New middle-class values and context: exploring an ideological conflict between a Norwegian school and parents over an American evidence-based programme
Journal article, Peer reviewed
Accepted version
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Date
2018Metadata
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- Institutt for lærerutdanning [3403]
- Publikasjoner fra CRIStin - NTNU [37221]
Original version
British Journal of Sociology of Education. 2018, 39 (8), 1160-1174. 10.1080/01425692.2018.1483819Abstract
As part of neoliberal reforms, evidence-based practice is increasingly influencing teachers’ work. In Norway, the American programme ‘School-Wide Positive Behavioural Intervention and Support’ (SW_PBIS) has been implemented in a great number of schools. One school experienced an intense conflict with parents, so that eventually it opted out of the programme. Using Basil Bernstein’s framework, this paper investigates what the conflict was about and how it can relate to class and ideology. The conflict was rooted in the ideological foundation of the programme, as well as its unintended negative effects. The teachers’ unexpectedly persistent support of the programme may be explained by the fact that it offers them a way out of taking personal responsibility for a pedagogically challenging situation. Looking into the role the specific contexts play may contribute to a deeper understanding of the complex relationship between class, values and practices as teachers’ hierarchical relations may be changing. New middle-class values and context: exploring an ideological conflict between a Norwegian school and parents over an American evidence-based programme