Nora Elise Hesby Mathé

Nora Elise Hesby Mathé is an Associate Professor at the Department of Teacher Education and School Research, University of Oslo. Her work focuses on social studies education, with expertise in politics and democracy, classroom research, and mixed methods. She contributes to projects evaluating curriculum reforms in Norway (EDUCATE) and investigates Nordic teaching quality through the Nordic Centre of Excellence (QUINT), leading the Quality in Social Science Teaching (QUISST) study and participating in the LISA Nordic project.

• PhD in Social Studies Didactics (2019), University of Oslo
• Master’s in Social Studies Didactics (2010), University of Oslo

Her research explores how students develop conceptual understanding of democracy and citizenship, balancing life skills education with academic rigor. She investigates scaffolding practices, digital competence, and the role of teacher education in fostering democratic engagement. Projects include analyzing curriculum reforms, student participation in democratic processes, and cross-Nordic collaborations.

Nora leads and co-supervises PhD and MA students in social studies didactics. She is affiliated with research groups like SISCO (Studies of Instruction across Subjects and Competences) and networks such as NOR-CAM at NTNU and QUINT. Her work bridges classroom practices with broader educational policies, emphasizing student agency and teacher professional development.

• Distinguished Educator, University of Oslo (2023–)
• Merited Educator, University of Oslo (2023–)
• Deputy Chair, Academy for Young Researchers (2023–2024)
• Editorial roles: Area Editor for Social Sciences (Acta Didactica Norden), Board Member (Nordic Journal of Youth Research)