Exposing Potential to Sustainable Future: Pre-service Teachers with an Immigrant Background in Norway

Abstract

Many countries, including Norway, adhere to the global education priority defined by the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 4: to guarantee inclusive and equitable education for all, irrespective of age, ethnicity, gender, or socio-economic status (UN in The sustainable development goals report. Department of Economic and Social Affairs, 2022 ). Achieving this objective depends on fostering diversity within the teaching staff, mirroring societal diversity. In essence, the teaching workforce must diversify to effectively supply to the myriad backgrounds present in a heterogeneous classroom. Teacher education stands as the primary gateway to realising a diverse teaching staff. This explorative study aims to foreground the voices of pre-service teachers with an immigrant background (IMB), examine their perspectives on being enrolled in Norwegian teacher education (TED), and investigate their experiences. The study was informed by Bronfenbrenner’s ecological theory (Bronfenbrenner , 2005). The data were gathered using qualitative semi-structured interviews with pre-service teachers with an immigrant background (IMB). Using qualitative content analysis, four main themes were identified. The results show that studying TED is challenged by language and cultural barriers and requires the development of coping strategies. The findings underscore the imperative for policymakers to critically evaluate the structure and substance of the Norwegian curriculum and teacher education programs, particularly in how they contribute to the sustainable development agenda. There is an increasing need to recognise and force pre-service teachers with IMB as valuable resources, shifting away from labelling them as mere “problems”. Moreover, teacher educators must cultivate a vulnerable level of reflexivity and sensitivity regarding the discourse surrounding pre-service teachers with IMB in teacher education programs. This approach is essential for fostering inclusivity, diversity, and sustainability in education systems.