Kari Iren Spernes

Kari Iren Spernes is a Professor at the Department of Education, ICT and Learning at Oslo Metropolitan University (HIOF). Her work bridges teacher education and multicultural education research, with a focus on bilingual teachers, educational transitions, and student participation in research. She has extensive experience as a primary and lower secondary school teacher (1983–2006) before transitioning to teacher education in 2006. She holds a Master’s in Multicultural and International Education.

Her research interests include language and identity, multicultural education policies, and innovative methodologies in teacher training. She collaborates internationally with institutions such as Moi University (Kenya) and Örebro University (Sweden). Notable projects include studies on school transitions, bilingual teacher professional identity, and the role of fiction in teacher education.

Her publications focus on educational equity, student perspectives during school transitions, and the integration of multilingual learners. Recent work examines how picture books and novels can foster intercultural awareness in early education. She emphasizes collaborative, research-based approaches to learning, integrating student co-researchers in her projects.

Key collaborations include the 'Bærekraftsprosjekt' involving picture books in kindergartens and studies on multilingual education in rural Kenya. Her research highlights the importance of recognizing cultural diversity in educational systems and empowering marginalized student groups through inclusive pedagogy.