The overall aim of this PhD. project is to focus on the induction period for new academic employees in Norwegian teacher education. Lately focus has been on the quality of Norwegian teacher training and much of this attention has been focused on improvement of student teachers’ learning conditions (White Paper 11. 2008-2009). Historically, teacher educator’s professional development has been given little attention in Norway, which is often reflected in low current research and publication on the subject, and neither does an international focus on teacher educator’s quality and professionalism have a long history (Hagen, 2000; Brooms & Dengerink, 2001). The study is therefore proposed aimed to identify who the new teacher educators are, what kind of follow-up and development newly appointed teacher educators experience, and the development opportunities that exist in relation to new academic employees in teacher education. The project builds on international research on the subject (Murray 2005; Ritter 2007; Loughran & Russell 2007) with respect to the Norwegian teacher education context.

Literature about the nature of teacher educators’ career trajectories and pathways is relatively rare within the field of teacher education research in general (Mayer, Mitchell, Santoro & White, 2011).

Kari Smith (2011) discusses in the Norwegian educational context 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. Smith points out the impact of different backgrounds can have on the practice of the profession as teacher educator. Diane Mayer et al (2011) asks in their study, who are the new teacher educators in Australia and why do they work in teacher education? What career pathways have led them to teacher education, what are key aspects of their knowledge and practice as teacher educators and what are the critical issues faced by those working in teacher education?

This presentation set out to address similar questions about new teacher educators in a Norwegian context.

Who are the newly appointed teacher educators in Norway and what qualifications are emphasized by the appointment of new teacher educators in Norway?

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