Begynneropplæring og nivåspesifikk samfunnsfag- og KRLE-didaktikk for småskoletrinne

Abstract

The topic of this article is subject-specific didactics for social studies and religious education for the lower primary level. Since 2017, teacher education for the compulsory education in Norway is extended to a master’s degree and ”initial education” is made a key concept in the trajectory aiming at primary level teaching. The research question in this article is: What is the knowledge base for initial education in social studies and religious education respectively? Thus, the article has a comparative aspect. An analysis of the terms of reference for these educations demonstrates that subject-specific education is made an organising principle and that the basic skills of writing, reading and calculating are prioritised in all studies at the lower primary level. We have analysed the literature for social studies and religious education and found that a common trait between these is that subject-specific didactical research on the lower primary level is scarce. The literature is not concerned with initial education, either in social studies or in religious education. It focuses on subject- specific topics. The likelihood of the subjects being reduced to a curriculum of basic skills is discussed. Furthermore, we give examples of didactical research on corresponding subjects in the Early Childhood Education and Care, which may well be employed as resources when developing the key elements, content, and methods of these subjects at the lower primary level.