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Discretion is described as a hallmark of professional work. Professional discretion rests on trust in the ability of certain occupational groups to make sound decisions 'on behalf' of societal authorities. It has been suggested that in Europe, managerialist-influenced policies with increased focus on control and accountability have placed pressure on professional discretion. Although earlier studies have demonstrated tensions between external and internal accountability, they have not highlighted how legal forms of authority are key aspects in the regulation of education, or how professionals handle legal standards in their practices. The purpose of this study is to understand the interplay between legal standards and professional discretion. An organisationalroutines perspective is used to examine this interplay. Empirically, the students' legal rights to a good psychosocial environment are used as a case. Based on interviews with principals, deputies and teachers in Norwegian schools, the paper examines how legal norms are translated into social practices, and how practitioners construct and legitimise their work. The study shows how preventive and remedial measures are prevalent in Norwegian schools. When laws and regulations require specific procedures, they are transformed into routines based on the schools' iterative practices. The study adds an empirical analysis to current understandings of juridification in education.

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This article analyzes student teachers' interactions in different practices over a period of one semester. We use Cultural-Historical Activity theory as a theoretical framework to address how interactions at the boundaries in teacher education are constructed and made relevant to the participants when they are working on object constructions. In the analysis, we show how an object, conceptualization of goals in education, emerges and develop in interactions, and how the object's trajectory differs as the students move between practices. In the analysis we call these practices learning spheres. Our findings indicate that the participants' positions are of importance. In teacher-led situations, such as supervision and mentoring, the teachers influenced the construction of the object, whereas in group work, the student teachers pursued and explored a variety of object constructions. Meaning emerges in the dialectical relationship between activity and action, and is regulated by the enactment of rules and norms, and the division of labor. An important finding is that the student teachers' learning trajectories vary across the different parts of the teacher education program.

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There are so many people to thank as my PhD work nears its end. This work process and its final product are the results of inspiring and enriching interactions with diverse individuals and communities. My thanks go to all who have been a part of the process in various waysto you who have encouraged me and sustained my energy and capacity! I want, nevertheless, to pinpoint some of the interactions that I believe have had particular significance for my work and for my becoming a researcher by expressing my heartfelt thanks to: My main supervisor, Eli Ottesen, and my co-supervisor, Rune Krumsvik, for your unyielding moral support and brave efforts to keep me on track. Eli, you have been a constant inspiration and an always-guiding force in my work. Thank you for your dedicated readings of numerous drafts, your insightful and critical comments on my work, and your interesting discussions and collaborative writings. Having you as my main supervisor and mentor has been an honour! Rune, I am grateful for our Skype meetings, your readings and comments on the manuscripts, and the constructive ways in which you have supported me, challenged me, and helped me to move forward in my work. The Research Group for Studies on Workplace Learning in the Knowledge Society (FALK), for approving my application and funding my PhD work. My thanks go to all the participants in the group for their inspiring seminars and workshops. In particular, I want to thank Monica Nerland and Hege Hermansen. Monica, thank you for leading the group in such a professional way and for commenting on the articles. You have helped me significantly in refining my writings. Hege, thank you for our fruitful discussions and our joint endeavor in writing our extended abstract. The participants in the two projects being studied, who kindly allowed me to observe their activities. You made this PhD project possible.

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