Sigrun Sønsthagen

• Sønsthagen, Sigrun & Brustad, Liv Kari (2025). “Take me seriously, talk to me, ask me questions, and listen when I speak”. An empirical analysis of experiences with AAC in young adults’ educational and social interactions. Augmentative and Alternative Communication : AAC. ISSN 0743-4618. s. 12–12. doi: 10.1080/07434618.2025.2558850. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  This study investigated the experiences of young adults who rely on augmentative and alternativecommunication (aac) with a focus on how interactional dynamics influence their sense of inclusion andrecognition in everyday conversations. Despite increasing awareness of the importance of communicationrights for individuals with complex communication needs, a research gap remains relative to the livedexperiences of young-adult aac users. the study was based on nine in-depth, semi-structured interviewsconducted with both aac users and communication partners. thematic analysis revealed three coreempirical categories—equal dialogue, competence, and integrated use of aac—that reflected theconditions under which the aac users perceived communicative interaction as meaningful andempowering. the analysis relied on the theoretical frameworks of inclusion factors and social learningtheory with particular emphasis on the concepts of self-efficacy and communicative interaction. theresults suggested that young-adult aac users feel most recognized and understood when they areactively included as equal participants in conversations. this sense of inclusion is facilitated bycommunication partners who demonstrate patience, a willingness to understand, and sensitivity tononverbal cues. the study highlights the critical roles of communication partners’ competence andattitudes in shaping whether aac becomes a functional and inclusive tool for interaction. the practicalimplications underscore the need for targeted training and awareness-raising among communicationpartners to ensure that aac is available and effectively integrated into young adults’ social lives. thesefindings contribute to the growing body of research advocating for more inclusive communicativeenvironments and offer valuable user perspectives

• Sønsthagen, Sigrun (2024). Erfaringer med desentralisert ordning for kompetanseutvikling i ungdomsskolen: «Vi må se meninga med det!». Norsk pedagogisk tidsskrift. ISSN 0029-2052. 108(1), s. 42–52. doi: 10.18261/npt.108.1.5. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  Artikkelen undersøker skoleansattes erfaringer med desentralisert ordning for kompetanseutvikling gjennom en kompetansepakke om implementering av pedagogisk analysemodell. De ansatte ved tre ungdomsskoler har vært organisert i 18 læringsgrupper som har svart på fire refleksjonsspørsmål om prosjektet. Artikkelen drøfter hvordan organisering, medvirkning, tidsbruk og refleksjon omkring egen praksis kan skape gode vekstforhold for skoleutvikling, noe som kan ha implikasjoner for initiering, gjennomføring og videreføring av utviklingsarbeid innenfor en slik desentralisert ordning.

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• Mølstad, Christina Niemi; Løfblad, Åse Wedø; Brønstad, Odin Thune; Sønsthagen, Sigrun; Laski, Alona & Bergseth, Kristin Kathinka Due [Vis alle 50 forfattere av denne artikkelen] (2026). Skroting av lærernormen – basert på forskning? doi: https:/www.utdanningsnytt.no/barnehage-klasseledelse-laerernorm/skroting-av-laerernormen-basert-pa-forskning/469012?fbclid=IwY2xjawQ54sJleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZBAyMjIwMzkxNzg4MjAwODkyAAEe5-ESejbAANeW9iL_Yi5PFe-M92Cok76QgWJztVKEVMpy9_jpymhzgRro7ls_aem_NkB3gbl0zcVLQ8D6kE2ejQ. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  Forslagene om å skrote lærernormen og fjerne øremerkede midler til toppbemanning i barnehage er på kollisjonskurs med profesjonsutøvernes fortellinger om knappe ressurser, og med forskningsbidrag i feltet.

• Sønsthagen, Sigrun & Knudsmoen, Hege (2025). A New Systemic Direction for Educational Psychology Services’ Work?". Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  A New Systemic Direction for Educational Psychology Services’ Work? Sigrun Sønsthagen Hege Knudsmoen Presenting Author: Sønsthagen, Sigrun Research question: How has the Educational Psychological Service changed the expectations for collaboration with the school after thenew Education Act in Norway? Objectives: Our study aims to investigate the impact of the new Education Act provision on the work of educational psychological services(EPS) and to assess whether the new quality criteria for EPS have influenced counsellors' understanding of their roles. Additionally, weseek to determine if these changes have contributed to enhancing inclusive education and increasing participation from students andparents. We conducted interviews with leaders and focus groups with counsellors at three municipal EPS offices. Through data analysis,we will highlight practical implications that may also be significant within a European context. Theoretical framework: The aim of this study is to discuss whether EPS, as a support system, is moving towards a more system-orientedpractice due to new expectations in collaboration with schools. EPS plays a crucial role in supporting inclusive education, and its work ischaracterized by a lack of resources and high accountability demands, leading to a conflict between these demands and the resourcesprovided (Szulevicz, Moen & Caspersen, 2023). In connection with the new Education Act introduced in august 2024, the EPS's mandate was defined to support and guide schools inassessing the need for adapted education and implementing measures and strategies as early as possible when needed. EPS is alsoexpected to contribute to competence- and organizational development, to ensure that the educational provision is as inclusive and well-adapted as possible. EPS contributes to inclusive learning environments by incorporating system-oriented practices into professional school communities(Ainscow, 2020). Safe spaces and supportive leadership enable reflection and promote systems-level changes to enhance inclusiveeducation. Kuria and Kelly (2023) highlight the importance of these elements in EPS to facilitate reflection and information-sharing. Professionalcommunities, including both EPS and schools, can develop practice in collaboration through systematically working with common goals toenhance inclusive learning environment in schools. Research on professional communities shows positive results when they work togetherin established groups and discuss research-based knowledge in conjunction with their own experiences (Hargreaves & O’Connor, 2018).Professional communities discuss and decide on a mutual understanding of the values and visions underlying the school's activities, butmost importantly, a collective responsibility for student learning, which involves working with reflective and professionally investigativemethods (Qvortrup, 2016). This also involves developing a collective understanding of what the new Education Act entails in practice. Methodology: A semi-structured interview, individually with leaders and with focus groups of counsellors, are conducted to gather in-depth informationabout EPS’ attitudes, perceptions, and experiences of expectation to their work. In the focus group interviews we facilitated the discussionby posing open-ended questions and encouraging interaction among the participants for exploring complex issues and uncoveringunderlying motivations and opinions. An to provide insight into how group dynamics can influence individual viewpoints and decision-making processes (Barbour, 2018; Jordhus-Lier,2023). The data analysis employs an inductive analytical approach, which is common inthematic analysis. Thematic analysis is a method for identifying, analysing, and finding significant patterns in the collected data, guided bythe research question (Clarke & Braun, 2017). We will present this process in the paper presentation. Expected Outcomes: By conducting interviews with EPS leaders and counsellors, we have investigated whether the changes introduced by the new EducationAct and quality criteria for their work have influenced their understanding of their roles and positioning in collaboration with their schools. The results indicate that the EPS has been working to a more system-oriented practice in Norway for a long time. To build competence at aschool level is considered as important crucial so more pupils can receive adequately adapted education. Since the expert evaluation atthe EPS is time-consuming and contributes to limit the school's room for scope of action, it appears as a collective motivation betweenschools and EPS to with a common rice in competence building at organisational level in the municipalities. When it comes to participation from students and parents int their work, the EPS describes some changes in routines to document that thestudent’s voice and perspective have been obtained in the expert evaluation. Our study also revealed that many parents believe thatindividualized education led to additional resources for the student, while it often means that students are deprived of participation in theinclusive community in the classrooms at schools. Regardless of the new Education Act, most students share a goal of participating in regular education. This shared objective facilitatessystematic efforts in organisational development and competence building in the professional communities in schools in the municipalities. References Ainscow, M. (2020). Promoting inclusion and equity in education: lessons from international experiences. Nordic Journal of Studies inEducational Policy, 6(1), 7–16. https://doi.org/10.1080/20020317.2020.1729587 Barbour, R. S. (2018). Doing Focus Groups. SAGE Publications. https://doi.org/10.4135/9781526441836 Hargreaves, A., & O′Connor, M. T. (2018). Collaborative Professionalism: When Teaching Together Means Learning for All (First edition).Corwin Press. Jordhus-Lier, D. (2023). Fokusgrupper som metode (1.Ed.). [Focus groups as method] Cappelen Damm akademisk. Kuria, E. K., & Kelly, C. (2023). Exploring social justice principles within an educational psychology service. Educational Psychology inPractice, 39(4), 403–418. https://doi.org/10.1080/02667363.2023.2226857 Qvortrup, L. (2016). Capacity building: data- and research-informed development of schools and teaching practices in Denmark andNorway. European Journal of Teacher Education, 39(5), 564–576. https://doi.org/10.1080/02619768.2016.1253675 Simoes, A. R., Lourenco, M., Costa, N., & Simões, A. (2018). Teacher Education Policy and Practice in Europe: Challenges andOpportunities for the Future (1st ed., pp. 1–184). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315141763 Szulevicz, T., Moen, T., & Caspersen, J. (2024). Conflicting norms in Danish and Norwegian educational psychology counselling. NordicJournal of Wellbeing and Sustainable Welfare Development, 3(3), 149–163. https://doi.org/10.18261/njwel.3.3.3 The Norwegian Education Act. (2024). Act relating to Primary and Secondary Education (LOV-2024-08-01-1). Lovdata.https://lovdata.no/dokument/NL/lov/2023-06-09-30

• Sønsthagen, Sigrun (2024). Action competence for creating an inclusive and professional identity for newly qualified teachers. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Sønsthagen, Sigrun (2024). Handlingsrom for utdanningsledelse - et forskningseksempel. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Sønsthagen, Sigrun & Faldet, Ann-Cathrin (2023). Research on diversity competence in teacher education. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  The purpose of this study is to discuss the importance of diversity competence in teacher education, as teachers must follow the principle of inclusion both in their basic professional education and in their continuing professional practice (UNESCO, 2017). The research question is as follows: How do student teachers experience that professionally oriented pedagogy is relevant for meeting a diverse group of pupils?

• Sønsthagen, Sigrun & Hembre, Oda Julie (2022). Podkast som studentaktiv læringsaktivitet - hva sier studentene? Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Sønsthagen, Sigrun & Hembre, Oda Julie (2022). Podcast production as a student-active learning activity in teacher education. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  doi: 10.21125/iceri.2022.0242

• Sønsthagen, Sigrun (2022). “School development – risks and opportunities in local projects”. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Sønsthagen, Sigrun (2021). Teachers’ experiences with a local school development project. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Sønsthagen, Sigrun & Vigmostad, Inger (2021). How to use podcasts as a learning-promoting resource in higher education? Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Sønsthagen, Sigrun & Gloppen, Bjørg Herberg (2021). Hvordan anvende podkast som læringsfremmende ressurs i høyere utdanning? Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Sønsthagen, Sigrun & Markestad, Elin Birkeland (2021). Podkast som læringsressurs. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv

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