Student teachers perform better in mathematics

National partial exam

Results this spring show that the nation's student teachers have improved academically in mathematics on average.

Results of the National Student Teacher Exam conducted this spring show that the failure rate has fallen slightly and the average score has risen slightly.

Just under a thousand students completed the national partial examination in mathematics teaching for primary school teacher training in May.

Both up and down

The oversight shows that the failure rate among students in primary school teacher training (GLU) for grades one to seven will fall from 41.4 percent in the spring of 2023, to 32 percent this spring.

Among students in grades 5-10, the failure rate increases from 16.8 (spring 2023) to 20.6 (spring 2024). These are students who have chosen mathematics and will become mathematics teachers.

– It is pleasing to see that the average grades in general are rising slightly, and that there are fewer failing students. Many institutions that have regular exams have had a lower failure rate, which is a good thing. But there are still many who fail, says Christine Vinge, director of Nokut, in a press release.

There are students from GLU 1-7 and GLU 5-10 who each spring and fall complete a national partial examination in mathematics education. Institutions themselves decide when to take an in-semester test through a regular test or a credit test, and this is part of the explanation for the differences in scores for institutions.

Good results for future mathematics teachers

Although the failure rate for students in GLU 5-10 is slightly higher, overall results are the best since 2020. Average grades are rising, and the number receiving an A or B is increasing from 13.7 percent in spring 2023 to 24.1 this year. spring .

“The average scores of these students have risen over the last four applications, and there is reason to believe that the better results are related to the work of private institutions to enhance training,” says Vinje.

But there are also positive results among those who will become teachers of young children. In many places, the failure rate drops dramatically, Finji says.

– The number of high grades and the failure rate decreases a lot for students who will become teachers of younger children. Many of the institutions with the largest student groups, such as OsloMet, Høgskolen i Innlandet, and Høgskolen i Østfold, have reduced their failure rate by more than ten percentage points, which is good. When the failure rate goes down, we get more qualified teachers in the workforce, says Viney.

(Changelog: Updated command with detailed numbers also for USN Vestfold. 19.06.2024, at 12.45)