Velibor Bobo Kovac

• Cameron, David Lansing; Kovac, Velibor Bobo & Horverak, May Olaug (2023). Online chat-support for bullying prevention and follow-up: an analysis of the characteristics of chat-users and their experiences. International Journal of Adolescence and Youth. ISSN 0267-3843. 28(1), s. 831–843. doi: 10.1080/02673843.2023.2292060. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  The purpose of this study was to examine data registered at an online bullying support chat-service over a three-year period to determine the characteristics of users and their experiences. The service was contacted 12,687 times during this period, leading to 7,641 chat-dialogues with counsellors, 57% of which (n = 4,388) were directly related to bullying. Findings indicate that 76% of chat-users were female and 89% were victims of bullying (ages 12–17). The extent of bullying experienced was extensive, typically occurring on a daily basis at school. More than 30% had not sought help prior to contacting the service. Verbal, relational, and physical bullying were all common, although verbal bullying was by far the most prevalent, occurring in 65% of cases. Consistent with survey research on bullying, boys were significantly more likely than girls to have been the victims of physical bullying, while the opposite was true for relational bullying.

• Kostøl, Elin Marie Frivold & Kovac, Velibor Bobo (2023). Co-regulation in dyadic parent–child relationships: a video analysis of well-functioning interactions. Early Child Development and Care. ISSN 0300-4430. doi: 10.1080/03004430.2023.2282357.
• Kovac, Velibor Bobo; Nome, Dag Øystein; Jensen, Andreas Reier & Skreland, Lisbeth Ljosdal (2023). The why, what and how of deep learning: critical analysis and additional concerns. Education Inquiry. ISSN 2000-4508. doi: 10.1080/20004508.2023.2194502. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  The concept of deep learning has become a popular and well recognised term in contemporary educational literature and inter-national political documents. Deep learning typically induces posi-tive connotations and represents the learning strategy that educational institutions should adopt in order to assure a sustainable future in modern societies. However, a major chal-lenge with deep learning is the fact that the concept is used in many different scientific fields with a variety of definitions, under-standings and applications. Thus, there is an imbalance between the quantity of governing documents in education that endorse the use of deep learning as a main learning strategy and the amount of academic theory and research examining its defini-tional clarity and related unresolved questions. The aim of the present theoretical analysis is threefold. First, we examine the concept of deep learning in light of the three fundamental ques-tions “why”, “what”, and “how” and make assessments concerning its status in contemporary literature. Second, we discuss the com-patibility between the idea of deep learning and the concepts of educational inclusion and adapted instruction. Finally, we make several recommendations for future development and application of the term deep learning in educational contexts.

• Pardede, Saga & Kovac, Velibor Bobo (2023). Distinguishing the Need to Belong and Sense of Belongingness: The Relation between Need to Belong and Personal Appraisals under Two Different Belongingness–Conditions. European Journal of Investigation in Health, Psychology and Education. ISSN 2174-8144. 13(2), s. 331–344. doi: 10.3390/ejihpe13020025. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  People are frequently caught in the hold between the need to belong and the fear of exclusion. However, these needs might be expressed differently under different belongingness conditions, where other powerful social processes are accentuated. Thus, the need to belong and social exclusion are concepts that are subjectively appraised based on one’s social relations. The present study aims to examine the relationship between the need to belong and five personal appraisals under two different belongingness conditions: (1) social-emotion support and (2) social-value representation. A total of 201 participants from two different groups were presented with 69 different items measuring five personal appraisals (exclusion, shame, social-worthiness, emotional self-expression, and prosocial-relating behaviour). Condition 2, social-value representation with social worthiness being appraised, offered the strongest connection as a significant predictor amongst all appraisals in both conditions, despite both exclusion and shame being indicated as significant predictors, to begin with. Thus, highlighting the appraisal of social worthiness in support of one’s need to socially represent oneself by not being compared to others while being valued as an alternative motive for realising a sense of belongingness. The empirical and theoretical limitations and implications are also discussed.

• Andreasen, Johan Kristian; Tømte, Cathrine Edelhard; Bergan, Ingvild & Kovac, Velibor Bobo (2022). Professional digital competence in initial teacher education: An examination of differences in two cohorts of pre-service teachers. Nordic Journal of Digital Literacy. ISSN 1891-943X. 17(1), s. 61–74. doi: 10.18261/njdl.17.1.5. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  Initial teacher education plays a vital role in preparing pre-service teachers (PSTs) to integrate technology into their classroom practice. In the present study, we examine how PSTs perceive their professional digital competence (PDC) in the context of a major teacher education reform in Norway. Survey data was collected from two cohorts, consisting of primary and lower secondary PSTs, both before (cohort 1) and after (cohort 2) the teacher education reform. Several theoretical concepts were selected to operationalize PDC, including technological pedagogical knowledge, confidence in the use of ICT, ICT self-efficacy, perceived usefulness, and ICTand inclusion. The overall results show a significant increase in the pre-service teachers’ professional digital competence in cohort 2. The findings indicate that partnership initiatives between university faculty staff and school-based mentor teachers are associated with the preservice teachers’ development of PDC. Several development initiatives in initial teacher education that are relevant to other higher education institutions are also discussed.

• Haraldstad, Åse; Tveit, Anne Dorthe & Kovac, Velibor Bobo (2022). Democracy in schools: qualitative analysis of pupils’ experiences of democracy in the context of the Norwegian school. Cambridge Journal of Education. ISSN 0305-764X. 52(1), s. 73–89. doi: 10.1080/0305764X.2021.1935738. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  A limited number of empirical studies have explored pupils’ democratic practice and the direct experiences of school children using a qualitative approach. The aim of the present study has been to analyse pupils’ experiences of the practice of democratic rights in the context of the Norwegian school. The study adopts a qualitative methodology, using semi-structured interviews with pupils. Three prominent school arenas were focused on: the mandatory pupil-teacher dialogue, the pupil council and classroom discussions. Three main markers of democracy have been used in the data analysis: contextual openness, participation and the ability to engage in democratic discussions. The findings reveal that all three markers of democracy, although variously distributed, were visible in these school arenas. The findings in the study are discussed in terms of implications for the development of pupils’ future democratic competencies and the educational mandate schools have in preparing young people for adult participation in society.

• Kovač, V.B. & Cameron, David Lansing (2021). Are We Talking about the Same Thing? A Survey of Preschool Workers’ Attitudes and Beliefs about Bullying. Child Care in Practice. ISSN 1357-5279. doi: 10.1080/13575279.2021.1951167. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Jortveit, Maryann & Kovac, Velibor Bobo (2021). Co-teaching that works; Special and General Educators’ Perspectives on Collaboration. Teaching Education. ISSN 1047-6210. doi: 10.1080/10476210.2021.1895105. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Andreasen, Johan Kristian; Andreasen, Eva Mari & Kovac, Velibor Bobo (2020). Emosjonell kompetanse i gruppeveiledning. NORDVEI: Nordisk tidsskrift i veiledningspedagogikk. ISSN 2535-3047. 5(1). doi: 10.15845/ntvp.v5i1.3049. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Tveit, Anne Dorthe & Kovac, Velibor Bobo (2020). Organisational Challenges for School Development and Improvement: The Obstructing Role of Sub-Groups and an Overly Positive School Culture . International Journal of Management, Knowledge and Learning. ISSN 2232-5107. 9(1), s. 27–42. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Kovac, Velibor Bobo & Kostøl, Elin Marie Frivold (2020). Helping children in bullying situations: The role of intersubjective understanding and co-regulation. School Psychology International. ISSN 0143-0343. 41(3), s. 295–309. doi: 10.1177/0143034320903789. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Andreasen, Johan Kristian; Bjørndal, Cato R. P. & Kovac, Velibor Bobo (2019). Being a teacher and teacher educator: The antecedents of teacher educator identity among mentor teachers. Teaching and Teacher Education : An International Journal of Research and Studies. ISSN 0742-051X. 85, s. 281–291. doi: 10.1016/j.tate.2019.05.011. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  Although teachers’ professional identities have been the subject of extensive study, the field still lacks knowledge about the development of a professional identity for mentor teachers. These teachers take on multifaceted professional roles as teachers and teacher educators. In the present paper, we investigate the professional identity of mentor teachers partnered with two universities in Norway. The study adopts a quantitative approach and report on survey data from the mentor teachers. The results demonstrate that school climate, individual beliefs about the role, and university collaboration predict the development of a teacher educator identity.

• Kovac, Velibor Bobo & Vaala, Lene Birgit (2019). Educational inclusion and belonging: a conceptual analysis and implications for practice. International Journal of Inclusive Education. ISSN 1360-3116. doi: 10.1080/13603116.2019.1603330.
• Tveit, Anne Dorthe; Cameron, David Lansing & Kovac, Velibor Bobo (2019). Teoretisk og praktisk forståelse av systemrettet arbeid i PPT . I Bjerklund, Monica; Groven, Berit & Åmot, Ingvild (Red.), PPTs systemrettede arbeid i barnehagen. Universitetsforlaget. ISSN 9788215030418. Vis sammendrag

  «PPTs systemrettede arbeid i barnehagen» handler om barnet som en del av en sosial kontekst. En av oppgavene til Pedagogisk psykologisk tjeneste (PPT) er å bistå barnehagen med kompetanse- og organisasjonsutvikling. Bistanden skal bidra til å tilrettelegge barnehagens tilbud til barn med behov for særlig tilrettelegging eller spesialpedagogiske tiltak. Slike tiltak går under betegnelsen systemrettet arbeid. Boka viser at det ikke er en todeling mellom system- og individrettet arbeid. Forfatterne tar for seg PPTs systemrettede arbeid både i et historisk og et teoretisk perspektiv. De ser også nærmere på barns medvirkning, og de belyser systemrettet arbeid i møte med både mangfold og ledelse samt kompetanse- og organisasjonsutvikling. Antologien er forskningsbasert og praksisrelevant. Boka er skrevet for studenter innenfor spesialpedagogikk og velferdsfag, samt forskere og tilsatte i PPT og barnehager.

• Olsen, Anne Karin Vikstøl; Spieler, Kristin & Kovac, Velibor Bobo (2018). The role of individual processes and learning environment in the prediction of grades in a sample of Norwegian students . Cogent Education. ISSN 2331-186X. 5(1), s. 1–16. doi: 10.1080/2331186X.2018.1542954.
• Kovac, Velibor Bobo (2018). “Schooling through democracy”: Limitations and possibilities. Education. ISSN 0013-1172. 139(1), s. 1–14.
• Kovac, Velibor Bobo; Tveit, Anne Dorthe; Omdal, Heidi & Lund, Ingrid (2018). Directional motion: An empirically based model of development in educational institutions. Improving Schools. ISSN 1365-4802. 21(2), s. 127–140. doi: 10.1177/1365480218772637.
• Kovac, Velibor Bobo; Olsen, Anne Karin Vikstøl & Spieler, Kristin (2017). Prediction of college grades in the sample of Norwegian students, Proceedings of the3rd International Conference on Higher Education Advances. ITACA - Universitat Politècnica de València, Spain. ISSN 978-84-9048-590-3. s. 399–404. doi: org/10.4995/HEAd17.2017.5229.
• Lund, Ingrid; Helgeland, Anne & Kovac, Velibor Bobo (2017). På vei mot en ny forståelse av mobbing i et folkehelseperspektiv. Acta Didactica Norge. ISSN 1504-9922. 11(3). doi: 10.5617/adno.4691.
• Spieler, Kristin & Kovac, Velibor Bobo (2017). Individual, Technological, and Organizational Predictors of Knowledge Sharing in the Norwegian Context. International Journal of Management, Knowledge and Learning. ISSN 2232-5107. 6(1), s. 5–26.
• Kovac, Velibor Bobo (2017). Metacognitive habits: Contradiction in terms or valid theoretical concept? The role of metacognition in habitual behavior. Basic and Applied Social Psychology. ISSN 0197-3533. 39(3), s. 167–175. doi: 10.1080/01973533.2017.1307195.
• Cameron, David Lansing & Kovac, Velibor Bobo (2017). Parents and preschool workers’ perceptions of competence, collaboration, and strategies for addressing bullying in early childhood. Child Care in Practice. ISSN 1357-5279. 23(2), s. 126–140. doi: 10.1080/13575279.2016.1259156.
• Kovac, Velibor Bobo; Tveit, Anne Dorthe; Cameron, David Lansing & Jortveit, Maryann (2017). “Bridging old relations”: the (de)construction of ethnic identity in the educational context of Bosnia and Herzegovina from the teachers' point of view . Journal of Language, Identity & Education. ISSN 1534-8458. 16(1), s. 32–44. doi: 10.1080/15348458.2016.1260456.
• Kovac, Velibor Bobo; Lund, Ingrid & Omdal, Heidi (2016). Learning Environment in Light of Positional, Institutional, and Cultural Interpretations: An Empirically-Based Conceptual Analysis. Educational Studies. ISSN 0013-1946. 53(1), s. 78–94. doi: 10.1080/00131946.2016.1264400.
• Kovac, Velibor Bobo & Nesmann, Mats (2016). Privatister hvem er de, og hva motiverer dem til å lykkes på eksamen? Kartlegging av bakgrunnsvariabler og deres intensjon i lys av en utvidet versjon av teorien om planlagt atferd. Nordisk tidsskrift for pedagogikk og kritikk. ISSN 2387-5739. 2, s. 53–71.
• Cameron, David Lansing & Kovac, Velibor Bobo (2016). An examination of parents’ and preschool workers’ perspectives on bullying in preschool. Early Child Development and Care. ISSN 0300-4430. 186(12), s. 1961–1971. doi: 10.1080/03004430.2016.1138290.
• Lund, Ingrid; Helgeland, Anne & Kovac, Velibor Bobo (2016). Empirically based analysis of methodological and ethical challenges in research with children as participants: the case of bullying in kindergarten. Early Child Development and Care. ISSN 0300-4430. 186(10), s. 1531–1543. doi: 10.1080/03004430.2015.1110817.
• Kovac, Velibor Bobo; Cameron, David Lansing & Høigaard, Rune (2016). The extended Theory of Planned Behaviour and college grades: the role of cognition and past behaviour in the prediction of students’ academic intentions and achievements. Educational Psychology. ISSN 0144-3410. 36(4), s. 792–811. doi: 10.1080/01443410.2014.923557.
• Rise, Jostein; Halkjelsvik, Torleif & Kovac, Velibor Bobo (2015). Mental States of Addiction: Conceptions in the Adult Norwegian Population. Contemporary Drug Problems. ISSN 0091-4509. 42(4), s. 289–298. doi: 10.1177/0091450915608446. Vis sammendrag

  An increasing number of studies have examined lay meanings of addiction. The purpose of this study was to explore whether a generalized conception of an addiction mind-set was evident in the beliefs of a sample of 1,062 Norwegian adults responding to an online survey. The respondents were given a rating task in the following form: “Addiction to [substance/behavior] is/represents [descriptive term].” For each of the nine different addictive behaviors (cocaine, cannabis, alcohol, gambling, smoking, amphetamine, sedatives, snus, and heroin), the respondents rated their endorsement of 11 descriptive terms (mental states): reduced self-determination, obsession, strong urge, strong appetite, strong craving, reduced moral competence, reduced rational decision making, compulsion, habit, conflicting desire, and reduced willpower. Principal components analyses identified two distinct factors for six addictive behaviors: cocaine, cannabis, alcohol, gambling, amphetamine, and heroin. The endorsement levels of the descriptive items of the two factors were consistently high. Sedatives, smoking, and snus did not fit into the two factors. Norwegian adults thus seem to ascribe to a model of an addiction mind-set comprising two distinct versions, the irresistible, involuntary (Craving-compulsion version), and the voluntary resistible dimensions of addiction (Reduced agency version).

• Kovac, Velibor Bobo (2015). Transition: A conceptual analysis and integrative model. I Cameron, David Lansing & Thygesen, Ragnar (Red.), Transitions in the field of special education. Theoretical perspectives and implications for practice. Waxmann Verlag. ISSN 978-3-8309-3117-1. s. 19–33.
• Høigaard, Rune; Kovac, Velibor Bobo; Øverby, Nina Cecilie & Haugen, Tommy (2015). Academic self-efficacy mediates the effects of school psychological climate on academic achievement. School psychology quarterly. ISSN 1045-3830. 30(1), s. 64–74. doi: 10.1037/spq0000056.
• Hukkelberg, Silje Sommer; Hagtvet, Knut Arne & Kovac, Velibor Bobo (2014). Latent interaction effects in the Theory of Planned Behavior applied to quitting smoking. British Journal of Health Psychology. ISSN 1359-107X. 19(1), s. 83–100. doi: 10.1111/bjhp.12034. Vis sammendrag

  Objectives This study applies three latent interaction models in the theory of planned behaviour (TPB; Ajzen, 1988, Attitudes, personality, and behavior. Homewood, IL: Dorsey Press; Ajzen, 1991, Organ. Behav. Hum. Decis. Process., 50, 179) to quitting smoking: (1) attitude × perceived behavioural control on intention; (2) subjective norms (SN) × attitude on intention; and (3) perceived behavioural control × intention on quitting behaviour. Methods The data derive from a longitudinal Internet survey of 939 smokers aged 15–74 over a period of 4 months. Latent interaction effects were estimated using the double-mean-centred unconstrained approach (Lin et al., 2010, Struct. Equ. Modeling, 17, 374) in LISREL. Results Attitude × SN and attitude × perceived behavioural control both showed a significant interaction effect on intention. No significant interaction effect was found for perceived behavioural control × intention on quitting. Conclusions The latent interaction approach is a useful method for investigating specific conditions between TPB components in the context of quitting behaviour. Theoretical and practical implications of the results are discussed. Statement of contribution What is already known about the subject? Although research on quitting smoking in the context of TPB is gradually growing, the exploration of latent interaction effects of TPB variables on quitting intentions and subsequent quitting behaviour is scarce. The double-mean-centred unconstrained approach is proposed as a new and user-friendly alternative to estimate interaction effects. This study investigated three latent interaction effects in TPB, as applied to quitting smoking using a double-mean-centred unconstrained approach.

• Tveit, Anne Dorthe; Cameron, David Lansing & Kovac, Velibor Bobo (2014). “Two Schools under one Roof” in Bosnia and Herzegovina: Exploring the Challenges of Group Identity and deliberative Values among Bosniak and Croat Students. International Journal of Educational Research. ISSN 0883-0355. 66, s. 103–112. doi: 10.1016/j.ijer.2014.03.004.
• Rise, Jostein; Aarø, Leif Edvard; Halkjelsvik, Torleif & Kovac, Velibor Bobo (2014). The distribution and role of causal beliefs ... Addiction Research and Theory. ISSN 1606-6359. 22(2), s. 117–125. doi: 10.3109/16066359.2013.785532. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  Studien undersøker hva nordmenn mener om ni former for avhengighet: kokain, heroin, amfetamin, hasj, beroligende legemidler, snus, røyking, pengespill og alkohol. 1000 voksne nordmenn fikk spørsmål om: Hva de mente var årsaken til avhengigheten Om den avhengige burde holdes ansvarlig for sin avhengighet Om de følte sympati eller sinne mot den som var avhengig Om den avhengige fortjente hjelp Resultatene viste at de spurte i hovedsak plasserte årsak og ansvar for avhengigheten hos den avhengige selv.Avhengige individer utløste heller ikke mye sympati, men et relativt høyt nivå når det gjaldt å fortjene hjelp. Det var imidlertid relativt store variasjoner mellom de ulike formene for avhengighet. Av de ni avhengighetene mente folk at snusbrukere fortjente minst hjelp, mens folk som var avhengige av beroligende legemidler fortjente mest hjelp. Om metoden Et utvalg (såkalt nettpanel) bestående av 1062 voksne nordmenn i alderen 20-69 deltok i 2011 i en spørreundersøkelse. Deltagerne ble bedt om å tenke på en person (hypotetisk) som var avhengig av ni former for avhengighet. Deretter svarte de på et spørreskjema som baserte seg på en teoretisk modell (Weiner’s modell for ansvarstilskriving) for hjelpeatferd. Weiner foreslår at en legperson først vurderer om årsaken til at denne personen er blitt avhengig befinner seg hos personen selv (indre årsak) eller utenfor (ytre årsak). Deretter om personen skal holdes ansvarlig for sin avhengighet, for så å vurdere hvor mye sympati og sinne (moralske emosjoner) den avhengige utløser, før en bestemmer seg for hvor mye hjelp han eller hun fortjener. Analysene viste at modellen passet for alle formene for avhengighet, og ga støtte til Weiner’s modell der ansvar og moralske emosjoner fungerte som formidlere av virkningen på mengden av fortjent hjelp.

• Kovac, Velibor Bobo (2013). The more the 'Merrier': A multi-sourced model of addiction. Addiction Research and Theory. ISSN 1606-6359. 21(1), s. 19–32. doi: 10.3109/16066359.2012.691581.
• Skogseid, Elisabet; Skogseid, Ernst Martin & Kovac, Velibor Bobo (2013). "Jeg vil, jeg vil, men hva skal til?" Kvalitativ studie av frafall på yrkesfag. FoU i praksis. ISSN 1504-6893. 7(3), s. 105–124.
• Kovac, Velibor Bobo (2012). Pairing Incompatibles: The Cooperative Contributions of Desires, Automaticity, and Explicit Cognitions in Self-Regulatory Failures of Addictive Behaviors. I Columbus, Alexandra M. (Red.), Advances in Psychology Research, Volume 94. Nova Science Publishers. ISSN 978-1-62081-696-7. s. 55–79.
• Kovac, Velibor Bobo & Rise, Jostein (2012). “Fuelling” cognitive judgments: Worry as a mediator between risk perceptions and intentions to quit smoking. Europe's Journal of Psychology. ISSN 1841-0413. 8(3), s. 391–401. doi: 10.5964/ejop.v8i3.479. Vis sammendrag

  The aim of the present study was to assess the importance of cognitive and affective risk perceptions along with measures of self-prediction of future smoking status and confidence in one’s ability to quit on intentions to quit smoking. Additionally, the purpose was to explore the mediating effect of worry on the relation between risk perception and quitting smoking intentions. The data consist of 415 participants defined as daily and “sometimes” smokers who were interviewed by telephone. The results showed significant direct effects of risk perception, worry, confidence, and self-prediction of future smoking status on intentions to quit smoking. Furthermore, the results showed a significant mediating effect of worry on the relation between risk perception and quitting intentions. The results are discussed in relation to the general role of cognitive and affective processes in influencing behavioural decisions. The implications and limitations of the present analysis are also discussed.

• Kovac, Velibor Bobo (2012). Evolve or perish: A theoretical propositon for development of Bildung concept. Uluslararası İnsan Bilimleri Dergisi. ISSN 1303-5134. 9(1), s. 585–607. Vis sammendrag

  The contemporary idea of Bildung is in danger of becoming a concept of mere historical significance as its content is poorly elaborated upon in terms of underlying processes. The main aims of the present paper are to (1) argue that this concept must evolve by specifying its content or perish from contemporary use in educational settings (2) present a model of Bildung which builds on a combination of current global educational movements and basic adaptive psychological processes common to all people regardless of their diverse backgrounds. The present conclusions point in the direction that Bildung, if sufficiently outlined, might be of significant importance for future educational contexts by providing an overarching perspective in terms of values and clear directions in terms of practice. The theoretical and practical implications are also discussed along with the possible limitations of the current analysis.

• Tveit, Anne Dorthe; Kovac, Velibor Bobo & Cameron, David Lansing (2012). “Ja takk, begge deler” PPTs individ- og systemrettede arbeid i barnehagen. Spesialpedagogikk. ISSN 0332-8457. 77(4), s. 43–56. Vis sammendrag

  Artikkelen belyser hvordan forholdene ligger til rette for at PPT kan arbeide systemisk i barnehagen. Spørreskjema ble sendt til ansatte og ledere ved PPT-kontor i Norge med ansvar for barnehagealder. Resultatene viser at (a) flertallet av ansatte har både barnehage og skole som ansvarsområde og at halvparten ikke har regelmessig kontakt med barnehager, (b) støtte med utgangspunkt i enkeltbarn utgjør en stor andel av tjenestens totale arbeidstid og (c) tjenesten ønsker å opprettholde andelen individrettede arbeid og samtidig øke systemrettet innsats. Vår konklusjon er at forholdene ikke synes å ligge godt til rette for systemarbeid. Teoretiske og praktiske implikasjoner er diskutert.

• Kovac, Velibor Bobo & Jortveit, Maryann (2011). The "Why, What, and How" of inclusion from the practitioner's point of view: inclusion of immigrant children in the Norwegian educational system. Power and Education. ISSN 1757-7438. 3(3), s. 291–305. doi: 10.2304/power.2011.3.3.289. Vis sammendrag

  The aim of the article is to explore teachers' perceptions of the concept of multicultural inclusion. The study adopts a qualitative approach where 14 individual semi-structured interviews have been used to assess and analyse teachers' reflections when considering the 'why, what and how' questions surrounding inclusion. The overall findings indicate that teachers view multicultural inclusion as a desirable and positive process which should be practised in contemporary schools. However, the findings also indicate that teachers use rather common and imprecise terms and generally hold that this process is straightforward and unproblematic in terms of its definition. This is further supported in reported tendencies to implement inclusive measures in a fairly unorganized and intuitive manner. The challenges associated with definitions and practices of inclusion are discussed along with the positions of teachers in terms of power. The article concludes with outlining the possible limitations and implications of the study.

• Kovac, Velibor Bobo & Rise, Jostein (2011). Predicting the Intention to Quit Smoking in a Norwegian Sample: An Extended Theory of Planned Behaviour in Light of Construal Level Theory. Nordic Psychology. ISSN 1901-2276. 63(3), s. 68–82. doi: 10.1027/1901-2276/a000040. Vis sammendrag

  The aim of the present study was to examine the relations between an extended Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) and the intention to quit smoking in light of Construal Level Theory (CLT). The basic reasoning of CLT is that psychological distance influences people’s thoughts and behaviour. 192 Norwegian students with daily smoking habits were asked to complete a questionnaire. Half the students responded to intention to quit smoking in 1 month, the other half, to quit in 6 months. As predicted by the CLT, the results showed that there was an overall tendency in favour of significantly stronger correlations between the theoretical predictors and intention to quit in 6 months than for the intention to quit in 1 month. Also consistent with CLT, this pattern did not hold for the relationship between perceived behavioural control (PBC) and intention, with significantly stronger correlations for the 1-month condition. The results may have important implications for the prediction of long-term versus short-term intention and the inclusion of additional predictors in the TPB.

• Kovac, Velibor Bobo & Rise, Jostein (2011). Betydningen av ønske som prediktor av intensjoner i lys av røykeatferd. Swiss Journal of Psychology. ISSN 1421-0185. 70(3), s. 141–148. doi: 10.1024/1421-0185/a000049. Vis sammendrag

  Betydningen av ønske som prediktor av intensjoner i lys av røykeatferd Artikkelen er basert på ideen at begrepet ønske representerer et viktig motivasjonsaspekt av beslutningsprosesser i lys av Teori om Planlagt Atferd (TPB). Vi har testet følgende hypoteser: (1) ønske predikerer atferdsintensjoner, og (2) ønske medierer effekter av TPB-komponenter og tidligere atferd på intensjoner om å slutte å røyke. Analysen er basert på tre separate betingelser der intensjon om å slutte å røyke var målt over 1, 4, og 6 måneder. Disse tre betingelsene inneholdt identiske måleinstrumenter. Resultater av hierarkisk regresjonsanalyse viser at det fins grunnlag for inkludering av ønske som en tilleggspredikator i TPB-modellen. Resultatene viser også at ønske medierer effekter av holdninger, normer, og tidligere atferd på intensjon. Imidlertid fikk vi ikke støtte for medierings rolle av ønsker på relasjonen mellom opplevelse av kontroll og intensjon. Teoretiske implikasjoner og anbefalinger for fremtidig forskning er foreslått.

• Thygesen, Ragnar; Briseid, Lars Gunnar; Tveit, Anne Dorthe; Cameron, David Lansing & Kovac, Velibor Bobo (2011). Er generell pedagogisk kompetanse tilstrekkelig for å sikre en inkluderende skole? Norsk pedagogisk tidsskrift. ISSN 0029-2052. s. 104–114.
• Kovac, Velibor Bobo & Langfeldt, Gjert (2010). Educational evaluation in the light of construal level theory: The case of cognitive tuning. Studies in Educational Evaluation. ISSN 0191-491X. 36(3), s. 93–100. doi: 10.1016/j.stueduc.2011.01.001.
• Kovac, Velibor Bobo & Kristiansen, Aslaug (2010). Trusting Trust in the Context of Higher Education: the potential limits of the trust concept. Power and Education. ISSN 1757-7438. 2(3), s. 276–287. Vis sammendrag

  There is a convincing body of empirical evidence supporting the benefits of trust. A number of recent publications have paid a great deal of attention to possible negative consequences of the trusting process, but there has been little interdisciplinary focus on the potentially unconstructive aspects of the trusting process between learners and teaching authorities. The authors argue here that unmonitored student trust in a teacher?s expertise in the context of higher education might sabotage the use and development of higher cognitive skills (for example, the ability for critical thinking), and that the direct consequence of this is a further amplification of the existing asymmetrical distribution of power which exists between students and teaching stuff. In the first part of the article, the authors briefly review the literature on trust and specifically focus on contributions emphasizing its potentially negative consequences. In the second part, the authors present arguments which support the idea that excessive trust limits students? abilities to think critically. The limitations of the present analysis are discussed and areas of potential future research on this topic are outlined. The article concludes by stating that there are sufficient grounds to pursue this idea further in terms of theoretical and empirical research.

• Kovac, Velibor Bobo; Rise, Jostein & Moan, Inger Synnøve (2010). Premeditated automaticity : the role of explicit cognition in the development of obsessive smoking . Uluslararası İnsan Bilimleri Dergisi. ISSN 1303-5134. 7(2), s. 971–984. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  Å være røykeavhengig er ikke en ren automatisk prosess. Bevisste overveiinger spiller også en viktig rolle hos den avhengige, viser denne studien. Studien tyder på at eksplisitte overveielser som "Jeg planlegger ofte når jeg skal røyke min neste sigarett" er den viktigste enkeltkomponenten i den avhengiges atferd. Selv om handlinger gjentas ofte betyr ikke det at de gjøres utenfor bevissthetens kontroll, slik psykologisk litteratur tradisjonelt har hevdet. Den sterkeste faktoren Studien viser at eksplisitte overveielser var den enkeltfaktoren som var sterkest i røykeavhengigheten, etterfulgt av styrken på røykevanene og antall sigaretter røykt per dag. Resultatene tyder på at bevisstheten, i tillegg til mer automatiske prosesser, spiller en viktig rolle ved utvikling av røykeavhengighet. Mulig røykeslutt Resultatene har betydning for mulighetene for å få til røykeslutt. For å oppnå en atferdsendring, er det nødvendig å rekonstruere måten røyken framstår i bevisstheten i situasjonene der fristelsen oppstår. Om studien Data i studien stammer fra en internettundersøkelse der man fulgte 939 dagligrøykere med en gjennomsnittsalder på 36 år over en 4 måneders periode i 2006-2007. Studien er publisert i International Journal of Human Sciences.

• Kovac, Velibor Bobo; Rise, Jostein & Moan, Inger Synnøve (2010). From Intentions to Quit to the Actual Quitting Process: The Case of Smoking Behavior in Light of the TPB . Journal of applied biobehavioral research. ISSN 1071-2089. 14(4), s. 181–197. doi: 10.1111/j.1751-9861.2010.00048.x. Vis sammendrag

  En positiv holdning til røykeslutt, opplevd sosialt press for å slutte å røyke og opplevd mestring over røykeslutt, bidro sammen med erfaring med tidligere sluttforsøk tydelig til økt motivasjon for å slutte å røyke. Disse faktorene økte også sannsynligheten for faktisk røykeslutt fire måneder senere. Dette kommer fram i en studie av Velibor Bobo Kova? ved Universitetet i Agder og Jostein Rise og Inger Synnøve Moan ved SIRUS. Konkrete planer viktig Hvis man i tillegg til motivasjon hadde konkrete planer om når og hvordan man skal slutte, samt planer om hva man skulle gjøre i situasjoner der man blir fristet til å røyke, økte sannsynligheten ytterligere for at sluttforsøket ble vellykket. Resultatene viste også at jo sterkere vane røykingen var blitt, jo mindre sannsynlig var det at sluttforsøket lyktes. Om studien Data stammer fra en internettundersøkelse der man fulgte 939 dagligrøykere med en gjennomsnittsalder på 36 år over en 4 måneders periode i 2006-2007. I studien er overgangen mellom intensjoner om å slutte å røyke og den faktiske slutteprosessen studert i lys av den psykologiske teorien om planlagt atferd.

• Kovac, Velibor Bobo & Rise, Jostein (2008). The role of explicit cognition in addiction. Addiction Research and Theory. ISSN 1058-6989. 16(6), s. 595–606. doi: 10.1080/16066350801896263. Vis sammendrag

  Forfatterne argumenterer for at bevisst kognisjon spiller en sentral rolle i røyking ved siden av vaner. Den typiske røykeren er en person som godt vet hva hun eller han gjør og velger sine handlinger på basis av dette. Ut fra forfatternes kjennskap er dette den første kvantitative studien som belyser kognisjonens rolle i forhold til veletablert røykeatferd. To studier ble utført for å utvikle et mål for såkalte mentale representasjoner innenfor røykeatferd. Mentale representasjoner bygger på eksplisitte og bevisste kognitive prosesser som involverer tankestyrke, planlegging, forventning og selvbevissthet i forhold til fremtidige handlinger. Resultatene fra begge studiene viser at mentale representasjoner er godt egnet til å forklare vesentlige sider av røykeavhengigheten. Kovac og Rise argumenterer derfor for å utnytte dette målet i senere studier av avhengighet.

• Rise, Jostein; Kovac, Velibor Bobo; Kraft, Pål & Moan, Inger Synnøve (2008). Predicting the intention to quit smoking and quitting behaviour: Extending the theory of planned behaviour. British Journal of Health Psychology. ISSN 1359-107X. 13. doi: 10.1027/1901-2276/a000040. Vis sammendrag

  Forskerne ønsket å undersøke hvilke muligheter man har for å forutsi intensjoner om å slutte å røyke og røykeslutt ved hjelp av teorien om planlagt adferd (TPB). Røykernes fremtidsorientering, antall røykte sigaretter, planlegging og tidligere handlinger ble også studert. 103 studenter som røykte daglig ble undersøkt med fire måneders mellomrom for å måle hvor mange som sluttet i denne perioden og hvilke faktorer som bidro til det. Studien viser at det er en klar sammenheng mellom det å oppleve å ha kontroll og det å ha til hensikt å slutte å røyke. Følelsesmessige holdninger og tydelige atferdsnormer spiller en mer avgjørende rolle i å motivere røykere til å slutte enn andre momenter i TPB. Studien tyder også på at selvregulerende strategier spiller en mer sentral rolle enn motivasjonsfaktorer i avhengighetskapende atferdsformer generelt.

• Kovac, Velibor Bobo & Rise, Jostein (2007). The relation between past behavior, intention, planning, and quitting smoking: the moderating effect of future orientation. Journal of applied biobehavioral research. ISSN 1071-2089. 12(2). doi: 10.1111/j.1751-9861.2007.00015.x. Vis sammendrag

  Hva er det som kjennetegner røykere som klarer å omsette planer om å slutte å røyke til handling? I en artikkel i Journal of Applied Biobehavioral Research finner Velibor Bobo Kovac og Jostein Rise at røykere som har sterk grad av fremtidsorientering er flinkere til å omsette sine motivasjoner og planer om å slutte å røyke i handling enn røykere som er mindre fremtidsorienterte. Grad av fremtidsorientering betyr imidlertid lite for om de faktisk slutter eller ikke. Dette innebærer at når man først har bestemt seg for å slutte, hjelper det godt å være fremtidsorientert. Dette skyldes trolig at disse røykerne er flinkere til selv-regulering, det vil si å knytte motivasjonen til å slutte til konkrete strategier for å slutte.

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• Kovac, Velibor Bobo (2022). Hvordan vet du det? : vitenskapelig tenkning og forskningsmetoder. Fagbokforlaget. ISBN 9788245045413. 234 s.
• Kovac, Velibor Bobo (2016). Basic motivation and human behaviour: Control, affiliation and self-expression. Palgrave Macmillan. ISBN 978-1-137-47055-3. 249 s.

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• Kovac, Velibor Bobo (2022). Rollen av eget ståsted i inkludering.
• Cameron, David Lansing; Kovac, Velibor Bobo & Horverak, May Olaug (2021). An exploration of the patterns of bullying among users of a chat-support service in Norway.
• Kovac, Velibor Bobo & Cameron, David Lansing (2019). Mobbing i barnehagen: En kvantitativ undersøkelse av holdninger hos ansatte og foreldrene.
• Cameron, David Lansing & Kovac, Velibor Bobo (2019). Bullying (mis)conceptions. Is there a need for consensus in early childhood education?
• Haraldstad, Åse; Tveit, Anne Dorthe & Kovac, Velibor Bobo (2019). Pupils experiences with democratic arenas in school. Educating democratic citizens?
• Andreasen, Johan Kristian; Kovac, Velibor Bobo & Bjørndal, Cato R. P. (2018). Teacher and teacher educator - developing a professional identity.
• Andreasen, Johan Kristian & Kovac, Velibor Bobo (2017). Factors influencing how cooperating teachers’ develop teacher educator identities.
• Olsen, Anne Karin Vikstøl; Spieler, Kristin & Kovac, Velibor Bobo (2017). Predicting college grades through a sample of Norwegian students.
• Kovac, Velibor Bobo; Tveit, Anne Dorthe; Lund, Ingrid & Omdal, Heidi (2016). Directional motion: An empirically based model of development in educational institutions.
• Cameron, David Lansing & Kovac, Velibor Bobo (2015). Kartlegging av barnehageansatte og foreldres perspektiver på mobbing i barnehage. Spørreundersøkelse blant ansatte og foreldre.
• Olsen, Anne Karin Vikstøl; Kovac, Velibor Bobo; Haugen, Tommy & Høigaard, Rune (2015). Development of occupational identity of Preschool teacher students before and after their practise period.
• Cameron, David Lansing; Kovac, Velibor Bobo; Tveit, Anne Dorthe & Jortveit, Maryann (2015). “Bridging old relations”: The (de)construction of ethnic identity in the educational context of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
• Kovac, Velibor Bobo (2015). Self-expression motivation.
• Cameron, David Lansing; Lund, Ingrid; Kovac, Velibor Bobo; Nome, Dag Øystein; Helgeland, Anne & Godtfredsen, Marianne (2014). Understanding Bullying in Early Childhood: How do We Promote Positive Relationships among Children and Adults? Vis sammendrag

  The issue of bullying has received worldwide attention in recent years. However, research on bullying in early childhood is sparse. Indeed, the use of the term “bullying” to describe negative behaviours such as targeted, relational, and physical aggression among preschool-age children is not without controversy (Alberti-Espenes, 2010). Yet, it has been argued that bullying can be distinguished from other forms of aggression in that it reflects a form of unequal coercive power (Olweus, 1993), a condition that is clearly incompatible with the creation of inclusive, high quality early childhood services. Thus, there is a need to investigate the behaviours and conditions associated with bullying within this context. This presentation will describe findings from a Norwegian research project comprising three investigations: (a) Preschool children’s experiences with relationships, well-being, and play interactions; (b) Childcare workers’ relationships with children in the attachment process, and (c) A survey of parents and preschool workers’ perspectives on bullying in preschool. The first study comprised individual and focus-group interviews with children from 4 to 6 years of age in which emphasis was placed on children's experiences and perceptions related to teasing and bullying. The second investigation applied a critical ethnographic approach in which two preschools were observed over several weeks and reflective conversations were conducted between the researcher and caregivers based on video recordings of their interactions with children. The third study comprised a quantitative survey of childcare workers (n = 94) and parents (n = 257) drawn from six preschools. Results shed light on several important questions within the field, including: How are positive, inclusive relationships among preschool children created and maintained? What is the role of adults in this process? What factors predict preschool workers and parents’ attitudes towards bullying?

• Cameron, David Lansing & Kovac, Velibor Bobo (2013). Teachers' ratings of the causes & support needs of youth with internalizing & externalizing behavior problems.
• Cameron, David Lansing; Kovac, Velibor Bobo & Tveit, Anne Dorthe (2013). Two Schools under one roof: A case study of Segregation among Bosniak and Croatian Secondary School Students.
• Tveit, Anne Dorthe; Cameron, David Lansing & Kovac, Velibor Bobo (2011). A study of the Educational Psychological Services’ work with Preschool in Norway.
• Rise, Jostein & Kovac, Velibor Bobo (2007). Timely, refreshing, ambitious, and above all challenging. Nordic Studies on Alcohol and Drugs (NAD). ISSN 1455-0725. 24.
• Kovac, Velibor Bobo & Rise, Jostein (2006). Psykologisk avhengighet. Rus og avhengighet. 1, s. 22–24.
• Rise, Jostein & Kovac, Velibor Bobo (2005). Predicting intentions to quit smoking: The TPB and temporal construal. Psychology and Health. ISSN 0887-0446.
• Kovac, Velibor Bobo & Rise, Jostein (2005). Time perspective and the intention-behaviour relation: The case of quitting smoking. Psychology and Health. ISSN 0887-0446.
• Rise, Jostein; Kovac, Velibor Bobo & Kraft, Pål (2004). Bridging the intention-behaviour gap of addictive behaviours: the case of quitting smoking.
• Lund, Ingrid; Helgeland, Anne; Kovac, Velibor Bobo; Cameron, David Lansing & Godtfredsen, Marianne (2019). Dialog og samarbeid i arbeidet mot mobbing i barnehagen. Universitetet i Agder. ISSN 978-82-7117-935-9.
• Lund, Ingrid; Helgeland, Anne; Kovac, Velibor Bobo; Cameron, David Lansing & Nome, Dag Øystein (2015). Hele barnet, hele løpet. Universitetet i Agder. ISSN 9788271178109.
• Cameron, David Lansing; Kovac, Velibor Bobo & Tveit, Anne Dorthe (2011). En undersøkelse om PP-tjenestens arbeid med barnehagen. Universitetet i Agder. ISSN 978-82-7117-683-9.
• Allerup, Peter; Kovac, Velibor Bobo; Kvåle, Gro; Langfeldt, Gjert & Skov, Poul (2009). Evaluering av det Nasjonale kvalitetsvurderingsssystemet for grunnopplæringen. Edgar Høgfeldt.
• Kovac, Velibor Bobo (2008). Some psychological aspects of addiction in the light of smoking behaviour. Unipub forlag. ISSN 1504-3991. Vis sammendrag

  Studiens utgangspunkt Kovacs avhandling undersøker den rollen psykologiske prosesser spiller i det å utvikle en røykeavhengighet og å bryte en avhengighet. Det teoretiske rammeverket i avhandlingen skal imidlertid kunne gjelde alle former for sterk avhengighet. Studien bygger på data fra tre spørreundersøkelser; to blant studenter og én med et generelt utvalg. Parallelle prosesser Kovac legger vekt på betydningen av å studere slutteprosess og mekanismene for fortsatt avhengighet samtidig. En hovedkonklusjon er at de psykologiske mekanismene som ligger til grunn for det å fortsette å røyke og det å slutte å røyke eksisterer side om side og fungerer relativt uavhengig av hverandre. Dette betyr at det kan eksistere to fundamentalt forskjellige typer av selv-regulering i forhold til avhengig adferd. Tidshorisont Resultatene viser at individers tidshorisont er viktig for om de er i stand til å bryte ut av sin avhengighet. Personer som er framtidsorienterte har bedre forutsetninger for å omsette intensjoner og planer til det å faktisk slutte å røyke enn personer med kortere tidshorisont. Teoretisk bidrag Et nytt teoretisk bidrag i avhandlingen er ideen om at sterk avhengighet primært er knyttet til bevisste kognitive prosesser i form av mentale representasjoner. Et veletablert adferdsmønster i form av en vane som gjentas hyppig utvikler røyking som mental representasjon som igjen kan føre til sterk avhengighet

• Kovac, Velibor Bobo (2000). Motivational systems of control, affiliation, and self-expresssion: An integrative approach. Unipub forlag.

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