Irina Ivashenko Amdal

• Amdal, Irina Ivashenko (2026). Hvordan håndterer grunnskolelærerstudenter med innvandrerbakgrunn erfaringer knyttet til sitt studium i Norge? Nordisk tidsskrift for utdanning og praksis. 20(1), p. 46–67. doi: 10.23865/up.v20.6741. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Denne kvalitative studien utforsker hvordan grunnskolelærerstudenter med innvandrerbakgrunn på ulike måter håndterer utfordringene de møter under studiet i Norge. Undersøkelsen viser at deltagerne, som følge av språklige og kulturelle utfordringer, erfarer et behov for å tydeliggjøre sin posisjon i samhandlingen med medstudentene. Samtidig viser undersøkelsen at grunnskolelærerstudentenes møter med andre personer med innvandrerbakgrunn i løpet av studiet også er av stor betydning. Studien understreker behovet for økt rekruttering, støtte og integrering av lærerstudenter med innvandrerbakgrunn. Videre viser studien at det vil være viktig med mer forskning på erfaringene til denne studentgruppen for å sikre likeverdige muligheter og bidra til en mer mangfoldig lærerstand i Norge.  

• Haldammen, Eva Nordby; Amdal, Irina Ivashenko; Bergan, Ingvild & Aarli, Eivind (2026). Pedagogikkfaget – en opplevelse av sammenheng i grunnskolelærerutdanningen. Norsk pedagogisk tidsskrift. ISSN 0029-2052. 110(1), p. 52–64. doi: 10.18261/npt.110.1.5. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  I Norge er grunnskolelærerutdanningen, GLU, organisert slik at pedagogikkfaget er gjennomgående i studiet. Studentene tar dermed med seg faget i oppstarten av sin profesjonsutvikling. I denne studien belyser vi beskrivelsene av pedagogikkfagets betydning for de studentene som er på fjerde år i utdanningen. Beskrivelsene ses i lys av Antonovskys teori om salutogenese og opplevelse av sammenheng, OAS. Basert på studentenes beskrivelser av hvilken betydning pedagogikkfaget har for dem, peker vi på hva som kan være avgjørende for at studenter på GLU vil ha en opplevelse av sammenheng i faget.

• Amdal, Irina Ivashenko & Hanssen, Natallia Bahdanovich (2026). Fostering Well-Being through Relationships : Insights from Pre-Service Teachers with Immigrant Backgrounds in Norwegian Teacher Education. In Harju-Luukkainen, Heidi Katarina; Maunula, Minna; Knudsmoen, Hege & Faldet, Ann-Cathrin (Ed.), A Nordic Perspective on Teacher Well-being in Educational Contexts. Routledge. ISSN 9781003589938. p. 63–75. doi: 10.4324/9781003589938-6. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  This chapter explores the following two research questions: What characterises the relationships of Immigrant Backgrounds (IMB) pre-service teachers with their fellow students and teacher educators? How do these relationships impact the well-being of IMB pre-service teachers during Teacher Education (TED)? Guided by Aristotle's philosophy of well-being and Seligman's model of a fulfilling life, this study uses Pianta's framework to understand these relationships’ emotional and instructional aspects. Data collection was conducted through individual semi-structured interviews. A narrative approach was adopted to analyse the interview data. The findings show that the well-being of IMB pre-service teachers fluctuated. The initial years of education were characterised by academic and social isolation due to the paucity of support from their peers, which was compounded by cultural and linguistic barriers. Participants often felt that their Norwegian peers were reluctant to collaborate, reinforcing feelings of exclusion. However, the latter years were characterised by increased collaboration and recognition of IMB students’ perspectives, leading to improved well-being. The emergence of supportive relationships with teacher educators was a critical factor in fostering academic and emotional growth. Teacher educators provided tailored academic support, addressing challenges and building confidence, while emotional support, characterised by empathy and understanding, fostered a sense of belonging and a nurturing environment. This chapter highlights the complex relationships of IMB pre-service teachers and their impact on the latter's well-being. It emphasises the need for a kind of TED that prioritises academic and emotional support to enhance the well-being of diverse student populations.

• Amdal, Irina Ivashenko; Mastad, Line & Nygren-Landgärds, Christina Maria (2025). Pedagogikk og elevkunnskap i norsk lærerutdanning: En studie om hvordan førsteårsstudenter i grunnskolelærerutdanningen opplever pedagogikkfaget og dets betydning for deres profesjonelle utvikling. Nordic Studies in Education. ISSN 1891-5914. 45(4), p. 262–282. doi: 10.23865/nse.v45.7254. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  This study examines how Norwegian first-year students in teacher education experience the subject of pedagogy and its importance for their professional development. The subject is to contribute to an understanding of teaching as a relationship-oriented profession and the development of knowledge about decision-making processes. In the study, 136 students reflected on the subject in a questionnaire. The results show that students consider the subject of pedagogy to be central, but not always useful. The study raises questions about how teacher education can better integrate students’ experiences in the development of teacher education to promote a deeper understanding of the teacher role and the need for continuous development of professional competence.

• Endresen, Kristin & Amdal, Irina Ivashenko (2025). Moral and Citizenship Education in Norway. Balancing Freedom and Responsibility: Fifth-Year Preservice Teachers’ Experiences of Voluntary Attendance in Pedagogical Courses. In Tirri, Kirsi (Eds.), Nordic Perspectives on Moral and Citizenship Education. De Gruyter Brill. ISSN 9789004745902. p. 137–155. doi: 10.1163/9789004745902_008. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Students in Norway’s five-year teacher education (TED) master’s degree program must complete 60 credits in pedagogical courses. Compulsory attendance has been a requirement in all pedagogical courses in TED. Most preservice teachers in the fifth-year work alongside their studies. This chapter examines how voluntary attendance in TED contributes to the moral citizenship of future teachers in Norway. As research in this field is limited, we posed the following research question: How do voluntary attendance in teacher education support or undermine preservice teachers’ development as moral citizens? Our approach and operationalization of moral citizenship is that freedom and responsibility are moral components, and the students’ efforts to balance the two relate to moral and citizenship education. This qualitative study is based on a thematic analysis of the responses of 130 fifth-year preservice teachers. The findings are discussed in relation to Veugelers’s (2010) core values of moral education. Firstly, the results indicate that preservice teachers perceive the lack of compulsory attendance as an opportunity to take responsibility for their own learning. Secondly, preservice teachers experience freedom and autonomy, finding motivation in choosing which lectures to attend. We argue that preservice teachers must balance freedom with responsibility to take ownership of their learning.

• Amdal, Irina Ivashenko & Hanssen, Natallia Bahdanovich (2025). Exposing Potential to Sustainable Future: Pre-service Teachers with an Immigrant Background in Norway. In Harju-Luukkainen, Heidi Katarina; Garvis, Susanne; Kangas, Jonna; Maroco, João; Maunula, Minna & Maunumäki, Minna (Ed.), Generating Sustainable Futures Through Teacher Education. Globally Rethinking Higher Education. Springer. ISSN 9789819633296. p. 69–84. doi: 10.1007/978-981-96-3329-6_5. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Many countries, including Norway, adhere to the global education priority defined by the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 4: to guarantee inclusive and equitable education for all, irrespective of age, ethnicity, gender, or socio-economic status (UN in The sustainable development goals report. Department of Economic and Social Affairs, 2022 ). Achieving this objective depends on fostering diversity within the teaching staff, mirroring societal diversity. In essence, the teaching workforce must diversify to effectively supply to the myriad backgrounds present in a heterogeneous classroom. Teacher education stands as the primary gateway to realising a diverse teaching staff. This explorative study aims to foreground the voices of pre-service teachers with an immigrant background (IMB), examine their perspectives on being enrolled in Norwegian teacher education (TED), and investigate their experiences. The study was informed by Bronfenbrenner’s ecological theory (Bronfenbrenner , 2005). The data were gathered using qualitative semi-structured interviews with pre-service teachers with an immigrant background (IMB). Using qualitative content analysis, four main themes were identified. The results show that studying TED is challenged by language and cultural barriers and requires the development of coping strategies. The findings underscore the imperative for policymakers to critically evaluate the structure and substance of the Norwegian curriculum and teacher education programs, particularly in how they contribute to the sustainable development agenda. There is an increasing need to recognise and force pre-service teachers with IMB as valuable resources, shifting away from labelling them as mere “problems”. Moreover, teacher educators must cultivate a vulnerable level of reflexivity and sensitivity regarding the discourse surrounding pre-service teachers with IMB in teacher education programs. This approach is essential for fostering inclusivity, diversity, and sustainability in education systems.

• Amdal, Irina Ivashenko & Endresen-Maharaj, Kristin (2024). THE IMPACT OF PEER TEACHING: FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF PRE-SERVICE TEACHERS IN THEIR FINAL YEAR OF TEACHER EDUCATION. EDULEARN Proceedings. doi: 10.21125/edulearn.2024.0868. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  The Norwegian government encourage the use of student-active forms of learning in higher education, especially activities similar to tasks performed in working life (Kunnskapsdepartementet, 2021). It is suggested that student-active learning methods will provide more opportunities to develop work-relevant skills. Teacher education (TED) aims to prepare future teachers with the skills to effectively engage their students through collective and innovative classroom activities. In Norway, TED integrates a combination of teacher-centred instruction and collaborative activities during seminars. Approaches such as flipped classrooms are often favoured for their ability to involve learners in the educational process, fostering deeper comprehension and critical thinking. This study investigates the impact of the Learning-by-Teaching method, which posits that learners enhance their understanding of a subject by teaching it to others in interactive and collaborative settings (Duran, 2017). This method involves three key processes: preparing learning materials for teaching, delivering the content to peers, and engaging in discussions with fellow students. Both the preparation phase and peer interactions contribute significantly to the method's benefits (Duran, 2017). While studying course content to teach it afterwards may improve learning outcomes for pre-service teachers, replicating this effect among peers being taught can be challenging. Interacting with peers stimulates knowledge-building by identifying inconsistencies, posing questions, and offering explanations. In Norway TED is a five-year master's degree which includes 60 study points in pedagogical courses. However, little research has so far investigated how pre-service teachers experience student-based activities in pedagogical courses. This study implements an action research approach to explore how 5-year pre-service teachers perceive the impact of the Learning-by-Teaching method on their learning outcomes during a pedagogical course in TED. Over five weeks, pre-service teachers (organised in groups of six) prepared lessons based on specific themes and syllabi. Their objective was to teach specific themes to their peers through a combination of lectures and collaborative activities. Researchers collected reflection notes from pre-service teachers, asking them to reflect on the method's impact on their learning outcomes. The dataset comprises 131 reflection notes, analysed through content analysis. The analysis reveals pre-service teachers’ individual preferences, learning styles, and prior experiences. While some students found the Learning-by-Teaching method highly beneficial, others perceived its impact as limited. Additionally, the study highlights the importance of both teaching fellow students and being taught in shaping pre-service teachers' understanding of collaborative and innovative learning strategies for future classroom settings.

• Amdal, Irina Ivashenko & Endresen, Kristin (2023). How Do Pre-Service Teachers Understand and Experience Participation in Teacher Education? Nordisk tidsskrift for utdanning og praksis. 17(2), p. 34–52. doi: 10.23865/up.v17.5191. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Teacher education (TED) alone cannot save democracy, but it can prepare teachers to teach their pupils about, for and through democracy. One of the crucial preconditions for teachers who work in a democratic society is the ability to foster pre-service teachers’ participation in their education. Research in this field is limited and our contribution is timely and significant in a Norwegian context. This study explores Norwegian second-year pre-service teachers’ understanding and experiences of democratic participation in the planning of seminar activities during one of the courses in their TED. Throughout the semester, the pre-service teachers evaluated seminar activities and suggested activities for the next seminars. At the end of the course, the pre-service teachers wrote reflection notes in which they expressed their understanding of participation in general and described their experiences participating in planning seminars. Thus, this study is based on the thematic analysis of 38 reflection notes. The results of this study demonstrate that students understand participation as an influence on seminar content and illustrate that their experiences of participation led to a feeling of being valued. Further, participation is possible only when teacher educators take the initiative and pre-service teachers themselves are willing to engage in decision making.

• Lazareva, Aleksandra; Amdal, Irina Ivashenko; Danielsen, Kjerstin Breistein & Drange, Eli-Marie D. (2022). Internationalization of Teacher Education During COVID-19. In Auer, Michael E.; Hortsch, Hanno; Michler, Oliver & Kohler, Thomas (Ed.), Mobility for Smart Cities and Regional Development - Challenges for Higher Education. Proceedings of the 24th International Conference on Interactive Collaborative Learning (ICL2021), Volume 1. Springer. ISSN 9783030939045. p. 311–321. doi: 10.1007/978-3-030-93904-5_32. Full text in Research Archive
• Amdal, Irina Ivashenko & Mastad, Line Beate Tandsæther (2022). Forståelsen av lærerutdannerrollen blant skolebaserte lærerutdannere i Norge. Acta Didactica Norden (ADNO). 16(1). doi: 10.5617/adno.9154. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  I denne artikkelen undersøker vi praksislæreres forståelse av sin rolle som lærerutdannere. Denne kvalitative studien er basert på analysen av 104 refleksjonsnotater fra praksislærere ved fem lærerutdanningsskoler i Norge. Deltagerne ble bedt om å reflektere over sin rolle som lærerutdannere. Under analyseprosessen kom vi fram til at deltagerne i studien forstår sin lærerutdannerrolle som (1) portvoktere for- og ivaretagere av lærerprofesjonen, (2) veiledere og (3) relasjonsbyggere og rollemodeller. Vi diskuterer studiens resultater i lys av teori og tidligere forskning samt reflekterer rundt de etiske overveielsene som kan ha påvirket studiens resultater. Studien kaster et kritisk blikk på betydningen av en større involvering av praksisfeltet i profesjonskvalifiseringen av lærerstudenter.

• Amdal, Irina Ivashenko & Ulvik, Marit (2020). «Å kutte navlestrengen». En nyutdannet lærers opplevelse av skolen som organisasjon gjennom sine to første år i yrket. In Smith, Kari (Eds.), Validity and Value of Teacher Education Research. Fagbokforlaget. ISSN 9788245033816. p. 91–107. Full text in Research Archive
• Amdal, Irina Ivashenko & Willbergh, Ilmi (2020). Det produktive praksissjokket: Nyutdannede læreres fortellinger om lærer-elev-forholdet i overgangen fra lærerutdanning til lærerarbeid. Acta Didactica Norden (ADNO). 14(3). doi: 10.5617/adno.8421. Full text in Research Archive
• Amdal, Irina Ivashenko & Ulvik, Marit (2019). Nye læreres erfaringer med skolen som organisasjon. Nordisk tidsskrift for utdanning og praksis. 13(1), p. 5–24. doi: 10.23865/up.v13.1834. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  While research on newly qualified teachers often focuses on the performative aspect of teaching, this article investigates novice teachers’ encounter with the school as an organization. Five new teachers were interviewed during the last semester of teacher education and after working for three first months. Through teacher education they have a certain knowledge of the school and its culture, and they both look forward to and dread to start working as teachers. Nevertheless, as job seekers they make few demands of their future workplace. The results of the study indicate that new teachers meet very challenging working conditions and inadequate mentor support. The conclusion gives rise to concern that it is the experienced teachers’ needs that are prioritized rather than those of new teachers. Finally, we discuss the results and suggest implications for research as well as support for newly qualified teachers.

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• Amdal, Irina Ivashenko & Elmies-Vestergren, Alexander (2026). PEDAGOGICAL CHALLENGES IN CASE-BASED LEARNING ACTIVITIES: NORWEGIAN PRE-SERVICE TEACHERS’ PERSPECTIVES. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Case-based learning is frequently used in vocational education to support coherence between theory and professional practices. While previous research has highlighted its potential, few studies have explored the pedagogical challenges students face during case-based learning activities. The voices of pre-service teachers are particularly valuable because they can evaluate learning activities and conduct didactic analyses. Simultaneously, they occupy an in-between position as both students and future teachers, placing them in a strong position to identify challenges in case-based teaching, including issues related to subject understanding, learning processes, and the transfer of learning to professional practice. This study examines fourth-year pre-service teachers’ experiences with case-based learning activities in a pedagogy course structured around a semester-long framework. The course was designed around a series of interconnected cases illustrating everyday situations that may occur during a school day. These situations were developed within fictitious schools and classes. Teacher educators developed a framework narrative describing the school’s structure, traditions, staff, and leadership, as well as a fictitious class and co-teacher. To enhance realism, visual and audio materials were created, including images of the school’s principal, staff, and students. All cases were aligned with the content of the pedagogy courses. This study draws on data from five focus group interviews with 25 pre-service teachers conducted at the end of the semester. The interviews examined students’ experiences with the learning activities, use of cases, and the role of theory in case discussions. A reflexive thematic analysis was used to identify pedagogical challenges in case-based learning activities by focusing on shared patterns across participants’ experiences. The data analysis results show that pre-service teachers’ experienced the case-based learning activities as relevant and closely connected to professional practice while also identifying several pedagogical challenges. A recurring challenge was unclear academic expectations, particularly related to how theoretical perspectives were expected to be integrated and used in case discussions. Pre-service teachers described a tension between open, student-led discussions and the need for clearer pedagogical guidance and synthesis by the teacher. The case-based activities were also experienced as time-consuming and cognitively demanding, especially when pre-service teachers’ preparation for the campus learning activities and engagement in working with cases varied across groups. Finally, students pointed to limited continuity and progression between cases and expressed the need for stronger didactic structuring, including clearer connections, sequencing, and consequences across learning activities. This study provides insights into pre-service teachers’ experiences and pedagogical evaluations of case-based learning activities in teacher education in Norway. The findings suggest that case-based learning can support professional learning when implemented as a coherent course design; however, its educational value depends on careful planning, structured facilitation, and sustained attention to the relationship between theory and practice. Keywords: Case-based teaching, fictive school, case in teacher education, pre-service teachers, challenges.

• Endresen, Kristin & Amdal, Irina Ivashenko (2025). Moral and Citizenship Education in Norway. Balancing Freedom and Responsibility: Fifth-Year Preservice Teachers’ Experiences of Voluntary Attendance in Pedagogical Courses. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Students in Norway’s five-year teacher education (TED) master’s degree program must complete 60 credits in pedagogical courses. This chapter examines how voluntary attendance in TED contributes to the moral citizenship of future teachers in Norway. As research in this field is limited, we posed the following research question: How do voluntary attendance in teacher education support or undermine preservice teachers’ development as moral citizens? This qualitative study is based on a thematic analysis of the responses of 130 fifth-year preservice teachers. The findings are discussed in relation to Veugelers’s (2010) core values of moral education. Firstly, the results indicate that preservice teachers perceive the lack of compulsory attendance as an opportunity to take responsibility for their own learning. Secondly, preservice teachers experience freedom and autonomy, finding motivation in choosing which lectures to attend. We argue that preservice teachers must balance freedom with responsibility to take ownership of their learning.

• Amdal, Irina Ivashenko; Eklund, Gunilla Brita Maria; Elden, Ingrid & Øien, Ola Buan (2025). Conceptions of success and failure – Norwegian pre-service teachers' stories of their future work. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Teacher education in Norway has undergone major reforms, including a shift in 2017 to five-year research-based master’s programs. This change emphasized research in teacher education, though few studies have focused on the views and activities of pre-service teachers. Between 2010 and 2020, there has been an increase in research on teacher education, especially in secondary schools, with a focus on teacher educators and teaching methods. However, there is a lack of research on pre-service teachers' identities and views of their future profession. Our study aims to understand pre-service teachers’ perceptions of success and failure. Data from 129 students in 2024 used empathy-based stories to reveal five key themes: collegial support, classroom management, relationships with parents and pupils, self-leadership, and practical experiences. These factors are crucial to pre-service teachers’ professional development and highlight the need for supportive environments and self-reflection in teacher education. Comparative studies across the Nordic countries are essential to improve understanding.

• Amdal, Irina Ivashenko (2025). KI i lærerutdanningen. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  KI kan gi nye muligheter for læring og undervisning dersom den brukes med refleksjon og innsikt. Den kan skape rom for undring og utforskning, støtte elever med ulike forutsetninger, og bidra til språkutvikling og tilpasset opplæring. Samtidig er det viktig å unngå at KI reduseres til et effektiviseringsverktøy. Bruken må forankres i pedagogiske prinsipper, kritisk tenkning og etisk bevissthet. For å møte denne utviklingen må lærerutdanningen systematisk gi studentene praktisk erfaring med KI – både på godt og vondt – og legge til rette for refleksjon i trygge rammer. Fremtidige lærere trenger teknologiforståelse, lesekompetanse, skriving, kritisk vurderingsevne og evnen til å stille gode spørsmål. Jeg vil understreke at ingen kunnskaper blir mindre viktige i møte med KI, men de må brukes på nye måter. KI utfordrer oss til å utvikle vurderingsformer som gjenspeiler den kunnskapen vi faktisk ønsker å fremme: refleksjon, etisk dømmekraft og selvstendig tenkning. Til slutt vil jeg minne om den menneskelige dimensjonen: KI kan aldri erstatte relasjoner, empati eller tilstedeværelse. Den bør støtte – ikke erstatte – lærerens kjerneoppgaver og faglige engasjement.

• Endresen-Maharaj, Kristin & Amdal, Irina Ivashenko (2025). Pre-service teacher students’ experiences of voluntary attendance during a pedagogical course in their fifth year of teacher education. Full text in Research Archive
• Amdal, Irina Ivashenko (2025). Erfaringer fra et semester med case-basert undervisning. Full text in Research Archive
• Amdal, Irina Ivashenko; Lazareva, Aleksandra & Endresen, Kristin (2025). RECEIVING PEER INSTRUCTION: STUDENT PERCEPTIONS OF LEARNING OUTCOMES AND CHALLENGES. Full text in Research Archive
• Amdal, Irina Ivashenko (2024). HVORDAN KAN VI BIDRA TIL HVERANDRES PROFESJONELLE UTVIKLING? Full text in Research Archive
• Elmies-Vestergren, Alexander; Aarli, Eivind; Haldammen, Eva Nordby; Amdal, Irina Ivashenko; Endresen-Maharaj, Kristin & Haraldstad, Åse (2024). Vi trenger et rikere bilde av lærervirkeligheten. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  https://www.fvn.no/mening/kronikk/i/RzbbOd/vi-trenger-et-rikere-bilde-av-laerervirkeligheten

• Amdal, Irina Ivashenko & Endresen-Maharaj, Kristin (2024). Empowerment of pre-service teachers during teacher education in Norway. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Pre-service teachers in Norway are required to complete 60 study points in pedagogical courses during the five-year teacher training master’s program. Little research exists on the empowerment of pre-service teachers in pedagogical courses in teacher education. Therefore, this study explores the critical objective of empowering future teachers during teacher education, acknowledging their essential role in shaping future teachers for the development of a democratic society. Focused on fostering active participation among second-year pre-service teachers, the research aims to explore their perceptions and experiences, emphasising the aspect of empowerment (Ahmadi, 2021). Central to the investigation is the concept of participation, conceived as a genuine partnership and meaningful collaboration between pre-service teachers and educators. The study navigates the nuanced terrain of pre-service teachers’ empowerment and metacognitive awareness, contributing significantly to cultivating responsibility in the learning process (Bovill et al., 2016; Cook-Sather, 2010). For some, assuming this responsibility may introduce uncertainties regarding self-accountability within the hierarchical context of society and education, traditionally dominated by teacher educators (Bovill et al., 2016). In this qualitative study, the analysis of 38 participants unfolds through content analysis, identifying two sections: (1) Teacher students' understanding of participation and (2) Teacher students' experiences of empowerment during seminars. Key findings reveal participation as an opportunity for pre-service teachers to influence classroom activities, fostering collaboration with educators and instilling a sense of ownership over subject content. Participants experience sense of value and empowerment when their contributions are acknowledged, highlighting the crucial role of educator initiative and student willingness in shaping the course.

• Amdal, Irina Ivashenko & Hanssen, Natallia Bahdanovich (2024). Norwegian Teacher Education: how it is experienced by immigrant pre-service teachers. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  This explorative study aims to foreground the voices of pre-service teachers with an immigrant background (IMB), examine their perspectives on being enrolled in Norwegian teacher education (TED), and investigate their experiences. The study was informed by Bronfenbrenner’s ecological theory (2005). The data were gathered using qualitative semi-structured interviews with pre-service teachers with IMB. Using qualitative content analysis, four main themes were identified. The results show that studying TED is challenged by language and cultural barriers and requires the development of coping strategies. The findings indicate that politicians must critically assess the construction and content of the Norwegian curriculum and TED and must develop an understanding and recognition of pre-service teachers with IMB as resources, moving away from describing them as “problems”. Furthermore, there must be a high level of reflexivity and sensitivity among teacher educators regarding the discourse surrounding pre-service teachers with IMB in TED. 

• Mastad, Line Beate Tandsæther; Amdal, Irina Ivashenko & Nygren-Landgärds, Christina (2024). Pedagogy Matters: First-year pre-service teachers' reflections on their professional development. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Teacher education globally holds crucial importance in qualifying future teachers. In Norway, the teacher education program consists of 300 credits, with a minimum of 60 dedicated to pedagogy described as the fundamental subject. This study explores pre-service teachers’ reflections on pedagogy's impact on their professional development. Findings from analysing 166 reflection notes reveal diverse perspectives. Two overarching themes emerge: (1) pedagogy is fundamental for teacher development, and (2) it has minimal or no impact. The first theme describes students’ reflections on pedagogy as contributing to the development of their knowledge about learning, pupils, didactic and teachers’ role. The second theme demonstrates pedagogy as everyday knowledge and less significant for teachers’ real workload. These results may contribute to enhancing teacher education with essential insight into the significance of pedagogy for the qualification of future teachers.

• Amdal, Irina Ivashenko; Eklund, Gunilla Brita Maria; Mastad, Line Beate Tandsæther; Endresen-Maharaj, Kristin; Kristiansen, Christine Watne & Henriksson, John (2024). Symposium: Teacher education in change: Ideas for development of pre-service teacher education. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Over the past decades, there has been an emphasis on the need to develop top-quality teacher education programmes that prepare teachers to adapt to continuously changing circumstances (Darling-Hammond & Hyler, 2020). In responding to new demands and expectations, teacher education can gain recognition as a cornerstone for creating better educational experiences for both pre-service teachers and pupils. Recent research also points to the central role of teacher education when pre-service teachers experience coherence as well as increased self-awareness and empowerment. However, teacher education has often been seen as quite resistant to change (Elstad, 2023) and the issue is how changes and innovations can successfully be implemented. The aim of this symposia is to contribute to the discussion about how teacher education can be developed in order to enhance the professional development of pre-service teachers. We do that by presenting four studies on teacher education from a campus-based perspective in Norway and Finland. The contributions from Norway delve into the role of pedagogy in a five-year master's program. These studies highlight the dual impact pedagogy has as a method and a source for future teachers´ professional development and their contribution to a democratic society. The contribution from Finland highlights the importance of a popular scientific approach to disseminate pre-service teachers´ scientific knowledge gained by writing a master´s thesis. The symposium promotes the evolving role of teacher education in addressing the challenges of contemporary society and the importance of moral and democratic education for pre-service teachers’ professional development.

• Amdal, Irina Ivashenko & Endresen-Maharaj, Kristin (2024). THE IMPACT OF PEER TEACHING: FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF PRE-SERVICE TEACHERS IN THEIR FINAL YEAR OF TEACHER EDUCATION. Full text in Research Archive
• Amdal, Irina Ivashenko (2024). Systematisk lesing i lærerutdanning. Full text in Research Archive
• Amdal, Irina Ivashenko & Lazareva, Aleksandra (2024). Samarbeid med praksisfeltet om campusundervisning. Full text in Research Archive
• Amdal, Irina Ivashenko & Endresen, Kristin (2023). How Do Pre-Service Teachers Understand and Experience Participation in Teacher Education? Full text in Research Archive
• Amdal, Irina Ivashenko & Endresen, Kristin (2023). Students’ participation: how it is understood and experienced by second-year teacher students. Full text in Research Archive
• Amdal, Irina Ivashenko (2022). Transition into teaching work: when challenges lead to learning. Full text in Research Archive
• Amdal, Irina Ivashenko & Hanssen, Natallia Bahdanovich (2022). Norwegian Teacher Education: how it’s experienced by students with immigrant background. Full text in Research Archive
• Amdal, Irina Ivashenko & Endresen, Kristin (2022). Students’ participation: how it is understood and experienced by second-year teacher students. Full text in Research Archive
• Amdal, Irina Ivashenko; Dede, Ayşe Tekin Dede Tekin; Janíková, Marcela; Lazareva, Aleksandra; Danielsen, Kjerstin Breistein & Drange, Eli-Marie D. [Show all 7 contributors for this article] (2022). Internationalization at home: To get know abroad without leaving home. Full text in Research Archive
• Amdal, Irina Ivashenko & Endresen, Kristin (2022). Students’ participation: how it is understood and experienced by second-year teacher students . Full text in Research Archive
• Amdal, Irina Ivashenko (2022). Overgang til lærerarbeid. Full text in Research Archive
• Amdal, Irina Ivashenko (2020). Overgangen fra utdanning til lærerarbeid. Full text in Research Archive
• Amdal, Irina Ivashenko & Ulvik, Marit (2019). Transition into the teaching profession: novice teachers’ experiences of the school as an organisation. Full text in Research Archive
• Amdal, Irina Ivashenko & Ulvik, Marit (2018). TRANSITION INTO TEACHING PROFESSION: TIME FOR A SYSTEM CHECK. Full text in Research Archive
• Amdal, Irina Ivashenko & Willbergh, Ilmi (2018). Stories of novice teachers’ perspectives on pupils. Full text in Research Archive
• Amdal, Irina Ivashenko (2017). The impact of ‘teacher perspectives’ on the transition into teaching. Full text in Research Archive
• Amdal, Irina Ivashenko (2019). Mellom balanse og ubalanse. En studie av utviklingen av de nyutdannedes perspektiver på lærerarbeid i overgangen fra utdanning til arbeid. Universitetet i Agder. ISSN 9788271179496. Full text in Research Archive

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