Conclusions

This report has outlined different possible actions to address different knowledge gaps. These actions have been presented in five different categories, and their tentative priorities are given in table 9. Table 9: Tentative priorities of the focus for future research Focus

Trends: How is the situation?

Consequences: How important? Available Nordic research

Good in certain fields Better use of data is possible

Limited

Quality of life and economic aspects seldom studied Tentative priorities

Mechanisms: why? Associations documented

Too few longitudinal studies

Interventions: What can we do?

Policy and implementation: What can we do on a national level? More advanced designs are needed for evidence building

Many initiatives are not evaluated

Implementation and evaluation need to be improved

The following measures are suggested to support Nordic research in this field:

1. Collaboration grants for Nordic researchers that can pool data and resources for in-depth analysis of trends, mechanism, consequences, interventions, and policy/implementation.

2. Support infrastructure for Nordic comparative research

3. Research grants to researchers that, supported by systematic reviews of previous research, plan and conduct original research on themes such as:

• School for all in the Nordic countries: trends, challenges, and remedies in the neoliberal era

o Studies of long-term trends using different databases and repeated cross-sectional studies

• Mechanisms behind socioeconomic, gender, and health inequalities in school achievement

o Studies of how academic performance, school satisfaction, mental health, and happiness interact

• Controlled studies of measures taken to improve socioeconomic, gender, and health equality in school achievement

o Studies of physical activity, breaks, and school hours

o Studies of measures to decrease school segregation

• Studies aiming at improving the working environment in schools, including children, parents, and school staff in research and development

o Studies of family background and involvement in schools

o Studies of school ethos, management, and leadership

o Studies of school health services and special education as means to attaining equality in school achievement

• Studies of physical and mental health, and school achievement: educational trajectory for children in the

Nordic countries

o Longitudinal studies of school children’s physical and mental health and school achievement

o Intervention studies to improve physical and mental health for better school achievement

• Health promotion in schools in the Nordic countries

o Studies on health as a subject in the curriculum and its implementation

o Comparative studies of programmes aimed at promoting health and preventing diseases and accidents

o Studies on whole-school approaches to health promotion in schools

4. A research school in this field could be a measure to facilitate the training of the next generation of researchers in the

Nordic countries. This could be an important link between senior Nordic researchers that jointly manage the research school.