are involved in the assessment; namely students, teachers and workplace instructors. However, the guidelines for assessment are vague and call for a close cooperation between the stakeholders. This is demanding and has resulted in a variety of assessment practices. The study presented in this article is a qualitative study of students' experiences with assessment in workplace learning periods in their first year in vocational education. The aim of the study is to give voice to students`experiences with assessment and illuminate how assessment supports their learning processes. Data was collected through focus group interviews with two groups of students in the Programme for Health and Social Care. The main findings indicate different assessment cultures in school and workplaces. This is expressed through the students' perceptions of assessment, assessment criteria, tools for assessment and vocational knowledge. It is recommended that an open dialogue about the discontinuity in assessment between schools and workplaces is one of several measures necessary to bridge the gap between the stakeholders.

Formative assessment, including vocational education and training (VET), has been included in the assessment regulations in Norway since 2006. This study examines how a continuing education course entitled Assessment for learning in vocational education (15 credits) might contribute to vocational teachers' professional development related to assessment for learning. Qualitative data was collected in two stages from vocational teachers participating on the course. The findings reveal that perceptions of assessment for learning and vocational formative assessment practice are developed through the lens of the general study programmes and are dominated by academic subjects in upper secondary schools. However, assessment for learning is embedded in vocational learning and teaching and needs to be voiced in the educational discourse in schools related to formative assessment. Vocational teachers' professional development in assessment for learning should be based on the characteristics and attributes of vocational learning.

Artikkelen byggjer på ein kvalitativ studie av seks elevar sitt møte med vidaregåande skule, yrkesfaglege utdanningsprogram. Studien undersøkjer elevane sine perspektiv og refleksjonar kring overgangen mellom skuleslaga og vegen vidare i vidaregåande skule og ut i eit yrke. Overgangen til vidaregåande skule medfører kognitive og sosiale endringar for elevane, endringar som òg verkar inn på identitetsdanninga. Studien undersøkjer elevane sine opplevingar av desse endringsprosessane og kva konsekvensar det kan ha for vidare utvikling og laering. 2 Utfordringar i norsk vidaregåande opplaering Gjennom Reform 94 fekk alle elevar i Norge rett til vidaregåande opplaering, og det vart gjort strukturelle og innhaldsmessige endringar i utdanningstilbodet (Støren & Skjersli, 1999). Ei viktig målsetjing for Reform 94 var mellom anna å betre gjennomstrøyminga ved at