Challenges in supporting and assessing bachelor’s theses based on action research in initial teacher education

Abstract

This study explores the challenges in supporting and assessing action research projects related to bachelor’s theses for research-based initial teacher education in Norway. The data consist of two types of texts – the official information about the bachelor’s thesis from the university and 10 theses where the students complained about the assessment. The results are considered by using a theoretical framework of assessment as a process of communication and by applying the concept of boundary crossing. The results show the lack of communication and tripartite collaboration among students, practicum teachers and university teachers as presupposed. Communication and democratic dialogue are crucial elements of action research, and the findings suggest that the assessment process should focus on ‘feedforward’ in an open dialogue more than ‘feedback’ through written texts or marks. Our research findings add to the knowledge on the design of research-based programmes of study in general and assignments based on action research in particular.