A Nordic dimension in teacher education, myth or reality: the Swedish version. Paper presented at the Nordic Educational Research Association (NERA) Congress, March 9-12, Oslo, Norway

Although there are differences, the educational systems in the Nordic countries are in many respects very similar. On a general level the society's responsibility for the educational system and teacher education makes up a fundamental Nordic dimension. This construction guaranties a powerful educational organization characterized by accessibility and stability.

I will also suggest a system similarity, in form of three organizational levels of the society's concern for the educational area, which I label: 1) An ideological or political level, 2) A knowledgeable and directive level and 3) An implemental level. Each level is directly responsible for the performances of the level below but there are also dependencies in that relationship, being one kind between levels 1 and 2 and another kind between levels 2 and 3.

In Sweden, the combined effects of these three levels on teacher education have resulted in several peculiarities or unwanted consequences. This paper presents a selection of such incoherent or inconsistent outcomes being the unfortunate effects of the three levels on the construction and implementation of the new teacher education in Sweden, which have resulted in a teacher education not meeting the demands and qualities intended.