Kjartan Belseth

Kjartan Belseth is a Senior Lecturer in Pedagogy at Østfold University College (HiØ), specializing in Early Childhood Education. He holds a PhD candidate position at NTNU, focusing on pedagogy within educational leadership and diversity. His research explores religion in kindergartens, multilingual children's inclusion, and decolonial practices. Belseth teaches pedagogy in full-time and part-time kindergarten teacher training programs and has served in roles like Course Leader for 'Art, Culture and Creativity' and Section Head for the Pedagogy Section. He is actively involved in research networks like NORBARN and the Nordic Research School for Educational Research.

Education

• Bachelor's in Early Childhood Education (Oslo University College)
• Master's in Early Childhood Pedagogy (Oslo and Akershus University College)
• PhD candidate in Educational Science at NTNU

Research Interests
Belseth’s work centers on educational philosophy, postcolonial theory, and leadership in early childhood settings. Key projects include 'Gender-Equal Educational Leadership' and 'Diversity in Kindergarten,' collaborating with researchers like Tina Binfield-Skøie. His publications address topics like religion’s role in education, multilingual children’s positioning, and ethical challenges in early childhood research.

Recent Trends in Publications
His recent articles emphasize social justice (e.g., Black Lives Matter discourse in kindergartens), critical pedagogy (Hannah Arendt’s influence), and ethical dilemmas in early childhood studies. He consistently advocates for inclusive practices and decolonizing educational frameworks.

Awards & Recognition

• Nominated for Årets barnehageinspirator (2017, 2023)
• Recipient of the Laurbærbladet Award (2019) for supervising an award-winning thesis

Professional Roles
Belseth currently leads the PhD group at DMMH and has held positions such as Course Supervisor for Bachelor’s theses and External Examiner at other institutions. He co-authored textbooks on kindergarten diversity and actively contributes to academic journals as a peer reviewer.

Current Projects

• PhD thesis on kindergarten leadership dynamics
• Collaborative projects on Sami perspectives in teacher education