Academic interests
- Doctoral education and supervision
- Philosophy of science and academic disciplines
- Digitalisation, academic disciplines and values
- Tolerance, diversity and education
- Education and values
- Professional ethics
- Empirical ethics
- Religion, learning and knowledge
- Theory of practice, education, religion and ethics
Courses taught
- Religion and ethics in teacher education (1992 – 2005)
- Special needs education master’s degree level (2004 - 2016)
- A variety of courses for different master’s degree courses (2005 – 2010)
- Philosophy of science doctorate level course (2008 - )
- Methodology doctorate level course (2008 - )
Background
- Head of the Norwegian Research Council-funded national research school Religion Values Society (RVS) (2011)
- Research Director at MF Norwegian School of Theology, Religion and Society (2010-2016)
- Professor in education (2014)
- Professor of theology (2007)
- Doctorate in theology/religious education, MF Norwegian School of Theology, Religion and Society (Tolerance and curriculum. Conceptions of Tolerance in the Multicultural Unitary Norwegian Compulsory School) (2005)
- Research Director, Department for teacher education, Østfold University College (2004-2008)
Other professional responsibilites
- Supervision of 25 doctoral students within various disciplines (including mathematics didactics, Norwegian language didactics, religious education, ethics and religious studies)
- Supervision of a significant number of master's students within the subject areas of education, special needs education and various religious study disciplines
Peer reviewer
- Peer reviewer for a number of national and international journals, including:
- Digital Experience in Mathematics Education
- British Journal of Religious Education
- Teaching and Teacher Education
- European Journal of Educational Research
Professional Committees
- Member of doctoral committees at the Universities of: Warwick, Uppsala, Umeå and Agder, as well as at NTNU and MF Norwegian School of Theology, Religion and Society
- Participant on a number of committees in connection with the assessment of professorial competence/qualification as well as assessment of applicants for academic positions
Projects
- Communities of doctoral supervision. Interdisciplinary cases and perspective
- Ethics in professional practice (ETIPP)
- ICT in the learning space
- Learning and knowledge trajectories in congregations (LETRA)
- Regional religiosity
- Tolerance in motion and emotion
Research groups
- Education and values, MF Norwegian School of Theology, Religion and Society
- ICT and Learning
Tags:
The Digital Society,
DigiEd
Publications
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Solli, Kristin & Afdal, Geir Sigmund
(2026).
Writing and socialization in an interdisciplinary context : doctoral students' perspectives.
In Saxegaard, Fredrik; Lövheim, Mia & Afdal, Geir Sigmund (Ed.),
Doctoral supervision across boundaries : interdisciplinarity as process and practice.
Scandinavian University Press (SCUP).
ISSN 9788215074801.
p. 129–154.
doi:
10.18261/9788215074818-26-06.
Full text in Research Archive
Show summary
This book explores how trends of increasing emphasis on interdisciplinarity and internationalization on the one hand, and efficiency and professionalization on the other, affect doctoral supervision. Based on experiences from a Scandinavian interdisciplinary research school, the volume explores supervision as a distributed practice in a particular context.
The volume discusses existing research on interdisciplinary doctoral education and supervision, as well as how handbooks on supervision discuss the impact of conducting interdisciplinary projects. It highlights how PhD students and supervisors experience their roles in the supervision of interdisciplinary projects and analyzes how committees evaluate interdisciplinary dissertations. Additionally, it explores processes of learning interdisciplinary research practices between Scandinavian and North American contexts.
The volume broadens the field by adding new empirical and theoretical insights on how larger transformations of the context of PhD education in late modern knowledge societies shape interdisciplinary supervision practices. The chapters confirm insights from previous research showing that supervision involves multiple agents and processes of socialization, intersecting components of identity, and negotiations between varying cultures and expectations. In addition, the book offers new insights about how alternative learning modes and continuous interactions between PhD students and supervisors across disciplines can provide fruitful spaces for handling new challenges. A core argument for practice and future research is that supervision can no longer be limited to the dyadic, pre-scheduled meetings between a supervisor and a PhD student, but needs to be approached as a distributed practice across temporal and spatial modes of organization.
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Afdal, Geir Sigmund & Nykvist, Henrik
(2026).
Situating interdisciplinary doctoral supervision.
In Saxegaard, Fredrik; Lövheim, Mia & Afdal, Geir Sigmund (Ed.),
Doctoral supervision across boundaries : interdisciplinarity as process and practice.
Scandinavian University Press (SCUP).
ISSN 9788215074801.
p. 31–55.
doi:
10.18261/9788215074818-26-02.
Full text in Research Archive
Show summary
This book explores how trends of increasing emphasis on interdisciplinarity and internationalization on the one hand, and efficiency and professionalization on the other, affect doctoral supervision. Based on experiences from a Scandinavian interdisciplinary research school, the volume explores supervision as a distributed practice in a particular context.
The volume discusses existing research on interdisciplinary doctoral education and supervision, as well as how handbooks on supervision discuss the impact of conducting interdisciplinary projects. It highlights how PhD students and supervisors experience their roles in the supervision of interdisciplinary projects and analyzes how committees evaluate interdisciplinary dissertations. Additionally, it explores processes of learning interdisciplinary research practices between Scandinavian and North American contexts.
The volume broadens the field by adding new empirical and theoretical insights on how larger transformations of the context of PhD education in late modern knowledge societies shape interdisciplinary supervision practices. The chapters confirm insights from previous research showing that supervision involves multiple agents and processes of socialization, intersecting components of identity, and negotiations between varying cultures and expectations. In addition, the book offers new insights about how alternative learning modes and continuous interactions between PhD students and supervisors across disciplines can provide fruitful spaces for handling new challenges. A core argument for practice and future research is that supervision can no longer be limited to the dyadic, pre-scheduled meetings between a supervisor and a PhD student, but needs to be approached as a distributed practice across temporal and spatial modes of organization.
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Karlsen, Anne Mette Færøyvik & Afdal, Geir Sigmund
(2023).
Mulighetsrommet som et sosialt og relasjonelt fenomen.
In Øien, Ola Buan; Heggernes, Sissil Lea & Karlsen, Anne Mette Færøyvik (Ed.),
Flerstemmige perspektiver i norsk utdanningsforskning. Spenninger og muligheter.
Cappelen Damm Akademisk.
ISSN 9788202817985.
p. 135–146.
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Abstract: In a Norwegian context, the term spaces of possibility is used in various academic texts, but is little theoretically developed. The term mulighetsrom1
was introduced by Afdal (2013) in a learning theoretical context, where facilitating learning means establishing spaces of possibility for creative and innovative
practice in developing communities of practice (pp. 182–183). Afdal points out that
some conditions (p. 35) must be present in order for the spaces of possibility to
be created and maintained. In this article, we will deepen and clarify our understanding of spaces of possibility. We will shed light on the concept theoretically
by alternating literature where space is understood as a social and relational
phenomenon at the same time as it is fluid (Mol & Law, 1994) and dynamic. With
support in Schatzki (2010), we further argue that space should also be understood together with time, and that space implies questions of time. The theoretical
explanation is illustrated with the help of examples. We link spaces of possibility
– as a time space – both to the pedagogical space in teaching and the space for
learning in teacher conversations
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Afdal, Geir Sigmund
(2020).
Hva skjer med religion i Schatzkis ‘tidrom’-aktivitet?
In Sæther, Knut-Willy & Aschim, Anders (Ed.),
Rom og sted: Religionsfaglige og interdisiplinære bidrag.
Cappelen Damm Akademisk.
ISSN 9788202696757.
p. 267–287.
Full text in Research Archive
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Johnsen, Elisabeth Tveito & Afdal, Geir Sigmund
(2020).
Practice theory in empirical practical theological research : the scientific contribution of LETRA.
Tidsskrift for Praktisk Teologi (TPT).
ISSN 1893-4773.
37(2),
p. 58–76.
Full text in Research Archive
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Ledstam, Maria & Afdal, Geir Sigmund
(2020).
Negotiating Purity and Impurity of Religion and Economy: An Empirical Contribution to Kathryn Tanner’s Christianity and the New Spirit of Capitalism.
Religions.
11.
doi:
10.3390/rel11110588.
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Kathryn Tanner’s book Christianity and the new Spirit of Capitalism generated an interesting debate about the relationship between Christianity and capitalism, as exemplified by the four review essays—by David Cloutier, Nicole M. Flores, Philip Goodchild, and John E. Thiel, respectively—published in Modern Theology in 2019. While the responses contain many interesting critical points, this article focuses on two particular trajectories in the debate that indirectly demand an empirical engagement with Tanner’s work. One strand of criticism charges that Tanner offers too generic examples of the economic reality that she examines, while her description of Christianity is too specific without being contextualized. The second strand argues that Tanner makes a dichotomy between a religious project and an economic project, which leads to the construction of a “pure” Christian conduct. This article continues this debate by fleshing out the issues of purity and impurity through an empirical study of two Christian networks, the Economy of Communion and Business as Mission. Using Bruno Latour’s account of modernization, the main finding is that the two logics, purity and impurity, continually configure the relationship between religion and economy. We further discuss these findings in relation to Tanner and her critics, and argue that theological ethical studies of the relationship between Christianity and economy would benefit from starting with empirical studies of the actual intertwining of religion and economy. Tanner convincingly argues that in order to challenge capitalism one has to work for structural, political changes and not only improve conditions within the economic system. However, this does not necessarily imply the use of pure and abstract normative principles. Normative ethical insights that are developed through analyses of everyday religious–economic practices may turn out to be as convincing.
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Mandt, Hege Marie Poulaki & Afdal, Geir
(2020).
On a math mission: The time and space compression of professional identity and values in prospective mathematics teachers’ stories.
European Educational Research Journal.
doi:
10.1177/1474904120957208.
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This article analyzes and discusses the professional values of prospective mathematics teachers. Theoretical approaches to the understanding of teachers’ professional values, such as critical mathematics education and relational perspectives, are well developed. Still, there are few empirical contributions to the field. Here, professional values are understood as interwoven with professional identity. The article raises the question of how prospective teachers construct their identity and values in time and space, and the analysis is based on data material from mathematics teacher students at two Norwegian teacher education institutions. The main finding is that the teacher students construct their professional identity and values in a compressed timespace. Their professional responsibility is located in and restricted to themselves and the relation to the individual student, not including concern for, for instance, social justice. The students do not express opposition to ideals of social justice, but it is beyond their constructed professional timespace identity, values and responsibility.
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Johnsen, Elisabeth Tveito & Afdal, Geir Sigmund
(2020).
Learning and knowledge trajectories in congregations.
Praktische Theologie - Zeitschrift für Praxis in Kirche, Gesellschaft und Kultur.
ISSN 0946-3518.
55(2),
p. 70–75.
doi:
10.14315/prth-2020-550204.
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»Verlaufskurven des Lernens und Wissens in Gemeinden«: Dieses Forschungsprojekt begleitete eine umfassende Initiative zur religiösen Bildung der Kirche von Norwegen. Es zielte einerseits darauf, anspruchsvolle pädagogische Theorien wie die soziokulturelle Entwicklungspsychologie (Lew Vygotskij) oder die Akteur-Netzwerk-Theorie (Bruno Latour) in die religionspädagogische Forschung zu integrieren. Andererseits wurden faktische Lernprozesse in Taufunterricht, Kirchenvorstand, Konfi-Teams oder Gottesdienstplanung eingehend untersucht. Die außertheologische Rezeption von ›LETRA‹ scheint erfolgreicher zu sein als seine innerkirchliche Wirkung.
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Forsström, Sanna Erika & Afdal, Geir Sigmund
(2019).
Learning mathematics through activities with robots.
Digital Experiences in Mathematics Education.
ISSN 2199-3246.
6(1),
p. 1–21.
doi:
10.1007/s40751-019-00057-0.
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There are several countries that integrate programming into their mathematics curricula, thereby making robotics an interesting aspect of mathematics education. However, the benefits of using robotics for mathematics education are still unclear. This article addresses the use of mathematical tools with robot-based, problem-solving activities by discussing how mathematical tools are used in robot-based activities. This ethnographic intervention study took place in one secondary school in Norway as a part of an elective class in which videotaped data were gathered by observing the activity of groups of two or three students using Lego Mindstorm robots during an eight-week period. Through the use of activity system analysis in Cultural–Historical Activity Theory, we found that students used different kinds of mathematical tools. Furthermore, we found that mathematics can change its role from instrumental tool to object, that is, to an integrated aspect of the purpose of the activity.
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Schjetne, Espen; Afdal, Hilde Wågsås; Anker, Trine; Johannesen, Nina & Afdal, Geir Sigmund
(2018).
Empirical moral philosophy and teacher education.
In Martin, Christopher & Ruitenberg, Claudia W. (Ed.),
Ethics in Professional Education.
Routledge.
ISSN 9781138562820.
p. 29–41.
doi:
10.4324/9781315121352-3.
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Tidligere publisert i: Ethics and Education, vol. 11, issue 1 (March 2016), pp 29-41
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Afdal, Geir Sigmund
(2018).
Mellom effektivitet og verdier? : om accountability-politikk og læreres profesjonelle verdier.
In Schjetne, Espen & Skrefsrud, Thor Andre (Ed.),
Å være lærer i en mangfoldig skole: Kulturelt og religiøst mangfold, profesjonsverdier og verdigrunnlag.
Gyldendal Akademisk.
ISSN 9788205512252.
p. 220–237.
Full text in Research Archive
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Holmqvist, Morten & Afdal, Geir
(2015).
Modes of learning and the making of religion : the Norwegian and Finnish curricula for confirmation.
Nordic Journal of Religion and Society.
ISSN 0809-7291.
28(1),
p. 1–20.
Full text in Research Archive
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Nygaard, Marianne Rodriguez & Afdal, Geir
(2015).
Caring to know or knowing to care? The relationship between knowledge creation and caring in the theological education of Christian social work professionals.
Journal of Adult Theological Education.
ISSN 1740-7141.
12(1),
p. 16–29.
doi:
10.1179/1740714115Z.00000000033.
Full text in Research Archive
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Law, John; Afdal, Geir; Asdal, Kristin; Lin, Wen-yuan; Moser, Ingunn Brita & Singleton, Vicky
(2014).
Modes of Syncretism:Notes on Noncoherence.
Common Knowledge.
ISSN 0961-754X.
20(1),
p. 172–192.
doi:
10.1215/0961754X-2374817.
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Many European societies are confronted by critical challenges. Traditional forms of authority are contested. Political authority has been displaced, scientific and medical expertise is questioned, and religious authority returns. There are ethnic and religious differences and conflicts, debates about migration and about the boundaries of the European community, its values and heritage. This article explores and characterizes what happens when authorities meet and negotiate their difference. To do this we draw on insights, analytical resources, and approaches from studies of Science, Technology and Society (STS). This discipline has developed powerful tools for exploring how practices generate different forms of knowledge, expertise and authority in specialist locations including laboratories, hospitals and organisations. However, STS remains underdeveloped in two crucial respects. First, the extent to which it has explored differences between major forms of authority is limited. This is a significant omission in an era of contested authority when, for instance, faith in science or in biomedicine is being challenged by the rise of new forms of religious authority or alternative therapies. Second, its concern with normativities and values involved in the enactment of authority has been similarly restricted. This, too, is a significant STS failing in an era when ethnic and religious diversity, ageing populations with the increasing need for chronic and end of life care, the role of the state and of parliamentary politics and authority, and state-religion relations are all crucial issues of controversy. This is the context for the article. Since authority is chronically contested and negotiated, the core problem addressed is to understand how such differences and contestations unfold in practice. In particular it analyzes how religion is involved, how religion interacts with other authorities and how these interactions constitute the enactment and development of normativity in society. The article investigates the forms of competence, knowledge and values authorities are committed to. It explores how such encounters are structured. It explores how they avoid turning those differences into overt conflicts. It explores what happens when conflict is not averted. It explores how conflicts are then rendered manageable. It explores and characterizes the skills involved, and examines whether the encounters reveal characteristic patterns or styles.
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Afdal, Geir
(2014).
Pedagogisk hverdagsetikk.
In Afdal, Geir; Røthing, Åse & Schjetne, Espen (Ed.),
Empirisk etikk i pedagogiske praksiser : artikulasjon, forstyrrelse, ekspansjon.
Cappelen Damm Akademisk.
ISSN 9788202457389.
p. 200–224.
Full text in Research Archive
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Afdal, Geir; Røthing, Åse & Schjetne, Espen
(2014).
Bidrag til en empirisk pedagogisk etikk.
In Afdal, Geir; Røthing, Åse & Schjetne, Espen (Ed.),
Empirisk etikk i pedagogiske praksiser : artikulasjon, forstyrrelse, ekspansjon.
Cappelen Damm Akademisk.
ISSN 9788202457389.
p. 11–29.
Full text in Research Archive
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Afdal, Geir
(2014).
Etiske og pedagogiske logikker.
In Afdal, Geir; Røthing, Åse & Schjetne, Espen (Ed.),
Empirisk etikk i pedagogiske praksiser : artikulasjon, forstyrrelse, ekspansjon.
Cappelen Damm Akademisk.
ISSN 9788202457389.
p. 30–51.
Full text in Research Archive
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Nygaard, Marianne Rodriguez & Afdal, Geir Sigmund
(2013).
Deacons' professional practice as knowledge creation : taking "see-judge-act" a step further.
Prismet.
ISSN 0032-8847.
64(2),
p. 107–121.
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Prismet - Forskning
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Holmqvist, Morten & Afdal, Geir Sigmund
(2013).
Learning to become a youth minister : how youth ministry as a profession relates to youth ministry as an academic discipline.
Prismet.
ISSN 0032-8847.
64(2),
p. 95–105.
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Prismet - Forskning
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Afdal, Geir Sigmund
(2013).
De store spørsmål og de små samtaler : læreren som leder og deltager i arbeid med religion.
In Christensen, Hanne & Ulleberg, Inger (Ed.),
Klasseledelse, fag og danning.
Gyldendal Akademisk.
ISSN 9788205425583.
p. 191–210.
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Afdal, Geir Sigmund
(2013).
Danningens objektivitet : trialogiske perspektiver på religion, filosofi og etikk i barnehagen.
In Øksnes, Maria & Steinsholt, Kjetil (Ed.),
Danning i barnehagen : perspektiver og muligheter.
Cappelen Damm Akademisk.
ISSN 9788202368609.
p. 188–204.
Full text in Research Archive
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Afdal, Geir Sigmund
(2011).
Hvordan skjer læring i menigheter?
Halvårsskift for praktisk teologi: Bihefte til Luthersk kirketidende.
ISSN 0800-6857.
28(2),
p. 30–31.
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Afdal, Geir Sigmund
(2011).
Veiledning som moralsk virksomhet.
In Karlsen, Thorbjørn (Eds.),
Veiledning under nye vilkår : skapende prosesser i møtet mellom veileder og veisøker.
Gyldendal Akademisk.
ISSN 9788205415355.
p. 124–139.
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Afdal, Geir
(2011).
Teologi som teoretisk og praktisk aktivitet.
Tidsskrift for teologi og kirke.
ISSN 0040-7194.
82(2),
p. 87–109.
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Afdal, Geir
(2010).
Toleranse som filosofisk og diskursivt grenseobjekt.
In Henriksen, Jan-Olav & Søvik, Atle Ottesen (Ed.),
Livstolkning i skole, kultur og kirke : festskrift til Peder Gravem.
Tapir Akademisk Forlag.
ISSN 9788251926126.
p. 21–32.
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Afdal, Hilde & Afdal, Geir
(2010).
The hidden context : the dilemma of context in social and educational research.
In Kvam, Sigmund; Knutsen, Karen Patrick & Langemeyer, Peter (Ed.),
Textsorten und kulturelle Kompetenz : interdisziplinäre Beiträge zur Textwissenschaft.
Waxmann Verlag.
ISSN 9783830922537.
p. 51–70.
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Gemeinsamer Gegenstand der Beiträge ist der sprachliche Text in und zwischen den Kulturen, der aus sprachwissenschaftlicher, literaturwissenschaftlicher und sozialwissenschaftlicher Perspektive behandelt wird. Die Themen der Beiträge sind weit gefächert: Neben theoretischen Fragen zum Textverstehen und zur Übersetzung werden Textsorten wie Gebrauchsanweisungen, Lehrpläne und Gegenwartsromane untersucht sowie Kommunikationsstrukturen in der Wissenschaft, im Bildungswesen, im Gesundheitswesen und in der Wirtschaft analysiert. Der Sammelband ist aus einer interdisziplinären und internationalen Tagung hervorgegangen, die 2009 an der Gesamthochschule Østfold (Halden, Norwegen) stattfand. Die Autoren arbeiten an Hochschulen und Universitäten in Dänemark, Griechenland, Norwegen, Österreich und Schweden.
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Afdal, Geir
(2010).
The maze of tolerance.
In Engebretson, Kate; Souza, Marian de; Durka, Gloria & Gearon, Liam (Ed.),
International Handbook of Inter-religious Education.
Springer.
ISSN 9781402092732.
p. 597–615.
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Afdal, Geir
(2008).
Värde utan grund - men med begrundning?
In Olsson, Susanne & Thurfjell, David (Ed.),
Hermeneutik, didaktik och teologi. En vänbok til Björn Skogar.
Susanne Olsson & David Thurfjell.
p. 87–96.
Full text in Research Archive
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Afdal, Geir
(2008).
Læring er en risikosport.
In Stange, Dag (Eds.),
Størst av alt : sammen om trosopplæring.
Kirkerådet.
p. 16–17.
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Geir Afdal er intervjuet av Marit Rasten
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Børresen, Beate; Selnes, Kjartan & Afdal, Geir
(2008).
Å se det felles i det forskjellige.
Prismet.
ISSN 0032-8847.
59(3),
p. 152–164.
Full text in Research Archive
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Afdal, Geir
(2008).
Neo-Aristotelianism and the practice of theorizing religious education.
In Streib, Heinz; Dinter, Astrid & Söderblom, Astrid (Ed.),
Lived Religion: Conceptual, Empirical and Practical-Theological Approaches – Essays in Honor of Hans-Günter Heimbrock.
De Gruyter Brill.
ISSN 9789004163775.
p. 323–333.
Full text in Research Archive
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Afdal, Geir
(2008).
Menigheten som lærende fellesskap? : sosiokulturell læringsteoris muligheter og begrensninger som perspektiv på kirkelig læring.
Prismet.
ISSN 0032-8847.
59(4),
p. 227–245.
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Afdal, Geir
(2007).
Participative research in religious education : an argument for a dialectical understanding of theory and practice,
Researching RE teachers. RE teachers as researchers.
Waxmann Verlag.
p. 93–107.
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The article discusses the relationship between theory and practice of Religious Education and implications for research. Three possible relationships between practice and theory are analyzed: Deduction, induction and abduction. Reasons are given for the primacy of abduction, which means that practice is seen as a resource for theory. Teachers should not be reduced to material of research or agents of theory implementation, but conceived as co-researchers in researching partnerships What are we doing when we are researching religious education? One answer could be that doing research in religious education means making new theory on the social practice of religious education. The theory is produced on the basis on empirical or theoretical material, and according to standards and procedures that are accepted in the academic community in question. The point here is simply that research in religious education has two main components: Theory and practice. There are, however, a number of different ways to conceive the relationship between theory and practice. The argument in this article is that these different conceptions have consequences for how we conceive research. The article sets out to inquire the relationship between these three concepts: Theory, practice and research.
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Afdal, Geir
(2005).
Ikt og skole: Praksis og teori i lokalt og globalt perspektiv.
In Afdal, Geir (Eds.),
IKT i læringsrommet. IKT, lokal skolepraksis og globalisering.
Høgskolen i Østfold.
ISSN 9788278251768.
p. 7–11.
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I denne boken rettes søkelyset mot informasjons- og kommunikasjonsteknologi (ikt) i grunnskolens ulike fag. Samtidig er ikt en kanal ?ut i verden?, og bruk av ikt i skolen har sammenheng med videre, globale fenomener. Artiklene i boken drøfter begge temaene. Bidragsyterne er ansatte ved Avdeling for lærerutdanning, Høgskolen i Østfold og har bakgrunn fra en rekke ulike fag. Artikkelsamlingen er kommet i stand som et resultat av et nettverksprosjekt kalt IKT i læringsrommet. Det at prosjektet har hatt en klar forankring i ulike fag betyr en vektlegging at ikt må forstås i spesifikke kontekster. Å bruke ikt i norsk innebærer andre spørsmål og praksiser enn ikt i matematikk eller historie. Tanken har vært at det er først i møte med fagenes spesifikke praksis at ikt kan få en meningsfylt rolle. På den andre side innebærer også ikt som fenomen en utfordring, det stiller nye spørsmål, til fagene. Samtidig som de fleste av prosjektene har hatt en klar praktisk orientering, har de mest lokale og spesielle tiltakene sammenhenger med hva som skjer ellers i verden. Ikt i sin egenart har et globalt preg: Det bidrar til menneskelig kommunikasjon på tvers av avstand og tid. Derfor har noen av artiklene satt fokus på de mer globale perspektivene ved ikt i skolen. De kommer mot slutten av denne boken.
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View all works in NVA
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Saxegaard, Fredrik; Lövheim, Mia & Afdal, Geir Sigmund
(2026).
Doctoral supervision across boundaries : interdisciplinarity as process and practice.
Scandinavian University Press (SCUP).
ISBN 9788215074801.
230 p.
doi:
10.18261/9788215074818-26.
Full text in Research Archive
Show summary
This book explores how trends of increasing emphasis on interdisciplinarity and internationalization on the one hand, and efficiency and professionalization on the other, affect doctoral supervision. Based on experiences from a Scandinavian interdisciplinary research school, the volume explores supervision as a distributed practice in a particular context.
The volume discusses existing research on interdisciplinary doctoral education and supervision, as well as how handbooks on supervision discuss the impact of conducting interdisciplinary projects. It highlights how PhD students and supervisors experience their roles in the supervision of interdisciplinary projects and analyzes how committees evaluate interdisciplinary dissertations. Additionally, it explores processes of learning interdisciplinary research practices between Scandinavian and North American contexts.
The volume broadens the field by adding new empirical and theoretical insights on how larger transformations of the context of PhD education in late modern knowledge societies shape interdisciplinary supervision practices. The chapters confirm insights from previous research showing that supervision involves multiple agents and processes of socialization, intersecting components of identity, and negotiations between varying cultures and expectations. In addition, the book offers new insights about how alternative learning modes and continuous interactions between PhD students and supervisors across disciplines can provide fruitful spaces for handling new challenges. A core argument for practice and future research is that supervision can no longer be limited to the dyadic, pre-scheduled meetings between a supervisor and a PhD student, but needs to be approached as a distributed practice across temporal and spatial modes of organization.
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Afdal, Geir
(2006).
Tolerance and curriculum : conception of tolerance in the multicultural unitary Norwegian compulsory school.
Waxmann Verlag.
ISBN 9783830917045.
365 p.
Full text in Research Archive
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Being tolerant is considered important by most people. Tolerance is about navigating in societies of increased differences - societies where neighbours, colleagues, groups of people, even children and spouses are of different opinions and live in a different way. Besides, the ?navigator?, or the self, is experienced as more complex and changing than ever before. The greater the differences in a society, the more pressing is the issue of tolerance. But what does, however, tolerance mean? It is an ideal most people can agree with. But the process of identifying it more precicely often leads to confusion and disagreement. This study raises the question of what tolerance means in a specific multicultural context, namely education. What does tolerance mean to teachers? And does tolerance mean the same for teachers as it is defined in national curricula and in theories of tolerance? About the author Geir Afdal is associate professor in Religion, Ethics and Education and research director at the Faculty of Education, Ostfold University College in Norway.
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Solli, Kristin; Afdal, Geir Sigmund & Bjerke, Annette Hessen
(2026).
Supervisor Experiences of Doctoral Thesis Resubmission or Rejection.
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Solli, Kristin & Afdal, Geir Sigmund
(2026).
From Supervisors to Supervision: Exploring Distributed Supervision in Doctoral Education.
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Lövheim, Mia; Saxegaard, Fredrik & Afdal, Geir Sigmund
(2026).
Conclusion: Interdisciplinary PhD supervision as process and practice.
In Saxegaard, Fredrik; Lövheim, Mia & Afdal, Geir Sigmund (Ed.),
Doctoral supervision across boundaries : interdisciplinarity as process and practice.
Scandinavian University Press (SCUP).
ISSN 9788215074801.
p. 217–224.
doi:
10.18261/9788215074818-26-10.
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This book explores how trends of increasing emphasis on interdisciplinarity and internationalization on the one hand, and efficiency and professionalization on the other, affect doctoral supervision. Based on experiences from a Scandinavian interdisciplinary research school, the volume explores supervision as a distributed practice in a particular context.
The volume discusses existing research on interdisciplinary doctoral education and supervision, as well as how handbooks on supervision discuss the impact of conducting interdisciplinary projects. It highlights how PhD students and supervisors experience their roles in the supervision of interdisciplinary projects and analyzes how committees evaluate interdisciplinary dissertations. Additionally, it explores processes of learning interdisciplinary research practices between Scandinavian and North American contexts.
The volume broadens the field by adding new empirical and theoretical insights on how larger transformations of the context of PhD education in late modern knowledge societies shape interdisciplinary supervision practices. The chapters confirm insights from previous research showing that supervision involves multiple agents and processes of socialization, intersecting components of identity, and negotiations between varying cultures and expectations. In addition, the book offers new insights about how alternative learning modes and continuous interactions between PhD students and supervisors across disciplines can provide fruitful spaces for handling new challenges. A core argument for practice and future research is that supervision can no longer be limited to the dyadic, pre-scheduled meetings between a supervisor and a PhD student, but needs to be approached as a distributed practice across temporal and spatial modes of organization.
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Afdal, Geir Sigmund; Lövheim, Mia & Saxegaard, Fredrik
(2026).
Interdisciplinary doctoral supervision—between simplifications and complexities.
In Saxegaard, Fredrik; Lövheim, Mia & Afdal, Geir Sigmund (Ed.),
Doctoral supervision across boundaries : interdisciplinarity as process and practice.
Scandinavian University Press (SCUP).
ISSN 9788215074801.
p. 13–30.
doi:
10.18261/9788215074818-26-01.
Full text in Research Archive
Show summary
This book explores how trends of increasing emphasis on interdisciplinarity and internationalization on the one hand, and efficiency and professionalization on the other, affect doctoral supervision. Based on experiences from a Scandinavian interdisciplinary research school, the volume explores supervision as a distributed practice in a particular context.
The volume discusses existing research on interdisciplinary doctoral education and supervision, as well as how handbooks on supervision discuss the impact of conducting interdisciplinary projects. It highlights how PhD students and supervisors experience their roles in the supervision of interdisciplinary projects and analyzes how committees evaluate interdisciplinary dissertations. Additionally, it explores processes of learning interdisciplinary research practices between Scandinavian and North American contexts.
The volume broadens the field by adding new empirical and theoretical insights on how larger transformations of the context of PhD education in late modern knowledge societies shape interdisciplinary supervision practices. The chapters confirm insights from previous research showing that supervision involves multiple agents and processes of socialization, intersecting components of identity, and negotiations between varying cultures and expectations. In addition, the book offers new insights about how alternative learning modes and continuous interactions between PhD students and supervisors across disciplines can provide fruitful spaces for handling new challenges. A core argument for practice and future research is that supervision can no longer be limited to the dyadic, pre-scheduled meetings between a supervisor and a PhD student, but needs to be approached as a distributed practice across temporal and spatial modes of organization.
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Solli, Kristin & Afdal, Geir Sigmund
(2025).
From supervisors to supervision: Experiences of distributed doctoral supervision.
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Afdal, Geir Sigmund
(2020).
De store spørsmål og de små samtaler : læreren som leder og deltager i arbeid med religion.
In Christensen, Hanne & Ulleberg, Inger (Ed.),
Klasseledelse, fag og danning. 2.utgave.
Gyldendal Akademisk.
ISSN 9788205531871.
p. 202–219.
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Afdal, Geir Sigmund
(2019).
Trond Eilliv Hauge: Å planlegge og designe undervisning.
Prismet.
ISSN 0032-8847.
70(2),
p. 177–178.
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Schjetne, Espen; Afdal, Hilde Wågsås; Johannesen, Nina; Anker, Trine & Afdal, Geir
(2016).
Profesjonsetisk refleksjon i barnehagen.
p. 60–62.
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Anker, Trine; Afdal, Hilde Wågsås; Johannesen, Nina; Schjetne, Espen & Afdal, Geir
(2016).
Et språk for etikk: Læreres profesjonsetiske forståelser og praksis.
Bedre Skole.
ISSN 0802-183X.
p. 64–67.
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Afdal, Hilde Wågsås; Afdal, Geir; Anker, Trine; Johannesen, Nina & Schjetne, Espen
(2016).
Læreres profesjonsetikk i fokus.
Prismet.
ISSN 0032-8847.
67(2),
p. 87–91.
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Prismet - Refleksjon
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Anker, Trine & Afdal, Geir
(2015).
“I stopped crossing the street on red. I am a teacher.” The making of professional ethics in teacher education and teacher practice.
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Afdal, Geir
(2013).
Hvor går RLE-faget?
Religion og livssyn : Tidsskrift for religionslærerforeningen i Norge.
ISSN 0802-8214.
25(3),
p. 12–14.
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Afdal, Geir Sigmund
(2012).
Supervision as moral activity : moral theories as mediating artifacts in the practice of supervision.
Reflective practice : formation and supervision in ministry.
ISSN 0160-7774.
32,
p. 238–255.
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Afdal, Geir
(2010).
Harald Hegstad, Anne Schanche Selbekk og Olaf Aagedal: Når tro skal læres: sju fortellinger om lokal trosopplæring.
Tidsskrift for teologi og kirke.
ISSN 0040-7194.
81(3),
p. 235–237.
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Afdal, Geir
(2010).
Anders Molander og Lars Inge Terum (red.): Profesjonsstudier.
Tidsskrift for teologi og kirke.
ISSN 0040-7194.
81(1),
p. 69–73.
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Afdal, Geir
(2009).
Kronikk : Hvorfor skal vi ha religionsundervisning i offentlig skole?
Lys og Liv.
ISSN 0803-1657.
75(1),
p. 16–17.
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Afdal, Geir
(2008).
Fragmentert dannelse eller dannelse av fragmenter? : om dannelse, religion, "vår tid" og vårt sted.
Religion og livssyn : Tidsskrift for religionslærerforeningen i Norge.
ISSN 0802-8214.
20(4),
p. 58–69.
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Afdal, Geir
(2008).
Etikk i planleggingen : fundament, ferniss eller armering?
Plan - tidsskrift for samfunnsplanlegging, regional- og byutvikling.
ISSN 0805-083X.
p. 4–11.
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Afdal, Geir
(2008).
Læring i menigheten eller for livet?
Luthersk Kirketidende.
ISSN 0332-5431.
143(19),
p. 493–494.
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Afdal, Geir
(2007).
Legitimering av religion som fag i den flerkulturelle skolen.
Bedre Skole.
ISSN 0802-183X.
p. 62–67.
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Jo mer vesentlig religion er eller bør være, desto bedre argumenter finnes det for et religionsfag i skolen. De fremste argumentene for og mot religionsundervisning i skolen blir her beskrevet og drøftet.
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Afdal, Geir
(2007).
Globalization, economic educational discourse and analytical language in RE-research.
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In this paper I discuss the relationship between constitutive discourses of social practices and the consequences for research in religious education. The main argument is that due to globalization, an economic discourse is influencing not only religious education as a school practice, but also research in religious education. That a discourse is constitutive does not mean that it is absolutely determinative. This means that RE-research should be self-critically positioning itself. I argue that critical re-articulation is a main task of research of religious education. This viewpoint is contrasted with the argument that RE-research should make prescriptive theories, made by for instance Michael Grimmitt. I argue that a research strategy of ?going above and below? may be a fruitful approach.
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Afdal, Geir
(2006).
Practice as theoretical resource.
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In sociocultural theory (Lave, Wenger and others) a central thought is that learning is situated, relational and distributed in social practices. On this account a practice is not a place for implementation of general knowledge formulated in principles. It is an activity-system (Engeström) characterized by expansion of knowledge and learning. From a different theoretical tradition MacIntyre understands practice as a social activity with internal goods. This means that the standards of the social practice are found within, not in external political or economical values or languages. This paper raises the question whether this conception of practice is a valuable perspective of religious education. A central theme for discussion is the conception of the relationship between 1) religious education as theorized in the practice of research and 2) religious education as practiced and theorized in educational practices like schools. On one hand religious education as an educational practice is developing activity and understanding which is a theoretical resource for research. On the other hand this activity and understanding has to be given a theoretical language that can communicate between the practices of research and education. Such a language is seen as a key to valid theoretical expansion of religious education
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Afdal, Hilde Wågsås; Schjetne, Espen; Anker, Trine; Afdal, Geir & Johannesen, Nina
(2015).
Etikk i profesjonell praksis : et forskningsprosjekt knyttet til Utdanningsforbundets implementering av Lærerprofesjonens etiske plattform.
Høgskolen i Østfold.
ISSN 9788278254424.
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Afdal, Geir
(2005).
IKT i læringsrommet. IKT, lokal skolepraksis og globalisering.
Høgskolen i Østfold.
ISSN 9788278251768.
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I denne boken rettes søkelyset mot informasjons- og kommunikasjonsteknologi (ikt) i grunnskolens ulike fag. Samtidig er ikt en kanal ?ut i verden?, og bruk av ikt i skolen har sammenheng med videre, globale fenomener. Artiklene i boken drøfter begge temaene. Bidragsyterne er ansatte ved Avdeling for lærerutdanning, Høgskolen i Østfold og har bakgrunn fra en rekke ulike fag. Artikkelsamlingen er kommet i stand som et resultat av et nettverksprosjekt kalt IKT i læringsrommet. Det at prosjektet har hatt en klar forankring i ulike fag betyr en vektlegging at ikt må forstås i spesifikke kontekster. Å bruke ikt i norsk innebærer andre spørsmål og praksiser enn ikt i matematikk eller historie. Tanken har vært at det er først i møte med fagenes spesifikke praksis at ikt kan få en meningsfylt rolle. På den andre side innebærer også ikt som fenomen en utfordring, det stiller nye spørsmål, til fagene. Samtidig som de fleste av prosjektene har hatt en klar praktisk orientering, har de mest lokale og spesielle tiltakene sammenhenger med hva som skjer ellers i verden. Ikt i sin egenart har et globalt preg: Det bidrar til menneskelig kommunikasjon på tvers av avstand og tid. Derfor har noen av artiklene satt fokus på de mer globale perspektivene ved ikt i skolen. De kommer mot slutten av denne boken.
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Afdal, Geir
(2005).
Tolerance and curriculum. Conceptions of tolerance in the multicultural unitary Norwegian compulsory school.
Unipub forlag.
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Å være tolerant er viktig for folk flest. Det handler om å navigere i samfunn preget av stadig større mangfold, og hvor naboen, arbeidskollegaen, grupper av mennesker, ja, til og med barn og ektefelle, er av andre meninger og lever annerledes enn en selv. Og hvor vi selv er mer sammensatte og foranderlige enn tidligere. Jo større grunnleggende forskjeller i et samfunn, desto mer aktuelt blir spørsmålet om toleranse. Men hva betyr egentlig toleranse? Det er et ideal de aller fleste kan være enig i, men når det skal bestemmes nærmere oppstår raskt uklarhet og uenighet. Denne studien stiller spørsmålet om hva toleranse er i en bestemt sosial sammenheng, nemlig norsk grunnskole. I norsk grunnskole er det meste av mangfoldet i Norge samlet – og samtidig må skolen og lærerne hver dag ta stilling til hva som er best, riktigst og sannest. Problemstillingen er nærmere bestemt hva toleranse betyr på tre områder i grunnskolens læreplan: Hos lærerne, i den nasjonale læreplanen og i den filosofisk-pedagogiske akademiske debatten. Spørsmålet er om toleranse betyr det samme i disse ulike områdene. Hvis Norge som nasjon ønsker å være med på å forme folks forståelse av toleranse gjennom en nasjonal læreplan, er det vesentlig at grunnskolelærerne legger noenlunde det samme i begrepet. Avhandlingen består av derfor av en tre-delt toleranse-analyse: For det første blir intervjuer om toleranse med 15 grunnskolelærere fra tre norske grunnskoler med ulik type forskjellighet analysert. Deretter blir toleranseforståelsen i Læreplanverket fra 1997 tolket. Og for det tredje analyseres en rekke norske akademiske artikler om toleranse. En sammenligning av toleranseforståelsene mellom de tre områdene viser at de er forskjellige på en rekke sentrale punkter. I den akademiske debatten opererer de fleste med en liberal forståelse av toleranse som fant sin grunnleggende form på 1700- og 1800-tallet. Toleranse er begrenset til situasjoner med individuell moralsk uenighet og forstått som en siste utvei. I den nasjonale læreplanen er toleranseforståelsen preget av forskjellen mellom det/de norske og det/de andre. Hos grunnskolelærerne kan man finne tegn til en ekspansjon i forståelse av toleranse. Toleranse er ikke en sikkerhetsventil, men en av de mest sentrale idealene i et samfunn preget av mangfold. Å være tolerant er dessuten det samme som å være en god lærer: Å balansere og forhandle mellom det å være profesjonell og rettferdig på den ene side og omsorgfull og autentisk på den andre. Det er derfor grunn til å hevde at toleranse betyr ulike ting hos ulike aktører i den norske grunnskoles læreplan. Samtidig har grunnskolelærernes toleransebegrep stort potensiale i utviklingen av forståelsen av toleranse i et samfunn preget av radikal forskjell. Det er gode grunner for de som skriver læreplaner og de som forsker teoretisk og empirisk på toleranse å vurdere bidragene fra lærernes praksisforankrede forståelse. Den er utformet i daglig relasjon med ulike typer forskjeller, hvor praktiske løsninger og forståelser er påkrevet. Videre betyr det at læreplanarbeid bør drives som en kommunikasjonsprosess mellom ulike deltagere, ikke som politisk bestemte forståelser som skal iverksettes nedover i skoleverket. Being tolerant is considered as important by most people. Tolerance is about navigating in societies of increased difference societies where neighbours, colleagues, groups of people, even children and spouse are of different opinions and live different than you do. And a society where I as a self am more complex and changing than ever before. The larger differences in a society, the more pressuring the issue of tolerance is. But what does tolerance really mean? It is an ideal most people can agree with. But the process of identifying it clearer often leads to
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Published June 12, 2018 4:23 PM
- Last modified Feb. 9, 2026 3:51 AM
