Sustainability Education Research Group

Sustainability Education Research Group (SERG) aims to study how sustainability education is understood, made visible and implemented into the didactic practices in early childhood education, schools, and teacher education. Our primary goal is to increase the knowledge about what didactic practices are essential for creating action competence. In addition, our research should create a link between teacher education, early childhood education, schools, and external knowledge communicators.

SERG is a multidisciplinary group with members from natural sciences, social studies and pedagogy. Members of SERG have experience with a wide range of qualitative and quantitative research methods.

Activities
The research group meets three times per semester. In our meetings, we review literature, discuss methods and theoretical questions, present ongoing research projects, and plan future research projects. In addition, we work towards research collaboration with national and international research environments.

Projects
1.    Based on the new curriculum for the 10-year compulsory school in Norway, Håberg and Ryslett are working on a study where sustainability is one of the dimensions. The study uses focus groups of kindergarten staff and examines their understanding and practice of sustainability in their training with a particular focus on sustainability challenges (Håberg, Ryslett & Høydalsvik, 2022). Research article published in 2023 (see Publication below).

2.    Study on kindergarten teachers in further education. Analysing the kindergarten teachers' understanding and practice of action competence for sustainability. The study has didactic sustainability questions about challenges and dilemmas children and kindergarten teachers face (Vikane & Høydalsvik).

3.    Study what supports kindergarten teachers' capacity to master sustainability education. Critically analysing the kindergarten teacher's competence, motivation, and opportunities (= capacity) in sustainability education (Høydalsvik & Vikane).   

4.    Aesthetic experiences and sustainability in interdisciplinary teaching between science and practical-aesthetic subjects. Chapter in a planned anthology on education for sustainable development from Western Norway University of Applied Sciences (HVL) (Fooladi in collaboration with Lydia Schulze Heuling at HVL).

5.    Development of sensory and exploratory workshops at Atlanterhavsparken aquarium and marine science centre aimed at school classes visiting the centre. A design-based research project to study and promote interdisciplinary and sensory teaching in 6th and 9th grade (Fooladi, Mette Marie Scott-Dahl at Atlanterhavsparken, and Beate Humberset and Oda Bolstad at VUC). The project is supported by Møre og Romsdal county administration and The Research Council of Norway through the program "Borrow a Researcher" and partial funding from the Atlanterhavsparken aquarium and marine science centre and VUC.

6.     In collaboration with a researcher at the Institute of Marine Research and Runde Environmental Centre, we are conducting a Nordic survey to study how the science centres, together with the schools, can, to a greater extent, promote children and young people's action competence for sustainability (Vikane, Ullgren & Høydalsvik).

National and international partners
Runde Environmental Centre, researcher Jenny Ullgren
Atlanterhavsparken aquarium and marine science centre, educator Jeanette G. Hjelle
Åbo Academy University, university teacher Pia Sjöblom
Collaborative research group: Grupo de Investigación en Comunicación y Educación, Andalusia, Spain

Research group leaders and contacts
Associate Professor Jan Håkon Vikane, AHL, tel: +47 70 07 53 92, mail: jan.hakon.vikane@hivolda.no
Professor Torhild Høydalsvik, AHL, tel: +47 70 07 53 33, mail: torhild.erika.lillemark.hoydalsvik@hivolda.no

Members
Associate Professor Erik C. Fooladi, AHL
Associate Professor Liv Ingrid Aske Håberg, AHL
Associate Professor Carlos Magnusson, AHL
Associate Professor Kari Ryslett, AHL
Associate Professor Kjersti Straume, ASH
PhD Candidate Trude Nordal, AHL
Researcher Jenny Ullgren, Runde Environmental Centre

Publication
1) Håberg, L. I. A., Ryslett, K. & Høydalsvik, T. E. L. (2023). How Kindergarten Teachers Support Nascent Understanding of Sustainable Development Among Children – A New Label on an Old Practice? Nordic early childhood educational research, 20(3), 203–222. https://doi.org/10.23865/nbf.v19.335