Hafdís Ingvarsdóttir

Hafdís Ingvarsdóttir is a professor emeritus in education at the University of Iceland.

Professional experience Hafdís Ingvarsdóttir completed her matriculation examination from Menntaskólinn í Reykjavík (Junior College in Reykjavik) (1964), and obtained her teaching certificate at Iceland University of Education (1965). She holds a BA in Danish and History from the University of Iceland (1968). In addition to her BA studies, she taught at Hagaskóli in Reykjavik. She later pursued graduate studies in Danish and literature at the University of Copenhagen (1969–1971). After completing her studies, she returned to teaching at Hagaskóli where she taught until 1981. She also taught at the Commercial College of Iceland, holding a full-time position there until 1988. She then began working at the University of Iceland, initially as adjunct teacher and teaching director. In 1997, she was appointed as an assistant professor. She holds a master's degree in Education from the University of Reading, England with emphasis on language learning and teaching (applied linguistics) (1993). She completed a doctorate in Education from the same university (2003). Hafdís was appointed as a professor in education in 2009 at the University of Iceland.

Research Hafdís has engaged in numerous research projects related to teaching and education. In her research she has focused on teaching methods and teacher development with the aim of strengthening teacher growth. Her research can be divided into three overlapping fields: research into teachers’ professional theories, research on teaching and research on teacher education. In order to strengthen teachers as professionals and, to develop approaches for that purpose. Hafdís has worked with and developed the concept of teachers’ subjective theories and their connection to their teaching. She has also defined and worked with the concept of allies as an important construct to strengthen teachers' collaboration and cooperation.

Hafdís has taken part in many European development projects related to teaching, in addition to research projects on teacher education. She has worked enthusiastically on teachers' continuous education and has held many courses and workshops for that purpose. She has given lectures on her research at a great number of international conferences. Her writings have appeared in both Iceland and other countries in book chapters and peer-reviewed articles. She was UI's representative on a national committee advising the Minister of Education, Science and Culture. The question was whether to introduce the use of the European portfolio in language teaching (ETM) in Icelandic schools from 2002 to 2006. From 2003 to 2009, she sat on the executive committee of the International Study Association of Teachers and Teaching (ISATT). This is an international association of researchers studying teachers and teaching. In addition, Hafdís sat on an advisory committee, The UK Council for Graduate Education, from 2006 to 2010. She was also one of the founders and the first chairman of the Language Teachers Association in Iceland (STÍL) from 1985 to 1989.

Acknowledgements In 2016, Hafdís received an award from the international language teachers’ association “Fédération Internationale des Professeurs de Langues Vivantes” (FIPLV) for her contribution to language teaching and research.

Selected writings Articles Hafdís Ingvarsdóttir (2006). „…eins og þver geit í girðingu“ Viðhorf kennara til breytinga á kennsluháttum. In Úlfar Hauksson (Ritstj.), Rannsóknir í félagsvísindum VII (pp. 351–364). Reykjavík: Háskólaútgáfan. Hafdís Ingvarsdóttir (2013). ELF and academic writing: a perspective from the Expanding Circle. Journal of English as a Lingua Franca. JELF. De Gruyter. Hafdís Ingvarsdóttir (2018). Kennsluhættir speglaðir í ljósi sjálfræðis: Virðing, ábyrgð og traust. Netla – Veftímarit um uppeldi og menntun. Sérrit 2018 – Framhaldskólinn í brennidepli. Menntavísindasvið Háskóla Íslands, pp. 1–14.

Books Birna Arnbjörnsdóttir og Hafdís Ingvarsdóttir (ritstj.) (2007). Teaching and learning English in Iceland. In honour of Auður Torfadóttir . Reykjavík: Stofnun Vigdísar Finnbogadóttur/Háskólaútgáfan Birna Arnbjörnsdóttir og Hafdís Ingvarsdóttir (eds.). (2017). Language Development across the Life Span: The Impact of English on Education and Work in Iceland.