The multi-faceted teacher educator: a Norwegian perspective

Abstract

Within the broad theme of this special issue, the current article describes a turbulent Norwegian teacher education context in which two new teacher educators start work in a university. Like other nations, Norway is affected by international educational trends, some of which have a reductive impact on the teaching profession and on teacher education. The article discusses the many roles teacher educators have to hold and presents what the local context, a university’s teacher education department, does to support new colleagues in developing individual roles and identities as teacher educators which enable them to fit into the local culture and requirements. The article examines some of the many frustrations that teacher educators often feel are rooted in local, national and international movements, before it concludes with a quest for developing programme identity that builds on the strength of having a diverse staff of teacher educators.

Keywords:

• Teacher education in Norway
• roles of teacher educators
• changes in teacher education
• professional knowledge of teacher educators
• professional learning of teacher educators