Hege Fimreite

Field of work

Research

My postdoctoral project, from April 2023 to December 2025, is part of the EX-PED-LAB project (Exploration and Pedagogical Innovation Laboratory), work package 5's replication study that examines the workshop methodology in kindergarten teacher training. The research investigates co-creation processes between students, subject teachers, practice teachers, researchers, and external actors, to strengthen education. One of the projects, LEIKFORSK, includes workshops across areas of knowledge with an emphasis on play as a common theme. The project challenges established teaching practices and role patterns, and investigates possible transformative learning for students and teachers. Tentative results show that collective understanding and ownership and breaking established patterns of action, support transformative learning, guests in co-creation, and unclear division of responsibilities can hinder transformative learning.

I defended my Ph.D. thesis, "Peer Counseling and Change of Collective Knowledge in ECEC Institution", in February 2022. The thesis thematizes peer counseling as a professional learning community and explores how peer counseling can provide a space for kindergarten teachers’ critical look at practice. The main research question is: "How can systematic peer counseling contribute to changing the collective knowledge in ECEC institutions by turning individual experience into common knowledge?"  

I am the leader of the research group "Leadership in Educational Systems" and a member of the research area of Pedagogical Innovation in KINDknow - ECEC Knowledge Centre for Systemic Research on Diversity and Sustainable Futures.

Previous experience

From spring 2011 to autumn 2015, I worked as an assistant professor in kindergarten teacher education at Sogn &Fjordane University College (HiSF) with counseling and leadership as the main courses.

From the autumn of 2015, I was the head of ECEC teacher education at HiSF until the spring of 2018 when HiSF became HVL. From September 2017 to December 2018, I was a member of the Ministry of Education Expert Group on Kindergarten Teacher Role.

Previously, I worked as an assistant and manager of an ECEC institution as a manager of SFO, and I have also worked for 10 years as an educational therapist at BUP.

Education

I have my education as an ECEC teacher from Volda University College, with a major in organization and leadership. I completed the main subject in ECEC pedagogy in Trondheim, a collaboration between DMMH and NTNU. Title of the main thesis: «Vi ska' leike i fred – ei gransking av barna sitt samspel i leik som kjelde til læring og utvikling». A Ph.D. education I have from Western Norway University of Applied Sciences and the doctoral program "Bildung and didactic practices".