12 - Norway - Teaching methods
The main teaching methods used at higher education institutions are lectures and seminars, but
project work is gaining importance. The lectures are held for larger groups of students, and involve
student participation only to a minor extent, whereas seminars allow more active student participation.
In addition, students are encouraged to write papers or reports. With the Quality Reform, students are
required to do more writing during their studies. The writing of a research thesis is mandatory for
master’s degrees (except in professional study programmes) and for doctor’s degrees.
For specific subjects and branches of study, lectures are combined with work in laboratories and the
teaching of research methods from the undergraduate level on. Excursions, field trips and visits to
industry and museums are often a mandatory part of the programme.
Study programmes aimed at training students for a specific profession involve teaching methods that
are specific to the education in question. Usually the students are placed for one or more periods in
different institutions (internship in hospitals, practice in schools etc.) or in enterprises to gain practical
work experience connected to the studies. Group sessions are widely used.
ICT is increasingly used to on-campus students: information from teachers and administration to
students, discussion groups, delivery of essays, lecturer’s notes etc. Student housing is equipped with
Internet access. Students are expected, and in some cases required, to own a personal computer.
ICT based distance education programmes are alternatives to on-campus studies. Such programmes
are developed and delivered by all universities and most university colleges. In some professional
programmes, simultaneous video transmissions of lectures are sent to students in rural study centres
so that these students may take part in the discussions with the lecturer.
The recent Quality Reform in higher education emphasises internationalisation. To that end, the
provision that the main teaching language is Norwegian has been removed. The teaching is mainly in
Norwegian. Lecturers were required to be fluent in one of the Scandinavian languages (Norwegian,
Danish or Swedish). Some English-language programmes are offered to foreign students, mainly for
masters’ degrees. Students may submit written examinations in any of the Scandinavian languages or
in English.
Eurydice - the information network on education in Europe
Date: 2009
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