Gunilla Maria Eklund

Gunilla Maria Eklund is a Professor of Pedagogy at the University of Agder (Norway), holding a dual affiliation with the Department of Pedagogy within the Faculty of Education. Previously, she served as Professor II at Oslo Metropolitan University (2018–2022) and held senior academic roles at Åbo Akademi University in Finland, including Research Manager, Senior Lecturer, and Associate Professor. Her career spans over three decades, focusing on research-based teacher education, teacher professional development, and educational methodologies.

Education Background:

• Doctoral thesis (1996): Students’ ideas of learning. Conceptions, approaches, and outcomes in different educational contexts (Åbo Akademi University)
• Postdoctoral research at University of California, Berkeley under Jean Lave

Research Interests: Dr. Eklund’s work centers on advancing teacher education through research integration, particularly exploring how master’s theses and research-based assignments shape teacher competencies. Key themes include:

• Research methodologies in teacher training
• Supervision practices in academic settings
• Cross-national comparisons in education systems (Norway, Finland)
• Professional development pathways for educators

Articles Overview: Her publications (over 100 entries) emphasize research-based pedagogy, teacher educator perspectives, and student experiences in Nordic education systems. Recent works address master’s thesis supervision, science teacher training, and popular science dissemination strategies.

Grants & Advising: Extensive supervision of master’s and doctoral theses, with a focus on special education and science pedagogy. Active in collaborative Nordic research projects on teacher education reform and professional development.