Research Group POTENT - Post Truth English Teaching

The principle aims of the research group are to explore different aspects of teaching and learning English as an additional language (EAL) in today’s complex world, and to develop innovative English language pedagogies that may be apt to responding to the social, cultural and political circumstances of the post-truth era. Central topics are critical thinking, critical (multi-)literacies, critical interculturality, ethical and environmental awareness, multimodality, controversial issues, deep learning, Bildung, and democratic citizenship.

Illustrative image with the group's logo. Photo: UiB

Affiliation

About the research group

The term post-truth was hardly used ten years ago. Today, however, misinformation is an acknowledged feature of political and societal contexts. Among the multiple factors which have contributed to the increasingly blurred lines between truth and falsehood, is the rise of social media and AI generated online content. Another issue in the post-truth era is that the pluralism which characterizes 21st century societies has made it increasingly difficult to agree on what is “good” or “bad”, “right” or “wrong”, contributing to growing political polarization and a public debate governed by absolutist views. Post-truth discourse has also come to be associated with right-wing populist forces as well as a general rejection of traditional sources of information and scientific expertise.

The research group POTENT recognises the need for responding to this situation in the teaching of EAL at all levels of education. The research emerging from this group explores how EAL educators may play a role in promoting students’ ability to navigate the multiple truths, persuasive messages and complex social relations of today’s world. This issue is examined through a variety of theoretical and methodological lenses.

Projects

Teaching videos

Linguistics and Didactics

As a teaching student, it can be challenging to create connections between everything you have learned in didactics and discipline subjects when you yourself start teaching. In this video, a teaching student presents challenges she encountered in practice related to teaching pronunciation and grammar in the English subject. Together with lecturers in linguistics and didactics, the student explains how she had to connect what she has learned in different subjects in order to solve the challenges.

Hvordan skape sammenhenger mellom lingvistikk og didaktikk i egen klasserompraksis?

Producer: Research group POTENT - "From Auditorium to Classroom"-project
Copyright: Research group POTENT - "From Auditorium to Classroom"-project

Literature and Didactics

As a teaching student, it can be challenging to create connections between everything you have learned in didactics and discipline subjects when you yourself start teaching. In this video, a teaching student presents challenges he encountered in practice related to reading and using literary texts in the English subject. Together with lecturers in literature and didactics, the student explains how she had to connect what she has learned in various subjects in order to solve the challenges.

Hvordan skape sammenhenger mellom litteratur og didaktikk i egen klasserompraksis?

Producer: Research group POTENT - "From Auditorium to Classroom"-project
Copyright: Research group POTENT - "From Auditorium to Classroom"-project

Ongoing POTENT projects

Researchers in POTENT are involved in various projects. Here is an overview of our current and past projects.

Multimodal texts in the subject of English – affordances and assessment

Student teachers’ development of multimodal text competence and their assessment of learners’ multimodal texts

Discussions of controversial issues in the classroom

The post-truth era and English language education: Critical literacies and interculturality anthology

Multimodality in Teacher Education in Norway

Challenging binary thinking through popular music
Binary thinking, i.e. the inclination to reduce complex phenomena to a set of mutually exclusive dualities such as "right" or "wrong", "true" or "false", can be regarded as a symptom of post-truth discourse. This project explores how popular music can be used as a basis for addressing and challenging binary thinking in the English language classroom. The project has multiple aims:

to develop a methodology for using popular music as a pedagogical resource when thematizing binary thinking in educational contexts
to develop a methodology for incorporating exploratory teaching in teacher education courses
to explore the above issues in an intercultural perspective, drawing on empirical data from international educational contexts

Alison Rød, PhD candidate

Article-based PhD dissertation, 2024-2028

Beyond the English Classroom: A Study of Norwegian Upper Secondary School Students’ Extramural English and Critical Thinking

My research is a continuation of my master’s thesis in which I’m interested in finding out about upper secondary Norwegian student’s involvement in extramural English, where extramural English describes the generally more informal English students engage with outside of the classroom, and in turn exploring whether synergies can be created between these formal and informal settings (in-class, out-of-class). A focus within this concept is students’ critical thinking. I will be trying to measure and assess their critical thinking within these two settings and identify any significant predictors.

Publications

Hild Hoff

Hoff, H. E., & Skulstad, A. S. (forthcoming). (Eds.). The Post-truth era and English language education: Conceptual, theoretical and empirical issues. Routledge.
Hoff, H. E. (forthcoming). From dichotomy to complexity: Popular music as a catalyst for moving beyond binary thinking. In H. E. Hoff, & A. S. Skulstad (Eds.), The Post-truth era and English language education: Conceptual, theoretical and empirical issues. Routledge.
Hoff, H. E., & Skulstad, A. S. (forthcoming). Post-truth pedagogies in English language education: Key areas of concern. In H. E. Hoff, & A. S. Skulstad (Eds.), The Post-truth era and English language education: Conceptual, theoretical and empirical issues. Routledge.
Eide, M. L. & Hoff, H. E. (forthcoming). Online controversies in the English language classroom: Facilitating critical engagement with social media texts. In Anker, T., Lippe, M. Von der, & Sæle, C. (Eds.), Kontroversielle tema i utdanning – hva står på spill? [Controversial issues in education – what is at stake?]. Universitetsforlaget.
Andersen, I. V., Eide, M. L., Hoff, H. E., Lippe, M. von der, & Lomsdalen, C. (forthcoming). “Jeg ville ikke gått i fengsel for det, liksom”: Utforskende undervisning om sivil ulydighet som kontroversielt tema [I wouldn’t, like, go to jail for it: Exploratory teaching about civil disobedience as a controversial issue]. In Anker, T., Lippe, M. Von der, & Sæle, C. (Eds.), Kontroversielle tema i utdanning – hva står på spill? [Controversial issues in education – what is at stake?]. Universitetsforlaget.
Hoff, H. E. (Guest Ed.) (2022). Special Issue: Reimagining the role of literature in intercultural language education: New aApproaches and fFuture pPerspectives (2022). Intercultural Communication Education, 5 (3)
Hoff, H. E. (2022). Introduction to the Special Issue. Intercultural Communication Education, 5 (3), 64-67.
Hoff, H.E., & Habegger-Conti, J. (2022). Film and the intercultural multimodal reader: Expanding intercultural literary literacy as a theoretical and pedagogical concept. Intercultural Communication Education, 5 (3), 68-85.
Hoff, H. E. (2022). Promoting 21st century skills through classroom encounters with English language literature in Norway: Theoretical and practical considerations. In M. Dypedahl (Ed.), Moving English language teaching forward: Festschrift to Ragnhild Elisabeth Lund (pp. 165-194). Oslo: Cappelen Damm Akademisk
Hoff, H. E. (2020). Intercultural competence. In A.-B. Fenner & A. S. Skulstad, Teaching English in the 21st century: Basic issues in English didactics. Bergen: Fagbokforlaget.
Hoff, H. E. (2020). The evolution of intercultural communicative competence: Conceptualisations, critiques, and consequences for 21st century classroom practice. Intercultural Communication Education, 3 (2), 55-74

Aud Solbjørg Skulstad

Hoff, H. E., & Skulstad, A. S. (forthcoming). (Eds.). The Post-truth era and English language education: Conceptual, theoretical and empirical issues. Routledge.
Hoff, H. E., & Skulstad, A. S. (forthcoming). Post-truth pedagogies in English language education: Key areas of concern. In H. E. Hoff, & A. S. Skulstad (Eds.), The Post-truth era and English language education: Conceptual, theoretical and empirical issues. Routledge.
Skulstad, A. S. (forthcoming). Learning tasks and persuasion in post-truth educational contexts. In H. E. Hoff, & A. S. Skulstad (Eds.), The Post-truth era and English language education: Conceptual, theoretical and empirical issues. Routledge.
Ørevik, S., Skulstad, A. S., & Diamantopoulou, S. (2025). Multimodality in EAL teacher education: An example from the Norwegian context. In M. Querol-Julián, & I. Fortanet-Gómez (Eds.), Multimodal literacy in English as an additional language in higher education (pp. 235-254). Routledge.
Skulstad, A. S. (Ed.) (2024). Current issues in English teaching. Fagbokforlaget.
Skulstad, A. S. (2024). Introduction. In A. S. Skulstad (Ed.), Current issues in EAL teaching (pp. 5-16). Fagbokforlaget.
Skulstad, A. S. (2024). Empowering EAL students in their encounters with texts: Using textbook texts to foster critical literacy. In A. S. Skulstad (Ed.), Current issues in EAL teaching (pp. 17-36). Fagbokforlaget.
Skulstad, A. S., Aarberg, K. N., & Pedersen, T. (2024). Using VR headsets to enhance EAL learning experiences. In A. S. Skulstad (Ed.), Current issues in EAL teaching (pp. 75-93). Fagbokforlaget.
Skulstad, A. S., & Touileb, S. (2024). Large Language Models and their usage in EAL education. In A. S. Skulstad (Ed.), Current issues in EAL teaching (pp. 139-160). Fagbokforlaget.
Skulstad, A. S. (2023). Text creation in English teaching. Universitetsforlaget.
Skulstad, A. S. (2022). Theoretical perspectives on choice in multimodal text production and consequences for EAL. In S. Diamantopoulou, & S. Ørevik (Eds.), Multimodality in English language learning (pp. 146-157). Routledge.
Fenner, A-B., & Skulstad, A. S. (Eds.) (2020). Teaching English in the 21st century: Central issues in English didactics. Fagbokforlaget.
Skulstad, A. S. (2020) Communicative competence. In A-B. Fenner, & A. S. Skulstad (Eds.), Teaching English in the 21st century: Central issues in English didactics. Fagbokforlaget.
Skulstad, A. S. (2020). Developing oral skills. In A-B. Fenner, & A. S. Skulstad (Eds.), Teaching English in the 21st century: Central issues in English didactics. Fagbokforlaget.
Skulstad, A. S. (2020). Multimodality. In A-B. Fenner, & A. S. Skulstad (Eds.), Teaching English in the 21st century: Central issues in English didactics. Fagbokforlaget.
Skulstad, A. S. (2020). Teaching writing. In A-B. Fenner, & A. S. Skulstad (Eds.), Teaching English in the 21st century: Central issues in English didactics. Fagbokforlaget.
Skulstad, A. S., & Fenner, A-B. (2020). Introduction. In A-B. Fenner, & A. S. Skulstad (Eds.), Teaching English in the 21st Century: Central issues in English didactics. Fagbokforlaget.

Sigrid Ørevik

Ørevik, S. (forthcoming). Reading political visuals: A study of Norwegian upper secondary EAL students’ interpretations of visual meaning-making in US news reports. In H. E. Hoff & A. S. Skulstad (Eds.), The Post-truth era and English language education: Conceptual, theoretical and empirical issues. Routledge.
Diamantopoulou, S. & Ørevik, S. (forthcoming). Multimodality and English Language Learning (MELL). In C. A. Chapelle (Ed.), Encyclopedia of Applied Linguistics, 2nd ed. Wiley.
Namusiginyi, B. & Ørevik S. (forthcoming). Limitations to the implementation of English language communicative skills teaching in rural Ugandan schools: A case study of Karamoja. African Perspectives of Research in Teaching and Learning, 9(4).
Ørevik, S., Skulstad, A. S. & Diamantopoulou, S. (2025). Multimodality in EAL teacher education: an example from the Norwegian context. In M. Querol-Julián & I. Fortanet-Gómez (Eds.), Multimodal literacy in English as an additional language in higher education. Routledge.
Eide, M. L., Przulj, T. & Ørevik, S. (2025). (U)integrert lektorutdanning? Studenters opplevde utfordringer med å skape sammenheng i lektorstudiet. Acta Didactica Norden, 19(1).
Ørevik, S. (2024). Assessment of multimodal student texts in the English Subject. In A.S. Skulstad (Ed.), Current Issues in English Teaching (pp. 185-206). Fagbokforlaget.
Ørevik, S. (2023). Assessing students’ multimodal texts in the subject of English: Synthesising peers’ and teachers’ recognition of semiotic work. Designs for Learning Journal, 15(1), 44-57.
Ørevik, S. & Skjelbred, D. (2023). Eit endra læremiddellandskap – ei utfordring for lærarutdanninga. Norsk pedagogisk tidsskrift 107(3), 217-230.
Ørevik, S. (2022). Developing an assessment framework for multimodal text production in the EAL classroom: the case of persuasive posters. In S. Diamantopoulou & S. Ørevik (Eds.), Multimodality in English Language Learning. Routledge.
Diamantopoulou, S. & Ørevik, S. (2022). Multimodality in English language learning: the case of EAL. In S. Diamantopoulou & S. Ørevik (Eds.), Multimodality in English Language Learning. Routledge.
Diamantopoulou, S. & Ørevik, S. (2022). Multimodality in English Language Learning. Routledge.
Ørevik, S. (2020). Reading and literacy. In A.-B. Fenner and A. S. Skulstad (Eds.) Teaching English in the 21st Century: Central Issues in English Didactics. 2nd ed. Fagbokforlaget.
Ørevik, S. (2020). Digital technology in the English classroom. In A.-B. Fenner and A. S. Skulstad (Eds.) Teaching English in the 21st Century: Central Issues in English Didactics. 2nd ed. Fagbokforlaget.
Fenner, A.-B. & Ørevik, S. (2020). Analysis of learning materials. A.-B. Fenner and A. S. Skulstad (Eds.) Teaching English in the 21st Century: Central Issues in English Didactics. 2nd ed. Fagbokforlaget.
Hasselgreen, A. & Ørevik, S. (2020). Assessment and testing. A.-B. Fenner and A. S. Skulstad (Eds.) Teaching English in the 21st Century: Central Issues in English Didactics. 2nd ed. Fagbokforlaget.
Hestetræet, T. I. & Ørevik, S. (2020). English in vocational studies. A.-B. Fenner and A. S. Skulstad (Eds.) Teaching English in the 21st Century: Central Issues in English Didactics. 2nd ed. Fagbokforlaget

Mari Lund Eide

Publication overview in Cristin

Alison Rød

Rød, A. “Bridging Upper Secondary In- and Out-Of-Class English, Norway,” TESOL March, 2026 Conference, Salt Lake City.
Rød, A. J., & Calafato, R. (2025). Bridging extramural English and formal instruction. ELT Journal, ccaf026. https://doi.org/10.1093/elt/ccaf026
Al-kadi, A. & Rød, A. (2025). Sustainable Language Education Through Multimodality, DEI, and AI Integration. A proceeding of UiB Læringskonferanse 2025, 17 October, Bergen.
Rød, A.J. & Calafato, R. (2024). Exploring Extramural English: Impacts, Integration, and Future Directions. In Skulstad, A. (ed). Teaching English in the 21st Century: Current Issues in English Didactics. Fagbokforlaget.
Rød, A. J., & Calafato, R. (2023). Exploring the relationship between extramural English, self-efficacy, gender, and learning outcomes: A mixed-methods study in a Norwegian upper-secondary school. Studies in Educational Evaluation, 79, 101302. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.stueduc.2023.101302

Tijana Przulj

Eide, M. L., Przulj, T. & Ørevik, S. (2025). (U)integrert lektorutdanning? Studenters opplevde utfordringer med å skape sammenheng i lektorstudiet. Acta Didactica Norden, 19(1).
Przulj, T. (2023). Radical Realism, Autofictional Narratives and the Reinvention of the Novel: by Fiona J. Doloughan, 1st edition. London, New York, Anthem Press, 2023, 180 pp., £80.00 (hardback), ISBN: 9781839983375. Life Writing, 22(1), 258–260. https://doi.org/10.1080/14484528.2023.2296174
Przulj, T. (2022). Dialogic Reading Spaces in Autofiction: Rachel Cusk’s Kudos. Life Writing, 20(2), 273–285. https://doi.org/10.1080/14484528.2022.2082264