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Formation, Values, and Cultural Heritage

The aim of the research group Formation, Values, and Cultural Heritage is to investigate the fundamental principles for education in Norway, as they are expressed in the objects clause of the Kindergarten Act and the Education Act.

Affiliation:
Faculty of Education
Academic discipline:
Upbringing and education
Illustration. (Photo: INN University)

Photo: HINN

It is the aim of all education, from early childhood education in kindergartens to schools, that children should be enabled to develop themselves as autonomous individuals who are ready to meet the world (Formation/Bildung). The kindergartens' and schools' fundamental values, as well as our national and international cultural heritage, play crucial roles in this endeavour. The subject matter which the research group is working on is therefore highly relevant for the core areas of the kindergarten teacher education and teacher education.

What we research

The research group intends to provide a critical view on Formation, values, and the pedagogical foundations of education, as well as different understandings of tradition and cultural heritage.

More about the research group

The research group consists of researchers from various disciplines within pedagogy and teacher education. The members work on different projects that explore the topics from different perspectives. The research group consists of two pillars: Formation and Values, and Cultural Heritage.

The Formation and Values pillar will contribute to develop new perspectives on the fundamental values and societal mission of the kindergartens and schools. In collaboration with the field of practice, this part of the research group will contribiute to the school's ability to utilize the possibilities for formation through various didactic approaches. We will do this by examining formation (Bildung) and key actors in the field understand and approach the fundamental values and their societal mission, in theory and practice.

The Cultural Heritage pillar will use a critical understanding of cultural heritage as its starting point, and work specifically with religious narratives and practices in contemporary Europe. Our work will contribute to the understanding of how religious narratives and cultural heritage play an important part in the development of political agendas and ideas. We will explore this through, among other things, the history of education in a internationally comparative perspective. We wil also focus on how various legal practices become platforms of negotiation for religious narratives and religious heritage in contemporary Europe.