Effective dialogues in driver education

Abstract

The Norwegian driver education programme is extensive, systematic and comprehensive. The syllabus intentions have high expectations for pupil learning, and in the learning situation the ability of teachers to utilise dialogue as an effective learning tool is put to the test. Over a 5-year period we have studied learning situations in all areas of the Norwegian driver education programme. In this article we present findings based on observations of teacher–pupil interaction during on-road practice and discuss how teachers may form the dialogue into an effective learning tool in order to tap the learning potential that is embedded in driver education programmes. The education of responsible drivers requires that teacher–pupil dialogues bring about a shared understanding of a full traffic context during on-road practice. It becomes evident that different teacher supportive approaches pave the way to ‘intersubjectivity’ of occurring traffic contexts in qualitatively different ways. Teachers use both ‘clarifying’ and ‘elaborative’ processes to prepare the learner for responsible driving. The establishment of a mutual understanding is a continuous dialogical process in which concepts become mediating tools. How the two conceptual worlds of teacher and learner merge makes a basic level for subsequent scaffolding processes during on-road practice.