Anne-Line Bjerknes

Anne-Line Bjerknes is an Associate Professor in the Department of Mathematics and Science at the University of Southeast Norway (USN), Faculty of Humanities, Sports and Educational Sciences, based at the Drammen Campus. She has held this position since 2018 and maintains an active research profile focused primarily on early childhood education, with special emphasis on science and mathematics education.

Her educational background includes a PhD in ecology from the Norwegian University of Life Sciences (NMBU), a Cand. Scient. in Biology, and a Cand. Mag with concentrations in multiple scientific disciplines from the University of Oslo (UiO). With 22 years of teaching experience across all educational levels (8 years in higher education, 10 in secondary, and 4 in primary school), she brings substantial practical knowledge to her academic work.

Bjerknes's research primarily focuses on how children learn science through emotions, curiosity, play, and conversations in kindergarten settings. She serves as head of the 'Holistic learning in kindergarten' (BaHel) research group and is actively involved in the BRIDGES project on interdisciplinary didactics in teacher education. Her work bridges theoretical research with practical applications in early childhood education, with particular attention to creating supportive psychosocial environments for young learners.

Her publication record shows consistent output from 2010 to 2023, demonstrating a progression from ecological research (her PhD focus) to educational research. Recent publications emphasize digital science activities in kindergarten, interdisciplinary teacher education, and the importance of indigenous knowledge for biodiversity conservation.

• Urfolkskunnskap er avgjørende for å redde verdens biologiske mangfold (2023)
• Digitale naturfaglige aktiviteter I barnehagen (2022)
• Implementation of Profession, progression and practice in kindergarten teacher education (2022)
• STEM Conversations in Early Childhood Education (2022)
• Curiosity and Wondering in Early Childhood Education (2021)

Bjerknes actively contributes to public discourse on educational practices, notably through her 2019 critique of timeout practices in kindergarten. She collaborates extensively with the practice field through REKOMP and participates in multiple research groups focusing on science didactics, teaching quality, and holistic approaches to early childhood education. Her leadership of the BaHel research group demonstrates her commitment to advancing comprehensive educational approaches that connect various learning domains through play and emotional engagement.