Ellen Berg

Ellen Berg serves as an Associate Professor in the Department of Teacher Education and Outdoor Studies at the Norwegian School of Sport Sciences (NIH). With a PhD in sports science from NIH (2013), her career bridges academic research with extensive practical experience from 20 years as a special educator at TRS Competence Center for Rare Diagnoses at Sunnaas Hospital and prior roles as a physical education teacher and department head in upper secondary school.

Her educational foundation includes:

• Lecturer training in physical education from HINN (formerly Elverum Teacher College)
• Special needs education with focus on physical disabilities from University of Oslo
• Master's degree in sports science with sports pedagogy specialization from NIH
• PhD in sports science (2013) on inclusive physical education for students with physical disabilities

Berg's research centers on creating inclusive, recognizing, and socially just physical education environments. She investigates student-teacher relationships, recognition, and interaction as foundational elements for inclusive practice, with particular attention to how interprofessional collaboration and various actors within and outside school settings affect student participation. Her methodological approach emphasizes narrative inquiry, practitioner research (including action research and self-study), and involving children directly in research processes. Her influential book 'Kroppsøving - med rom for alle' (2021) synthesizes findings from her doctoral work and contemporary research on inclusive physical education.

Analysis of her recent publications reveals a consistent trajectory toward more complex interprofessional models, with increasing attention to parental involvement, sociocultural dimensions of movement, and social justice frameworks in physical education. While maintaining her core focus on disability inclusion, her work has expanded to examine systemic barriers across educational contexts and explore innovative approaches to teacher education that better prepare educators for inclusive practice.

Berg holds significant leadership responsibilities including serving as program leader for 4-5 years in Teacher Education for Practical and Aesthetic Subjects (grades 1-13). She provides supervision at master's and PhD levels and leads multiple research initiatives such as 'Reexamining and developing pedagogies for social justice in Norwegian physical education,' 'Competence Development in Practice (KOMPRA),' and 'Improving practices together (IMPRATO).' She is an active member of the Physical Education and Pedagogy (PE-PED) research group at NIH, where she contributes to shaping research directions in inclusive physical education.