The Arts, Physical Education and Sports section focuses on bodily, sensory and aesthetic approaches to teaching and learning. The section works with both practice-led and theory driven research and artistic development, and inclusive and critical perspectives on teaching pedagogies. The section promotes diversity and inclusion in physical education and the arts. A goal is to promote ethically conscious relations, dialogues and collaborations across disciplines and boundaries, within the context of the teaching profession.

The Arts, Physical Education and Sports section is responsible for delivering: 

• Elementary school education (grunnskolelærerutdanning) with a Master’s degree in physical education, arts & crafts, and music, qualifying for classes 1-7 and classes 5-10 in Norwegian school
• Teaching pedagogies in various art disciplines and physical education in practical-pedagogical teacher qualification study programs
• Teaching pedagogies in physical education and sports in the 5 years lektorutdanning with a Master’s degree, qualifying for classes 5-13 in Norwegian school
• The Master’s Program in Arts Education  
• Teaching on different PhD subjects 
• Various continuing education programs

The employees of the subject section represent the fields of: 

• Physical education and sports
• Arts and crafts
• Visual art 
• Visual communication and design
• Film and media
• Music and composition
• Dance and choreography
• Drama, theatre and dramaturgy

Research in, about or through physical education and sports of specific interest in the section are:

• Teaching pedagogies in physical education
• Bodily learning 
• Physical education, motor activity and learning
• Motor skills
• Digital technology in physical education and sports
• Water competence
• Inclusive physical education
• Safety and risk in physical education
• Outdoors and outdoor education
• Physical education and health

Research in, about or through the arts and artistic development of specific interest in the section are:

• Music teacher education, music pedagogy, music technology, arranging and choirs  
• Choreography, dance education and teaching pedagogies in dance
• Teaching pedagogies and drama and theatre, dramaturgy and theatre production
• Art in the public space, digital technology in arts and craft, sculpture, textile
• Kulturskole teaching pedagogies
• Arts education in relation to social and ethical concerns
• Artists-at-risk
• Teaching artist residencies
• Bodily learning, aesthetic learning processes, inclusive learning processes
• Research methodologies in the art

The Section for English and Foreign Languages has particularly strong research groups in the areas of multilingualism in the English Language classroom, as well as the development of digital competence in teacher education. Other research areas include literature, language, culture and teaching methods in the classroom; these are described on academic staff web pages.

• primary and secondary teacher education for grades 1-7 and 5-10

• lower and upper secondary teacher education for grades 8-13

• English subject didactics within practical-pedagogical education (full-time and part-time)

• Master of Science in Didactics – English and Foreign Language Education

• in-service education courses for teachers

• French, German and Spanish subject didactics for lower and upper secondary grades 8-13

• didactics of foreign language teaching within practical-pedagogical education

The Mathematics Section offers mathematics teacher education for grades 1-13 and conducts research in mathematics didactics. Our goal is to educate academically secure, reflective and inquiring teachers in mathematics.

The Mathematics Section offers coursework in:

• primary and secondary teacher education for grades 1-7 and 5-10

• lower and upper secondary teacher education for grades 8-13

• master's degree in didactics of mathematics

• didactics of mathematics within practical-pedagogical education (full-time and part-time)

• in-service education courses for teachers

• in-service education courses for teachers seeking to specialize in school development in mathematics

Our research interests cover a broad range of topics:

• mathematical cognition and digital learning platforms

• professional development of teachers and teacher transitions between school types

• teacher education and developing student teachers’ mathematics expertise and identity as mathematics teachers

We apply both qualitative and quantitative methods in our research.

The Section for Norwegian is among the largest academic departments in Norway that focus on Norwegian education. The section includes three particularly strong research areas: language and language education, literature and literature education, and literacy. We are at the forefront of research in Norway regarding the assessment of students’ written texts. More information about our research areas can be found on the  academic staff webpages.

• primary and secondary teacher education for grades 1-7 and 5-10

• lower and upper secondary teacher education for grades 8-13

• Norwegian subject didactics within practical-pedagogical training (full-time and part-time)

• Master of Science in Didactics – Norwegian

• in-service education courses for teachers

The Section for Pedagogy conducts methodologically diverse research on a variety of topics. Research and coursework themes of special interest include:

• equality

• democracy

• building and learning

• social inequality

• diversity

• inclusion and psychosocial school environment

• childhood and youth

• classroom management

• institutional critique

This section is particularly concerned with the role of democracy and solidarity within education and considers it important to ask challenging and difficult questions about the relationship between education and society. The development of our own teaching and the creation of sustainable education for future teachers is central to the ongoing professional conversation within this section.

The Section for Pedagogy offers modules within:

• primary and secondary teacher education for grades 1-7 and 5-10*

• lower and upper secondary teacher education for grades 8-13

• Norwegian subject didactics within practical-pedagogical training (full-time and part-time)

• Master of Science in Pedagogy

* The new master’s programme in primary and secondary teacher education offers two options within the field of pedagogy where mostly pedagogical staff will be involved:

• Master in Special Needs Education

• Master in Applied Pedagogy – diversity, inclusion and school development

Employees in the section are involved with in-service education courses for both primary and secondary teachers on topics such as guidance and relationship-based classroom management. 

The Science Section offers broad competence within all areas of the integrated sciences in Norwegian primary school instruction and teacher education, as well as within the science disciplines in postgraduate teacher training (PPU) and teacher education for secondary school. This section represents one of Norway's largest academic settings for teaching methodologies, education studies and school-oriented competencies in the natural sciences. NTNU's resource centre for STEM-education is part of this section. Research areas within the section include science education (science didactics), education studies within the science disciplines, and topics within the science disciplines. Detailed information on education and research may be found on the  academic staff web pages.

• primary and secondary teacher education for grades 1-7 and 5-10

• lower and upper secondary teacher education for grades 8-13

• Science subject didactics within practical-pedagogical training (full-time and part-time)

• Master of Science in Didactics – Science

• in-service education courses for teachers

The Social Studies Section has research groups in the areas of democracy and citizenship, religious education, and social studies, as well as archival and documentation management. Research groups for relevant issues within subjects and subject didactics cooperate with scholars both nationally and internationally. 

We also work to strengthen education for archives, collection and digital document management. Our education, research and dissemination will help the candidates to cope with future challenges and develop socially and professionally critical insights in line with societal needs and intentions in laws and curricula.

Other research areas are described on academic staff web pages.

The Section for Social studies offers course modules within:

• Primary and secondary teacher education for grades 1-7 and 5-10
• Subject didactics for lower and upper secondary grades 8-13 in history, geography, psychology, religion and social studies
• Didactics of teaching history, geography, psychology, religion and social studies within practical-pedagogical education (full-time and part-time)
• Master of science in didactics – social studies
• Bachelor in archive and collection management
• Master in archive and documentation management
• In-service education courses for teachers and archivists

The section for vocational teacher education, school development and educational leadership consists of several academic units.

The professional unit for vocational teacher education includes several areas of study within vocational teacher training:

• Vocational Teacher Education
• Master of Applied and Occupational Didactics and Teacher Professionals - Vocational Education
• Flexible Pedagogical Practical Education in Vocational Education

as well as further postgraduate studies.

The primary purpose of the professional unit for educational leadership is to develop and communicate action-oriented knowledge for the development of the school. We do this through research that responds to issues raised by the school and central government and through education directed at school leaders. Primary focus areas include school management and development, organization of teachers’ work, and the students’ learning processes. We work in an interdisciplinary fashion, and the professional unit provides expertise in education and teaching, organizational theory, knowledge management, sociology, statistics and philosophy.

Several parts of this section collaborate closely with school owners on issues of school development. The development work is grounded in the particular school or municipality, which informs the specific content of competency development to be addressed.

The Norwegian Centre for Mathematics Education aims to improve the quality of mathematics teaching. The Centre works to increase students’ motivation for and interest in mathematics on the primary and secondary level; additionally, the Centre aims to strengthen basic numeracy skills.

The centre is charged to carry out the following tasks:

• develop resources and models for professional development in kindergartens and schools
• communicate research findings
• work closely with the educational-practice sector and do research- and practice-based work
• contribute to increased competence in interpreting and implementing the national framework plan and curriculum in schools and kindergartens
• contribute to professional development in kindergartens and schools
• support other institutions, especially teacher training institutions, in their work on professional development in kindergartens and schools
• advise national educational authorities on mathematics and numeracy skills

The target groups of the centre are teacher training institutions, school and kindergarten owners, leaders and employees in kindergartens, schools and the PP-service (Pedagogical-Psychological service).

The Norwegian Centre for Writing Education and Research (The Writing Centre) is a national centre dedicated to stimulating writing, writing education and writing research. The key target groups are teachers, school leaders, school owners, and kindergarten teaching personnel. The centre assists with teacher education at universities and university-colleges in the areas of school development and teacher learning in writing education.