Berit Reitan

Berit Reitan serves as a Senior Lecturer at the Science Center (Naturfagsenteret) of the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) in Trondheim, Norway. Her work centers on science education innovation, specifically for vocational pathways, teacher competence development, and utilizing outdoor environments as pedagogical spaces. She maintains an active research profile while bridging academic theory with practical classroom applications.

Her educational foundation includes a master's degree in science education complemented by direct teaching experience spanning middle school and high school levels. This practitioner background deeply informs her research methodology and practical focus.

Reitan's research program systematically investigates science didactics through three interconnected pillars: vocational science education (analyzing curriculum flexibility and relevance), teacher professional development (examining professional learning communities and online collaboration), and contextualized learning (leveraging outdoor spaces and workplace connections). Her work consistently addresses the tension between standardized curricula and the need for vocationally relevant science instruction, emphasizing teacher agency in curriculum interpretation.

Analysis of her 2018-2025 publications reveals evolving methodological sophistication in studying teacher communities and curriculum implementation. Early work (2018-2019) established foundational observations of classroom practices, while recent studies (2022-2025) employ nuanced analysis of teacher conversations, program design, and sustainability integration. Her research increasingly incorporates multi-institutional collaboration and examines systemic factors affecting vocational science education.

Reitan actively contributes to institutional projects including 'Research and development of Science courses' and 'The outdoor space – the local environment as a learning arena,' demonstrating sustained commitment to translating research into practical educational frameworks. Her collaborative approach involves regular partnerships with colleagues across Norwegian educational institutions to develop evidence-based teacher training models.