Sloyd is related to craft knowing, making traditions and materiality. The meaning of knowing in sloyd is vaguely articulated and thereby can be interpreted by teachers in different ways. This study aims at contributing to an articulation of craft knowing within sloyd education. The study was carried out in the form of two learning studies, each one focusing on a specific object of learning. The knowing of sawing straight was studied through phenomenographic analysis of video recordings of students’ work with handsaws in wood. Different ways of knowing this capability have been described. The second study focused on the knowing of interpreting symbols in sloyd objects. Different ways of perceiving this capability have been described through the learning study’s three iterative lesson interventions. The two objects of learning are discussed as pointing out different aspects of craft knowing in sloyd education. Craft knowing has been recognized as embodied thinking and interaction with tools and materials in order to achieve certain intentions (Dormer, 1994; Illum, 2004). It is often described as embedded in our actions (Polanyi, 1966) and manifested in specific actions: as knowing-in-action (Schön, 1983). Furthermore, it is multimodal and derives from practical knowledge traditions where dexterity, visuality and materiality are central modes of communication (Kress & van Leeuwen, 2006). When engaging in sloyd activities one engages in different communal shared craft techniques and strives to obtain and express intended shapes, functions, lines, patterns and affiliations. To be able to say and make something in a ‘right way’ can be understood as a specific literacy (Gee, 2015). Some aspects of craft knowing are presented and discussed in terms of craft literacy: as embodied interactions with materials and tools in specific ways. These descriptions can contribute to our shared understanding of the meaning of craft knowing as well as the meaning of sloyd knowing.

The study explores the meaning of knowing how to reason about justice in civics in upper secondary school. This is examined through the analysis of students’ conceptions of justice, and of their conceptions of civic reasoning about justice. It is also examined through the analysis of civic education practise. In the study, teaching was designed using Variation Theory and the theory of intersubjectivity in Activity Theory, and examined and evaluated in three Learning Studies. The empirical material consists of filmed and transcribed research lessons and interviews, as well as of written pre- and post-tests. The material was first analysed using phenomenography, and then analysed using content-oriented conversation analysis. Students’ conceptions of justice were found to move between the conception of justice as (A) a universal value, (B) a personal value or (C) a value of principle. Students’ conceptions of civic reasoning about justice were found to move between three conceptions: (a) reporting about justice, (b) analysing causes of different perspectives on justice or (c) critical reasoning about principles of justice. The critical aspects of knowing how to reason about justice in civics that students needed to discern were the relativity of justice, the basis for arguments for principles of justice and the analysing as well as the criticizing aspects of reasoning. The subject-knowledge that the teachers expressed in their teaching was one condition of the practise of civics that was found to be of importance for the students’ learning. Others were the assumed purpose of the practise of civics and a genuine need for the intended knowledge in the practice. Communicative actions that seem to facilitate these conditions are real learning tasks and a subject-specific language and variation of critical aspects as mediating tools. The findings are discussed in relation to theories of justice in political science and to the practise of civics education.

Den här licentiatuppsatsen handlar om hur en undervisning kan främja elevers förståelse av tiobassystemet genom att de bjuds in till en undervisning där de kan delta i ett kollektivt utforskande av bassystemet, som en övergripande nivå av tiobassystemet. Syftet är att exemplifiera och diskutera hur en undervisning, som främjar elevernas möjligheter att utveckla ett tänkande om tiobassystemet på en generell eller övergripande nivå, kan utformas. Vidare är syftet att studera vad i en undervisning, designad enligt principerna för lärandeverksamhet, som kan förstås som förebyggande i specialpedagogisk mening. Studien bygger på resultatet av två artiklar med följande frågeställningar: 1) Vilka aspekter i uppgifternas utformning och genomförande främjar elevers möjligheter att pröva relationen mellan olika bastal och övergång till successivt större respektive mindre talenheter? 2) Vad i elevernas resonemang och arbete med speciellt designade uppgifter kan ses som tecken på teoretiskt tänkande om bassystemet? Learning study har använts som forskningsramverk och genererat data för uppsatsens två artiklar. Learning studyn genomfördes i årskurs 4, tillsammans med tre matematiklärare. Design och analys är inspirerad av El’konins och Davydovs matematiska program och några principer från lärandeverksamhet. Analysen i de bägge artiklarna är genomförd med stöd av teoretiska principer för lärandeverksamhet. Datamaterialet består av videoinspelningar från tre lektioner (totalt cirka 420 minuter), transkriptioner och datasammanställningar av uppgifter, transkriptioner och anteckningar från utvärderingarna i det iterativa arbetet med lektionerna. Resultatet består av tre aspekter som behöver synliggöras genom uppgifternas utformning och genomförande för att eleverna ska kunna arbeta teoretiskt med bassystemets struktur: (1) Bastalet, (2) Tal som mätetal, och (3) Talenheternas representationer. Eleverna behöver urskilja aspekterna för att kunna identifiera att det fattas en lämplig talenhet och för att kunna pröva och reflektera över relationen mellan bastalet och övergången till successivt större respektive mindre talenheter i olika baser. Resultatet består också av ett antal exempel på tecken på teoretiskt tänkande inom tre identifierade kategorier: 1) basens funktion för det värde som siffrorna anger i talet, 2) positionsväxling, och (3 entalet som ett av en kvantitet. I analysen har Davydovs definition av teoretiskt tänkande, som något som kan komma till uttryck i form av teoretisk reflektion, analys och planering samt reproduktion av grundläggande principer för ett specifikt ämnesinnehåll, använts. Resultatet ger ett bidrag till den matematikdidaktiska forskningen och till den specialpedagogiska forskningen med inriktning mot matematik genom beskrivningar av de tre aspekterna och av tecken på teoretiskt tänkande. Vidare kan beskrivningarna av uppgifternas utformning och genomförande användas i undervisning och i fortsatta studier. I diskussionen behandlas hur en undervisning kan utformas som främjar elevernas möjligheter att utveckla ett teoretiskt tänkande om bassystemet. Diskussionen behandlar också vad i en undervisning designad enligt principerna för lärandeverksamhet som kan förstås som förebyggande i specialpedagogisk mening genom att skapa möjligheter för elever att redan tidigt i grundskolan kollektivt utforska och förstå hela positionssystemet som en struktur. Slutligen diskuteras implikationer för specialundervisning och studiens bidrag. / The subject of this licentiate thesis is about how a teaching can promote students' understanding of the base-ten system by inviting them to a teaching where they can collectively explore the base system, as an overall level of the base-ten system. The aim is to exemplify and discuss how teaching, which affords students opportunities to develop thinking about the base-ten system on a general or overall level, can be designed. Furthermore, the aim is to study teaching designed according to the principles of learning activity in terms of how it can be preventive from a special pedagogical perspective. The study is based on the results of two articles with the following questions: 1) Which aspects in the design and implementation of the tasks afford students opportunities to explore the relationship between different base numbers and the transition to successively larger and smaller number units? 2) What in the students' reasoning and work with specially designed tasks can be seen as signs of theoretical thinking about the base system? Learning study has been used as a research framework and generated data for the two articles. The learning study was carried out in year 4, together with three mathematics teachers. Design and analysis are inspired by El’konin’s and Davydov’s mathematical program and some principles from learning activity. The theoretical principles for learning activity were used as tools for analysis. Data consists of video recordings from three lessons (in total approximately 420 minutes), transcriptions and data compilations of tasks, transcriptions, and notes from the evaluations in the iterative work with the lessons. The results consist of three aspects that need to be made visible through the design and implementation of the tasks so that the students can work theoretically with the structure of the base system: (1) The base number, (2) Number as a measurement number, and (3) The representations of the number units. The students need to distinguish the aspects in order to discern that a bigger or smaller number unit is missing and to test and reflect on the relationship between the base number and the transition to successively larger and smaller number units, constructed in different bases. The result also includes several examples of signs of emerging theoretical thinking within three identified categories: 1) the bases function to the digits´ value in the number, 2) position switching, and (3) the unit as one of a quantity. In the analysis, Davydov's definition of theoretical thinking, as something that can be expressed in the form of theoretical reflection, analysis, and planning as well as the reproduction of fundamental principles for specific subject content, has been used. The results contribute to mathematics didactic research and to special educational research with a focus on mathematics through descriptions of the three aspects and signs of theoretical thinking. Further the descriptions of how tasks can be designed and carried out be used in teaching and continued research. The discussion deals with how teaching can be designed that afford student opportunities to develop theoretical thinking about the base system. The discussion also deals with what in a teaching designed according to the principles of learning activity can be understood as preventive in a special pedagogical perspective, by creating opportunities for students to collectively explore and understand the entire position system as a structure already early in elementary school. Finally, implications for special education and the contribution of the study are discussed. / <p>Sammanläggningen i Pdf innehåller båda artiklarna. </p>

Syftet med licentiatuppsatsen är att bidra med kunskap om vilka aspekter som kan vara nödvändiga för elever att urskilja för att identifiera och analysera en del-helhetsstruktur och i förlängningen bemästra ekvationer. I forskningsprojektet medverkade lärare och forskare i ett kollaborativt och intervenerande arbete. Elever i årskurserna 3, 8 och 9 deltog i semistrukturerade intervjuer och forskningslektioner för att producera data. Forskningslektionerna genomfördes med learning study som forskningsansats, vilken erbjuder iterativa processer. De teoretiska ramverken utgjordes av fenomenografi, variationsteori och lärandeverksamhet. Ansatsen fenomenografi utgjorde ett analysverktyg när intervjuerna analyserades. Variationsteori och lärandeverksamhet utgjorde kompletterande ramverk när forskningslektioner designades och analyserades. Resultatet i Artikel 1 påvisar en kritisk aspekt, vilken formulerades som: två kvantiteter tillsammans (två delar) bildar en tredje kvantitet (en helhet) med samma ”värde” som de två delarna tillsammans. Resultatet i Artikel 2 påvisar fem kritiska aspekter, vilka formulerades som (1) det är en relation mellan alla tal i en ekvation, (2) två delar tillsammans är ekvivalenta med en helhet med samma värde, (3) vad som utgör en helhet respektive delar, (4) samma relation kan formuleras på fyra olika sätt och (5) helheten kan anta ett lägre värde än delarna. En slutsats är att det kan vara en fördel redan för unga elever att delta i undervisning med utgångspunkt i early algebra och lärandeverksamhet där generella matematiska strukturer fokuseras. En ytterligare slutsats är att det kan vara gynnsamt att delta i teoretiska resonemang där ekvationer med negativa tal inkluderade utforskas med stöd av en lärandemodell. / The aim of the licentiate thesis is to contribute with knowledge concerning which aspects may be necessary for students to discern in order to identify and analyze a part-whole structure and in the long term master equations. In the research project, teachers and researchers participated in a collaborative and intervening work. Students in grades 3, 8 and 9 participated in semi-structured interviews and research lessons in order to produce data. The research lessons were conducted with learning study as research approach, which offers iterative processes.The theoretical frameworks consisted of phenomenography, variation theory and learning activity. The phenomenography approach was an analysis tool when the interviews were analyzed. Variation theory and learning activity constituted complementary frameworks when research lessons were designed and analyzed. The finding in Article 1 demonstrates a critical aspect, which was formulated as two quantities together (two parts) build up a third quantity (the whole) with the same “value” as the two parts together. The finding in Article 2 demonstrates five critical aspects, which wereformulated as (1) there is a relationship between all numbers in an equation, (2) two parts together are equivalent to a whole with the same value, (3) what constitutes a whole and parts, (4) the same relationship can be formulated in four different ways and (5) the whole can assume a lower value than the parts. One conclusion is that it may be an advantage already for young students to participate in teaching based on early algebra and learning activity where general mathematical structures are focused. A furtherconclusion is that it may be beneficial to participate in theoretical reasoning where equations with negative numbers included are explored with support by a learning model.

This thesis reports results from a study that focuses on teachers’ professional development during an in-service training period.   The aim is to analyse and describe how the teachers talk about and handle lesson content. The first question concerns changes in relation to a specific object of learning. The second question concerns how they relate to a theoretical framework and the third question concerns differences in the students’ learning outcome and if it can be understood in relation to the teachers’ development.   The variation theory is the theoretical framework that is used for lesson planning as well as when analysing results. The basis of the study is that learning always is the learning of something and that the teachers’ activity as well as the students’ activity constitutes the space of variation that decides what is possible to learn concerning a delimited object of learning, i.e. the enacted object of learning. The object of learning is seen as a capability and it can be defined by its critical features. The constitution of the meaning aimed for the critical features of the object must be discerned. The intentional object of learning describes the teachers’ intention with the lesson, and the lived object of learning is what the students really discerned. The theoretical assumption is that learning always assumes an experienced variation where learning is seen as a change in the learners’ possibility to experience the world in a certain way. You have to have experienced a phenomenon’s variation to understand its meaning, i.e. what we experience is how something differs from something else.   The method is Learning study and it can be described as a hybrid of the Japanese Lesson study and Design experiment. A Learning study is theoretically grounded and the primary focus is on an object of learning. The learning study group consisted of three teachers and most often two researchers. Each member had equal status in the group. The object of learning seen from the teachers’ perspective was the variation theory that was gradually introduced by the researchers. The empirical material was generated from audio-taped discussions and from videotaped lessons.   The findings should be seen as a contribution to the discussion about teachers’ professional development. The teachers participated in a collective construction of professional knowledge and it can be stated that the teachers had no problem changing their discussions to focus on a specific object of learning when the theoretical framework was used in relation to their own practices. Another finding is that the change in how the teachers handled the object of learning influenced the students’ learning in a positive way although the results were subtle.

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This study focuses on teachers' experiences of participating in collaborative professional development. Learning study is a systematic model where teachers collaborate around specific content areas (an object of learning) trying to find out what the students need to discern, and how that can be taught, using variation theory as a framework for lesson design and analysis.  The aim of the study is to find out what the perceived consequences are for teachers and their teaching when participating in a learning study. It also examines how the teachers perceive the collaborative work in a learning study. The study draws on data collected through qualitative semi-structured interviews with ten teachers with experience of participating in learning studies. The interviews were coded and categorized using a qualitative content analysis approach. The results indicate that the collaborative work in a learning study is perceived as both collaborative and collective learning. Learning study is also seen as a systematic model which enables collective and individual reflection on teaching.  Furthermore, the consequences of participation in learning study are perceived in terms of instructional changes, where teachers take greater use of students understanding as they plan and implement teaching and focus on the content. Variation theory emerges as an important tool in this change. The theory also seems to contribute to reflection and knowledge about teaching and students learning.

Syftet med studien är att generera kunskap omhur en naturvetenskaplig undervisningsaktivitet med estetiska lärprocesser kan utvecklas genom en learning study i förskolan. Genom att använda en learning study granskades sambandet mellan undervisning och barns naturvetenskapliga lärande. Studiens aktiviteter genomfördes av författarna med två olika barngrupper och dokumenterades med videoobservation för att få svar på forskningsfrågorna.Därefter transkriberades och analyserades insamlad data och formulerades till ett resultat. Resultatet visade på tre kritiska aspekter som var viktiga att synliggöra för att öka barnens möjlighet till förståelse för begreppet näringskedja, samt hur drama som verktyg användes av oss som förskollärare för att synliggöra de kritiska aspekterna.

This thesis reports results from a study that focuses on teachers’ professional development during an in-service training period. The aim is to analyse and describe how the teachers talk about and handle lesson content. The first question concerns changes in relation to a specific object of learning. The second question concerns how they relate to a theoretical framework and the third question concerns differences in the students’ learning outcome and if it can be understood in relation to the teachers’ development. The variation theory is the theoretical framework that is used for lesson planning as well as when analysing results. The basis of the study is that learning always is the learning of something and that the teachers’ activity as well as the students’ activity constitutes the space of variation that decides what is possible to learn concerning a delimited object of learning, i.e. the enacted object of learning. The object of learning is seen as a capability and it can be defined by its critical features. The constitution of the meaning aimed for the critical features of the object must be discerned. The intentional object of learning describes the teachers’ intention with the lesson, and the lived object of learning is what the students really discerned. The theoretical assumption is that learning always assumes an experienced variation where learning is seen as a change in the learners’ possibility to experience the world in a certain way. You have to have experienced a phenomenon’s variation to understand its meaning, i.e. what we experience is how something differs from something else. The method is Learning study and it can be described as a hybrid of the Japanese Lesson study and Design experiment. A Learning study is theoretically grounded and the primary focus is on an object of learning. The learning study group consisted of three teachers and most often two researchers. Each member had equal status in the group. The object of learning seen from the teachers’ perspective was the variation theory that was gradually introduced by the researchers. The empirical material was generated from audio-taped discussions and from videotaped lessons. The findings should be seen as a contribution to the discussion about teachers’ professional development. The teachers participated in a collective construction of pro-fessional knowledge and it can be stated that the teachers had no problem changing their discussions to focus on a specific object of learning when the theoretical framework was used in relation to their own practices. Another finding is that the change in how the teachers handled the object of learning influenced the students’ learning in a positive way although the results were subtle.

Denna studies syfte är att studera förskolebarns lärande om lövsprickning och hur förskollärare kan underlätta detta lärande. Metoden som används är learning study, vilket kan sägas vara en form av aktionsforskning. Learning study är en metod för att studera elevers lärande, det är praxisnära forskning som knyter samman teori och praktik. Det som analyseras är inte undervisningsmetoder, utan hur de kritiska aspekterna som underlättar förståelsen av lärandeobjektet presenteras. Den teoretiska utgångspunkten är variationsteorin som har många likheter med den utvecklingspedagogik som präglar förskolans läroplan. Förskolan ska sträva efter att barnen förstår naturvetenskapliga fenomen och sammanhang. Studier visar att kompetensutveckling inom lärarkåren på området naturvetenskap och små barn har positiv inverkan på barns lärande. De learning studies som gjorts i förskolan är få vilket gör denna studie relevant för utbildningsvetenskapen. Studien presenterar vilka kritiska aspekter som kan finnas hos förskolebarn för att lära sig om var löv kommer ifrån samt hur en learning study kan påverka barns lärande kring detta. En kritisk aspekt för att förstå att lövsprickning är en del av växtens kretslopp är att kunna skilja på död och levande gren. En annan kritisk aspekt är att förstå knoppen som en del i lövets kretslopp. Studien visar att det variationsteoretiska perspektivet på lärande gynnar de barn som hade svagare förkunskaper. Den visar också att barn tidigt har utvecklat en vardagsföreställning som förskollärarna kan ha svårt att utmana. Vi fann att förskollärarens förhållningssätt är lika viktigt för barns lärande som att finna de kritiska aspekterna.