Department of Education / Institutionen för pedagogik och didaktik (-2010)

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Adolescents´Perceptions of School and Reasons for Learning
(2001) Giota, Joanna
Ämnesdidaktisk teori för matematikundervisning. Ämneskunskapers relation till individ och omvärld
(Institutionen för pedagogik och didaktik, 2002) Löwing, Madeleine; Göteborgs universitet; University of Gothenburg
Anpassning och motstånd. En etnografisk studie av gymnasieelevers institutionella identitetsskapande
(2009-08-24T12:57:10Z) Johansson, Monica
Appropriating technologies in educational practices : studies in the contexts of compulsory education, higher education, and fighter pilot training
(Göteborg : Acta Universitatis Gothoburgensis, 2004) Jonsson, Lars-Erik
Information and communication technologies (ICT) are viewed as progressive technologies. Normally this view entails general assertions – in the future tense – that ICT will be the solu-tion to a wide variety of problems. The thesis argues that generic assertions about the benefits of ICT are insufficient for understanding the role of technology in educational practices. Therefore, the overall purpose of the thesis is to investigate – in the present tense – how technologies are appropriated i.e. how groups and individuals make use of physical and cognitive resources in their daily practices. Particularly, the thesis aims at describing the conditions of technology appropriation in the contexts investigated and at giving a theo-retical account of the conditions of appropriation. The particular practices investigated are schools ranging from primary to upper secondary, higher education, and military pilot training. Methodologically a qualitative approach is applied. Data from participant observations, audio recordings, and informal talks are analyzed by means of computer assisted qualitative data analysis software (CAQDAS). The thesis is divided into three main sections. The first section, "Approaching the Field", is an introductory section in which the perspec-tive of the research area and the methodological approach are presented. The second section, "Empirical Studies", contains the four studies. In the first of these, Making Sense of ICT in Class, it is argued that tools are adapted to existing practices rather than being agents of change. The main contribution of the study is a theoretical model showing how practitioners make sense of their practice. The second study, Practicing Distance Education, argues that even if cutting-edge technology is available, it will still be used for traditional teaching. The argument put forth is that instructional approaches are dependent on and must be con-sidered in relation to educational content. The third study, Disseminating ICT in Educational Practice, contains detailed descriptions of eight educational practices. Still, it is mainly theoretical. An activity theoretical analysis makes possible the focus on crucial aspects of changing educational practices. Thus, it is a contribution to widened and new ways of viewing changing educational practices. The fourth study, Conditions of Learning in Fighter Pilot Training, analyzes the institutional practices of a military setting. Like the previous study, it contains detailed descriptions of the training practice and an activity theoretical analysis, in this case resulting in proposals for a changed practice. The last section, "Conclusions", contains reflections of how the characteristics of the different contexts influence the utilization of technology. It is argued that appropriation will be dependent on the perceived affordances of the technology and not on some inherent qualty of the technology. Thus, the meaningfulness is not intrinsic to technologies. Instead, meaning arises in a process of interpretation and interaction between participants and between participants and technologies. The section ends with a model relating the theoretical concepts to the empirical findings of the four studies.
Åtgärdsprogram - dokument eller verktyg? En fallstudie i en kommun
(2006) Asp-Onsjö, Lisa
Att återerövra kroppen. En studie av livet efter en ryggmärgsskada
(2005) Grundén, Ingrid
Traumatic spinal cord injuries often result in extensive consequences, including paralysis of the muscles from the locus of the injury downwards and a loss of sensation in the same area. The purpose of the present study is to gain understanding of how the relationship between the body and its environment is rebuilt after a spinal cord injury and how patients go about learn-ing to live with a newly altered body. The central questions have been: How is the altered body experienced and integrated into the lived body? How does a person learn to handle an altered body? What does it entail to sustain and live with a spinal cord injury? How does a person with spinal cord injury resume a normal life? The phenomenological life world perspective developed by Merleau-Ponty has been applied. Merleau-Ponty uses the body as the central starting point for his philosophy and has a well-developed body conception comprising both the physical body and consciousness. Thirteen men and four women, some newly injured and others, who had been living with their injuries for a longer period of time, were selected for the investigation in order to represent a broad range of injury duration, age at the time of injury, age at the time of study and type of injury. All participants except two have complete spinal injuries. Interviews, field studies and par-ticipant observation were important in the development of data. Initially the participants did not want to look at or touch the lame parts of their bodies but later on they developed a more positive attitude and their bodies went from being foreign ob-jects to beings with the right to set demands and feel like they are well treated. When the par-ticipants turned their attention towards their injured bodies, they did so with the knowledge that they have no other choice if they want to resume their lives, but at the same time, when doing this, they also learnt to recognise signals about the condition of also the injured body so it may once again become part of the integrated body. This was a unique finding in the inves-tigation. No previous study has demonstrated that people with spinal cord injuries learn to know the paralyzed parts of their bodies by listening to signals from the healthy parts. Living with a spinal cord injury requires planning and patience. An altered body results not only in a changed physical but also social world. A person with a spinal cord injury is con-fronted by other people’s reactions and in their eyes no longer possesses an identity as an equal human being. In order to live in the new situation an ambition was developed to take control over one´s life despite the physical handicap. Other people with spinal injuries were very important here. They assisted in the re-evaluation process and were a source of inspira-tion in what turned out to be an expansion of awareness. This study shows that people with spinal cord injuries can reclaim their bodies and their lives with full human dignity and that disability does not preclude a good life. However, it has also uniquely shown that people with spinal cord injuries learn to know the paralyzed parts of their bodies by listening to signals from the healthy parts. This unique result can lead to further research and challenging new research questions. The insights into how participants have come to terms with their altered bodies and lives can contribute to general knowledge for people with other injuries or diseases and even for people without such disabilities.
Att erövra litteracitet. Små barns kommunikativa möten med berättande, bilder, text och tecken i förskolan.
(2008-12-02T17:41:12Z) Björklund, Elisabeth
This thesis is based on an ethnographic field study among a group of monolingual children from one and a half to three years old at a pre-school in a Swedish village. The primary aim of the study has been to gain knowledge about how young children conquer and express literacy in their everyday lives. One assumption was that children are active and competent in their search for meaning when dealing with texts, signs and images. A second aim has been to investigate whether children’s literacy could have an impact on the social and cultural context of pre-school. Research questions addressed in the study focus on children’s participation in literacy events and their actions in literacy practice. An additional question was whether children were contributing to literacy practice when interacting with other children in the group. The theoretical framework draws upon socio-cultural theory. The empirical material consists of video recordings and the focus of observation has been on children’s actions related to literacy, expressed as early literacy, including reading and writing as well as telling and retelling narratives, singing and other verbal and non verbal communication. In children’s literacy events and literacy practice the specific context was of central interest. All the material collected has been transcribed and transferred into text and constitutes the basis for analyzing what children are performing in actual events and practices. The guiding principle for description was at first to give a close reproduction of children’s verbal utterances and their acting linked to the concept of early literacy. Secondly, the aim was to describe and analyze whether the utterances and actions could be linked to the specific social and cultural context. The analysed material demonstrates how children participate and interact with each other while engaged in literacy and the material also displays the content of their communication. Two different kinds of literacy appear: one is narrative tellings and the other is reading and drawing/writing. A deeper analysis shows that children are building knowledge of telling and also creating a specific manifesto of literacy. The children also underline what they are doing through verbal expressions where they define themselves as both readers and writers. The result gives a contribution to new knowledge and an understanding of early literacy among very young children as something they have created in pre-school as a social and cultural environment. Literacy in the studied group of children uncovers many more expressions, including several actions with regard to written material, than we usally relate to the youngest children in pre-school.
Att göra skillnad. En studie av ungdomar som politiska aktörer i skolans vardag
(Institutionen för pedagogik och didaktik, 2005) Öhrn, Elisabet; Göteborgs universitet; University of Gothenburg
Att utveckla naturvetenskaplig undervisning. Exemplet gaser och deras egenskaper
(Institutionen för pedagogik och didaktik, 1995) Andersson, Björn; Bach, Frank; Göteborgs universitet; University of Gothenburg
Att växa som pedagog. Utvärdering av ett aktionsforsk-ningsprojekt i förskolan
(Institutionen för pedagogik och didaktik, 2000) Rönnerman, Karin; Göteborgs universitet; University of Gothenburg
Barnehagens relasjonelle verden - små barn som kompetente aktører i produktive forhandlinger
(2010-05-19T07:23:12Z) Alvestad, Torgeir
The present study investigates the negotiations that take place in play among the youngest children in preschool. What are their negotiations about? How do they negotiate? What kinds of strategies do they use during their negotiations? The study has its focus on learning about fellowship through practice and experience in the negotiations that take place among the youngest preschool children. The study’s relevance also relates to the development of pedagogical practice among the youngest children in preschools. The theoretical platform is comprised of the perspectives of childhood psychology (Sommer, 2004) and childhood sociology (Corsaro, 2002). In both perspectives children are regarded as competent active in producing their own culture and active in calling on information and learning. The main concepts used in the analysis of the empirical data are ‘inter-subjectivity’ and ’the role of others’. The concepts are based on the theoretical frameworks of Daniel Stern (1991) and George Herbert Mead (1962). A group of twenty four children, thirteen girls and eleven boys, aged between two to three, were regularly video recorded. The children were enrolled in day-care groups in two of the biggest cities in Norway. The study reveals that the negotiations that take place among the children are mainly about their relationships, play materials, and the content of their play. They negotiate both verbally and nonverbally. They express their intentions towards each other with words and through gestures, glances, laughter and smiles. They use different strategies in their negotiations that relate to content and intentions. They also seem to develop or change their strategy if, for example, an initial strategy is not successful. Their strategies can be both emotional and connected to solving problems. In addition, they often use humour as a strategy. The study shows that the children who play the most with others and who know each other best, are those who are most successful in their negotiations. They often have a common focus and common intentions, as well as sharing emotional conditions in their play and negotiations. It seems that those children who are the most competent playmates are also those who are most competent in negotiations. The reason for this might be the connection between play and negotiations. To be able to play successfully demands that those sharing the play are prepared for negotiations about relations, play materials and the content of the play. However, the children’s negotiations depend on their previous experiences in this field. The more experienced the youngest children are in negotiations, the more complex and flexible their negotiations might be. A pedagogical consequence of this study is that staff in preschools should support the smallest children by giving them more time to meet and play together. This can give the children extended possibilities to develop their own strategies of negotiations in play. This in turn will support children’s learning in becoming creative, seeking and reflective individuals who create their own space of action. The experiences children are gaining through negotiations in play might also be important for other situations of negotiation, contributions and democratic practice.
Barns multimediala berättande. En länk mellan mediakultur och pedagogisk praktik
(Göteborg : Acta Universitatis Gothoburgensis, 2007) Klerfelt, Anna
Cognitive abilities - aspects of structure, process and measurement
(Göteborg : Acta Universitatis Gothoburgensis, 2000) Carlstedt, Berit
The overall purpose of the thesis is to describe the development of the Swedish system of measuring cognitive abilities applied at enlistment of conscripts. The Enlistment Battery has been used for more than fifty years to classify 18-year old men into military positions for their compulsory service. Throughout the years the batteries have been influenced by the changes in the factor analytically derived models of cognitive abilities. Seven earlier versions of the battery are presented, as well as a review of the development of the models of the structure of intelligence from Spearman to the Scandinavian hierarchical model of Undheim and Gustafsson that equalizes general ability and Fluid intelligence. This most recent theoretical development has strongly guided the design and evaluation of the latest version (1994) of the battery. The multivariate charac¬ter of cognitive ability, of tests and of test performance was acknowledged in the way that latent variable esti¬mates of general intelligence, Crystallized intelligence and General visualization (as nested factors) comprised the test results in the first computerized version. This is reported in the second study. The first study examines the construct validity of the preceding version. A confirmatory factor analysis approach was used in which the orthogonal hierarchical structure was confirmed. The two last studies are directed towards a theoretical deepening concerning aspects of test performance and test evaluation. The impact of item sequencing on the construct vali¬di¬ty of complex problem solving tests was investigated. It was found that item sequencing that appeared to increase the opportunity to learn throughout the test produced a better Fluid intelligence test than an item sequencing that implied less opportunity to learn. From earlier empirical studies and from theories of intellectual development it was assumed that cognitive abilities are more differentiated in high ability subjects than in low ability subjects. This was studied empirically for the enlistment population through a multi-group latent variable approach and was supported by the results in that the broad ability factors Crystallized intelligence and General visualization captured more variance on higher levels of general ability than on lower levels. Implications for future advance in cognitive testing are discussed regarding aspects as the impact of item sequencing effects on adaptive testing, and the opportunity to make use of the multi¬dimen¬sionality of tests and even of test items in test construction and evaluation.
Compulsory School Curricula of South Africa (RNCS, 2002) and Sweden (Lpo94)
(European Educational Research Association (EERA), 2008) Abraham, Getahun Y
Curriculum Reform and Life Orientation Education
(Athens Institute for Education and Research, 2008) Abraham, Getahun Y
Demokratins värden
(Institutionen för pedagogik och didaktik, 2008) Andersson, Bo; Göteborgs universitet; University of Gothenburg
Demokratiska värden i förskolebarns vardag
(2009-05-17T19:14:02Z) Karlsson, Rauni
The theme of this thesis is democratic values in pre-school and how these are revealed in the children’s relations in that setting. It describes what the children take responsibility for and how they do it; how they demonstrate care in the sense of consideration, and what they show respect for and how they show it. The study was carried out within the framework of the state pre-school as portrayed in two pre-school departments in a municipality in western Sweden. The daily activity was followed in two pre-school groups comprising children aged 3-6 years, among which field studies were carried out over a total of 36 weeks. Observations focusing on the children’s behaviour and their communication both with each other and the teachers, made with the help of an open research protocol, audio-recordings and diary notes, resulted in descriptive field records, which were analysed in four stages. The understanding of domain theory was used as a conceptual tool for comprehending and explaining how values, value judgement and consensus may be distinguished and sorted. The analytical procedure has been influenced both by a perspective of positioning and power relations and interpretation based on value theory. The analysis has resulted in three thematic values, among which Responsibility is shown in the way the children behave in words and actions, meaning that the children do not speak about taking responsibility but, a fact that is central to this study, initiate responsibility. They show in different ways that they take responsibility for everyday matters both on their own behalf and on behalf of others. Care refers to the perception of others’ needs in an empathic way, and that the children demonstrate by their actions an empathic understanding of someone else. This means that care is a value that the children use in order to support each other within their cultural community as separate from adults’ perspective. In this way, their caring acts sometimes appear to be in opposition to the perspective that the teachers’ positions express. Respect is shown to be a value that means that the children, when encountering another, abstain from what they are doing or change their current position for that other person’s benefit. In certain situations, the children abstain from their self-chosen position in favour of a social convention or an opinion that is asserted, which means that respect is embedded in a complex way. Gender differences have been identified as an all-pervading theme in the empirical material. An important part of the children’s experiences takes place in the group divisions between girls and boys, which is why these affect the affinity that they develop. In the everyday structure, girls and boys participate as social actors with expectations and norms formed with the support of the gender differences that are made. Both girls and boys stress the importance of their fellowship, while at the same time a pattern can be discerned that ascribes girls and boys different degrees of agency.
Den pedagogiska samlingen i förskoleklassen. Barns olika sätt att erfara och hantera svårigheter
(2009-02-16T17:37:55Z) Simeonsdotter Svensson, Agneta
The aim of the study is to identify children’s different ways of experiencing and handling difficulties in the pre-school class’s pedagogical circle time and increase our understanding of children’s actions in a situation they regard as difficult. It is a question of studying children’s experiencing in relation to what and how aspects, how difficulties are manifested in the actions of children and children’s and teacher’s perspectives on this. Questions based on the aim are formulated as follow: What do children experience as difficult in pedagogical circle time? How do children handle these difficulties? How do children act to solve these difficulties? How do teacher’s act to help the children solve these difficulties? The theoretical starting points consist of the developmental pedagogic theory, a special needs communicative, relation-oriented perspective and the symbolic interactionism. The focus is on the concepts of variation with respect to the what and how aspect in children’s experiencing (developmental pedagogy), participation, communication and learning (a communicative, relation-oriented perspective) and action/symbol, interaction, language and identity/self (symbolic interactionism). Children’s perspectives and a pre-school class for all children are reflected in the theoretical starting-points. Children’s perspectives are a common denominator in all three theoretical starting-points. The research group of 115 children consisted of 15 different pre-school classes in 12 different schools. Sixty-one of the children were girls and 54 boys. Data collection methods are: video recording/observation using a digital video camera with a monitor and feedback on videotaped observation – interviews with children in the form of talk about questions based on the videotaped circle time context. The theoretical starting points/analytical concepts are discussed together in order to show the breadth provided by the data. If only a theoretical starting point had been used, it would not have been possible to describe the picture provided by the data to the same extent. One starting point shows one way of describing a situation while several starting points describe and bring out several aspects of a situation. The three theoretical starting points/analytical concepts are research approaches that, together and individually, emphasise children’s experience-based world/perspectives. To sum up, the analysis shows what children on a collective level experience as difficulties and how they handle difficulties. The children’s different actions in the interaction with adults and other children reveal varying ways of experiencing and handling difficulties. Difficulties emerge when there is insufficient interaction, communication and participation between teachers, children and task/content in the pedagogical circle time situation. The results in the present study show that in the interaction, sufficient attention is not always paid to children’s perspectives. Communication is given less space and the children’s participation is thus limited to a large extent. The children’s perception of themselves as regards self-esteem and the ability to learn is not treated from the children’s perspective to the extent desirable.
Det önskvärda barnet. Fostran uttryckt i vardagliga kommunikationshandlingar mellan lärare och barn i förskolan
(2008-10-24T13:32:49Z) Emilson, Anette
Abstract The aim of this research is to acquire knowledge about fostering young children, as expressed in everyday interactions between teachers and children in Swedish preschools. The three empirical studies in this doctoral thesis investigated partly specific democratic values such as participation and influence and partly the values that teachers explicitly or implicitly encourage and how these values are communicated to children. The thesis takes a critical approach in order to also acquire knowledge about important fostering aspects that can move hierarchal power structures towards a fostering of values characterized by intersubjectivity. In order to understand the interactions, the concepts of communicative and strategic action (Habermas, 1984) are used, as well as strong and weak classification and framing (Bernstein, 2000). Preschool fostering is also analyzed from a double perspective, with a starting-point in Habermas’ (1984, 1995a) concepts of the system and the life-world. The fieldwork took place with three different groups of toddlers in Swedish preschools. Forty-six children (aged 1 to 3 years) participated, as well as their ten teachers. The data consisted of videotaped observations of teacher and child interactions. The first study investigated how a toddler’s participation can be understood in two kinds of educational activities where the degree of teacher control differs. The results showed how strong classification and framing risk restricting children’s participation and how a weak classification and framing can promote children’s opportunities to participate on their own terms. Important issues for children’s participation were found to be a participant teacher who creates meaningful contexts, where teacher control is about being emotionally present, supportive and responsive. The purpose of the second study was to investigate how very young children can exert an influence in circle-time situations in relation to teacher control. The results showed that the children do, in fact, make choices, mostly based on several fixed alternatives, and that they do take the initiative, sometimes to express an opinion or a right, sometimes to express what they want to do in circle time. It was also found that the influence young children are able to exert varies with the control the teacher exercises. It is evident that strong teacher control is maintained in different ways and that strong control does not necessarily limit children’s influence; it depends on the nature of the control. Children’s influence increases when the teacher’s control over the what and how aspects of communications is weak, and is characterized by closeness to the child’s life-world and a communicative approach. The third study examined the values that teachers explicitly or implicitly encourage and how these values are communicated to children. The analyses resulted in ten specific values embedded in value dimensions of discipline, caring and democracy. These, in turn, can be divided into different social orientations – both collective and individualistic. The values are communicated differently and the what aspect of the communication (the value) is interrelated with the how aspect of the communication; how teachers communicate influences and sometimes changes the communicated value. In order to change power structures in teacher and child interactions, three aspects of importance have been identified: teachers’ closeness to the child’s perspective, their emotional presence and playfulness. Theoretically, the aspects are within the framework of communicative action and contribute to the understanding of what the theory might mean in communication with the youngest children in the educational system.
Dilemmafyllda möten. Erfarenheter av pedagogisk handledning I samverkan mellan skola och högskola
(Institutionen för pedagogik och didaktik, 2000) Lendahls Rosendahl, Birgit; Rönnerman, Karin; Göteborgs universitet; University of Gothenburg

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