Academic Interests
Didactical an curriculum research
- Educational poitics and the implementation of educational reforms
- Curriculum ideology/ the ideas behind the curriculum
- Curriculum development
- School subjects as they are described in curriculum guidelines
Current activities
- Main project: Didactics as a Norwegian field of study at the turn of the century (Didaktikk på norsk mot år 2000
- Currently - a subsidiary project: Didactics of school subjects - a critical view (Prosjekt fagpresentasjoner)
- In addition: The new Norwegian curriculum guidelines (the curriculum for knowledge promotion) - a critical view
Completed projects
- Ph.d- dissertation (1988): How do curriculum guidelines describe literary instruction, and how are they affected by ideas and debate about literary instruction? The research project concerned the ideas behind literaryr instruction for pupils in class 7th, 8th and 9th of the compulsory 9-year basic school in Norway. I tried to elucidate the ideas behinfd literary instruction for these pupils in the period from about 1970 (when the curriculum M74 was developed) till about 1987(whren the curriculum M87 was published)
- 1989 - 1992: A research project supported by the Norwegian Research Council for The Humanities and Science (NAVF) through its Program for Educational Research (PUF: Curriculum and School Subjects: The Content of Schooling - Intended, Operationalized and Realised - Within Their Administartive and Structural Contexts, Viewed from both Historical and Contemporary Perspectives. The project encompassed a series of studies carried out by senior researchers, doctoral students and graduate students. A steering group was establshed consisting of Associate professor Bjørg B. Gundem, Associate professor Britt U. Engelsen and research fellow Berit Karseth.
- Subsidiary to the main project I focused a revision of curriculum guidelines for the teaching of mother tongue and literature in upper secondary education in Norway. I tried to elucidate the ideas behind literary instruction for the pupils on this level in the period from about 1976 till about 1990. Focus was upon how the curriculum guidelines described literary instruction for academic and vocational students respectively. Many teachers wanted a more common teaching of Norwegian to these two groups of students.
- 1994 - 1998: A study concerning the vocational training part of upper secondary education. I focused the apprenticeship training part of this training and especially the craft or journeyman's test (fagprøven). Compared to the publicity of the examinations in the school part of upper secondary education this test has remained in concealment. I looked upon the craft/ journeyman's test in the perspective of educational evaluation theory. The basis of the study was analysis of public documents.
- 1994 - 1998: A study concerning curriculum guidelines for congregational education. The curriculum guidelines were analysed from different interpretations of central tasks of congregational education, and by means of curriculum theory.
Teaching
Coordinator of the intermediate parts of the bachelor program (Nivåkoordinator for PED 2xxx-emnene)
Just now:
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Educational politics and Educational reforms (PED 2230)
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Teaching and learning strategies (PED 2210)
Generally: Lectures witin the area of didactics and curriculum theory
Higher education and employment history
Degrees
1988: Ph.d.: University of Oslo
1971: Advanced Degree/ Master Degree in Education: University of Oslo, Department of Educational Research (Cand. paed)
1966: Degree from Teacher Education College (Oslo)
Employment history
1995: Professor at University of Oslo, Department of Educational Research
1988 - 1995: Associate professor at University of Oslo, Department of Educational Research
1977 - 1988: Assistant professor at Univesity of Oslo, Department of Educational Research,
1973 - 1976: Research fellow at University of Oslo, Department of Educational Research
1968 - 1972: Research assistant, University of Oslo, Department of Educational Research
1963 - 1964: Primary school teacher (Skiptvet)
Appointments
- 1990 - 1995: Vice-director of the department of Educational research
- 1993 - 1995: Vice-dean of the faculty of Social Sciences at the University of Oslo
- Chair of the committee for research and resarch education at the faculty of Social Sciences at the University of Oslo
- 01.01. - 31.12.95: Chair of the national committee for researc and research education in the Social Sciences
- Member and vice-chair (1994 - 1995) of the Senate's committee for research and research education
- Chair of the committee for student entrance at the faculty of Social Sciences