Research group

iREACH - Innovative Research in Education and Practice for Nursing and Health Sciences

iReach is a research group that enhances teaching and learning at FSH through interdisciplinary SoTL research, collaboration, innovation, and pedagogical development in health sciences.

About iREACH

The iReach research group focuses on advancement of excellence in teaching and learning at FSH through interdisciplinary educational research driven by the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) approach. iREACH empowers educators and students to co-create meaningful learning experiences by fostering a culture of reflective practice, collaboration, and innovation. We are committed to supporting academic staff at all career levels in research, adopting scholarly perspectives on teaching, promoting interdisciplinary exchange, and disseminating innovative pedagogical practices. Through our research, development, and communication initiatives in nursing and health professions education, we contribute to the ongoing development of a learning-centered academic community, quality assurance, while strengthening national and international cooperations.

The research group pursues two goals with its activities:

  1. Conduct research, development, and communication in the field of educational research for nursing and health professions as a traditional activity of a research group
  2. Measures to stimulate increased pedagogical development work within the faculty as a specific goal of a research group in the field of educational research for nursing and health professions

  • The research fields of iREACH reflect the ambition to generate research based, innovative, and practice-oriented impulses for pedagogical and didactic development in nursing and health professions education. At the center lies the exploration and advancement of teaching and learning processes across diverse disciplinary contexts, always with consideration of current societal challenges. Methodologically, we employ a broad spectrum of empirical approaches: in addition to quantitative methods such as surveys and statistical analyses, we draw on qualitative approaches including interviews, case studies, observations, and participatory research. This methodological diversity enables us to gain differentiated insights and to contribute sustainably to the shaping of modern educational landscapes. Our research incorporates:

    • Development and evaluation of innovative teaching/learning methods
    • Integration of digital media and technologies in nursing and health education
    • Simulation-based and practice-oriented teaching and learning
    • Requirements for the qualification of educators in nursing and health education
    • Analysis of educational pathways and transitions in nursing and health education
    • Curriculum development and evaluation
    • Methods to enhance the theory-practice transfer in nursing and health education
    • Building bridges between clinical practice and theoretical instruction
    • Comparative research of international education systems in nursing and health fields
    • Other educational research/studies
  • Head of research group

    Prof. Marcel Köhler

    Which subject group does the research group fall under?

    Not yet clarified.

  • NameFunctionPosition
    Marcel KöhlerHeadProfessor, FSH 
    Gørill Haugan Asc. headProfessor, FSH
    Lars Berton Forr-GarnvikMain memberAssociate Professor, FSH
    Daniel Horst Zeiss Main member Associate Professor, FSH 
    Wenche Wannebo Main member Associate Professor, FSH 
    Ingunn Jystad Main memberAssociate Professor, FSH 
    Solveig Margrete Thomassen Main memberSenior lecturer, FSH 
    Elin Hestø Main memberUniversity lecturer, FSH 
    Ulla Olsen Strand Main member University lecturer, FSH 
    Ann-Kristin Brimi Main member PhD stipendiat, FSH 
    Andreas Kvam Sletnes Main memberPhD stipendiat, FSH 
    Anette Bartnes Dalheim Main member PhD stipendiat, FSH 
    Hilde Torheid Deputy memberPhD stipendiat, FSH 
    Marthe Bjørgum Deputy memberUniversity lecturer, FSH 
    Yvonne Hilli Deputy memberProfessor, FSH 
    Else Marie Lysfjord Deputy memberAssociate Professor, FSH 
    Amalie Hagen Nilsen Deputy memberAssociate Professor, FSH 
    Leena Honkavuo Deputy memberAssociate Professor, FSH 
    Stine Marlen Henriksen Deputy memberAssociate Professor, FSH 
    Anita TymiDeputy member Senior lecturer, FSH
    Malvin Torsvik Deputy memberDosent (merited), FSH & USN 
    Saeed Karimi Aghdam OrdaklouDeputy memberProfessor, FLU 
    Robert Kordts Deputy memberProfessor, UiB 
    Steffen Kersten Deputy memberProfessor, TU Dresden, Germany
    Maik Arnold Deputy member Professor, University of Applied Sciences Nordhausen, Germany
    Dirk Wohlrabe Deputy memberDr. phil., TU Dresden, Germany 
    Wolfgang von Gahlen-Hoops Deputy memberProfessor, Christian-Albrechts University Kiel, Germany