NON SENSE - A discourse analysis of the Danish Upper Secondary School Reform 2005

The Danish upper secondary school was reformed in 2005. The reform had been anticipated for a long time. It was badly needed and much was expected of it but when the reform was implemented, many teachers experienced several of the new measures as irrational or even absurd. The new legislation didn’t make sense but appeared extremely complicated and contradictionary. This article studies the school reform through the filter of discourse analysis. The reform represents an advanced version of liberal management and is construed as an alliance between 4 conflicting regimes of practice. Consequently the reform is very difficult to handle for the teachers and the school management. They are facing a lot of dilemmas and the issue of professional competence development is becoming crucial. 

The Danish upper secondary school was reformed in 2005. The reform had been anticipated for a long time. It was badly needed and much was expected of it but when the reform was implemented, many teachers experienced several of the new measures as irrational or even absurd. The new legislation didn’t make sense but appeared extremely complicated and contradictionary. This article studies the school reform through the filter of discourse analysis. The reform represents an advanced version of liberal management and is construed as an alliance between 4 conflicting regimes of practice. Consequently the reform is very difficult to handle for the teachers and the school management. They are facing a lot of dilemmas and the issue of professional competence development is becoming crucial.