This case study centres round an afterschool intervention programme aimed at enhancing mental computation skills of Grade 8 learners at a secondary school in the Erongo educational region of Namibia. Nine research participants took part in the study, and the mental computational strategies exhibited by these participants constitutes the unit of analysis. The study is anchored within an interpretive paradigm and is theoretically underpinned by constructivist epistemology. Kilpatrick, Swafford and Findell’s (2001) model of mathematical proficiency provides the conceptual framework supporting the study. The research was carried out in four sequential phases – an initial pre-test, the intervention itself, a follow-up post-test, and a focus group discussion. The study highlights the underdevelopment of mental computation skills and the associated lack of appropriate mental computational strategies in secondary school learners. It is recommended that appropriate time within the school curriculum be allocated for the development of learners’ mental computation skills.

Syftet med denna studie har varit att synliggöra uppfattningar om vilket lärande som sker på fritidshemmet. Studien söker svar på frågorna, Vad lär sig eleverna på fritidshemmet enligt grundlärarna, samt på vilket sätt arbetar de med elevernas lärande? Vad lär sig eleverna på fritidshemmet enligt dem själva, samt vilka aktiviteter ägnar de sig åt när de är på fritidshemmet? Vad lär sig eleverna på fritidshemmet enligt vårdnadshavarna? Vad lär sig eleverna på fritidshemmet enligt rektorerna, samt på vilket sätt uppfattar de att grundlärarna arbetar med elevernas lärande? Jag har valt att undersöka detta utifrån ett sociokulturellt perspektiv. I studien har en kvalitativ metod använts och tre grundlärare med inriktning mot fritidshem, tio elever, fem vårdnadshavare och tre rektorer har intervjuats. Resultatet av studien har analyserats med hjälp av fritidspedagogikens kunskapsområden och olika centrala begrepp inom det sociokulturella perspektivet. Några av de viktigaste resultaten som framkommer i studien är att det på fritidshemmet sker ett socialt, språkligt och naturvetenskapligt lärande. Resultatet visar även att lärande som har med utvecklandet av elevernas identitet och genus att göra hamnar i skymundan. En slutsats som dragits av studien är att både grundlärarna och rektorerna är medvetna om att det sker ett lärande på fritidshemmet. En annan slutsats är att fritidshemmets lärande kan vara svårt att precisera för elever och vårdnadshavare. / The purpose of this study has been to visualize perceptions of what learning is taking place in the after-school centre. This study attempts to answer the following questions: What do the students learn at the after-school centre according to the teachers, and in what way do they work with the students learning? What do the students learn at the after-school centre according to themselves, and what type of activities do they speak about? What do the students learn at the after-school centre according to the guardians? What do the students learn at the after-school centre according to the principals, and in what way do they think the teachers are working with the students learning? I have chosen to examine all this from a sociocultural perspective, using a qualitative method. In total, three teachers , ten students, five guardians and three principals have been interviewed. The results have been analyzed using the available pedagogical knowledge within the field and key concepts inherent in the sociocultural perspective. Some of the most important results show that in the centre, education comes in the form of social and linguistic learning as well as in the natural sciences. The results also shows that learning in regard to the development of the students identity and gender is being overshadowed. One conclusion that can been drawn is that both the teachers and the principals are well aware of the learning capabilities of the after-school center. Another is that the exact type of learning that happens can be hard to pinpoint for both the students and their guardians.

Serious inequities in our K-12 public education system, particularly in regard to the quality of education in predominately Black inner-city schools, are well-documented in the literature (Freeman, 1998; Ross, 1998). Moreover, there is general agreement that the most effective means of ameliorating that situation is through well-thought-out after-school programs and partnership initiatives (Beck, 1993; Gardner et al., 2001). The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine the programmatic interventions of a youth enrichment program for inner-city Black youth currently in place at the Overtown Youth Center (OYC) in Miami, Florida, in order to: (a) discern those factors that support its claim that it is making a difference in students’ lives, (b) explore how any such factors are implemented, and (c) determine whether its interventions have served to equalize the playing field for these youth. Two primary methods of data collection were used for this study. The first was participant observation conducted over the course of two years through a partnership initiative established and led by this author. The second was through in-depth interviews of the Center’s founder, staff, and students. Secondary methods used were the recording of informal conversations and the analysis of written documents. Analysis of the data yielded four features of the Center that are indispensible to the students’ growth. The center provides the youth with (a) physical and psychological safety, (b) supportive relationships, (c) exposure to cultural and educational opportunities, and (d) assistance in building self-esteem. The most significant finding of the study was that OYC has been successful at making a difference in students’ lives and at increasing their aspirations to attend college. By addressing the full spectrum of their needs, the Center has given them many of the necessary tools with which to compete and thereby helped equalize their opportunities to succeed in school and in life. The study also noted a number of challenges for the Center to examine. The main issues that need to be addressed more seriously are staff turnover, staff indifference, nepotism, inconsistent student attendance, and insufficient focus on racial issues and African-American-centered education. Meeting those challenges would engender even greater positive outcomes.

One of the most evident signs that a child is on the path to dropping out of [BT1] school is disengagement from school (Kortering & Christenson, 2009). Given the amount of time that young people spend with their peers and the influence that peers have (Monahan, Steinberg, & Caufman, 2009), there is a need to better understand the role that peers play in the decision to drop out of school (Farmer, Estell, Leug, Trott, Biship, & Caims, 2003). Using Ericson’s stages of psychosocial development (1956), social identity theory, and self-categorization theory as a framework, an afterschool program in the form of a social club was designed and implemented. The goal was to foster friendships between academically engaged students and disengaged students, using a short-term, cost effective intervention. It was hypothesized that the new friends would act as role models giving the disengaged students a more accurate perception of positive academic behaviors and the related benefits, thus leading to a positive change in academic engagement. This study used a mixed-methods design: a quantitative phase consisting of pretest-posttest surveys administered to teachers and students in order to assess possible changes in student academic engagement and a second pretest-posttest survey administered to students in order to determine if any new friendships between academically engaged and at-risk students had formed. A second, qualitative phase used focus groups to gain insight into the students’ perceptions of their academic experience. The findings of this study contribute to the current literature on dropout by providing insight into the possibility of utilizing peers as a catalyst to academic engagement in students who are at risk for school failure and high school drop out, in particular those with disabilities. In addition, the findings reiterate the importance of positive student-teacher relations and the importance of ongoing attempts to create those relations. The results of this study remind us that there is no single approach to solving the problem of high school dropout. However, by providing diverse opportunities for at-risk students to develop positive perceptions of the academic experience it is possible to ultimately increase academic engagement and reduce dropout. [BT1]Abstract body text must not exceed 350 words.

Denna vetenskapliga essä är skriven utifrån att jag som fritidshemslärare vill undersöka och få större förståelse för det komplexa samarbetet mellan föräldrar och fritidshemspersonal. Jag vill genom denna uppsats ta reda på hur jag som fritidshemslärare kan bygga upp ett förtroendekapital hos föräldrarna, få ett väl fungerande samarbete och ta reda på var gränsen går mellan att kränka eller fostra en elev. Jag har använt mig av processkrivande samt ett hermeneutiskt arbetssätt, där jag har pendlat mellan olika synsätt samt perspektiv och tolkat dessa. Jag har tittat närmare på de informella regler vi har på fritidshemmet och hur vi förmedlar dessa till föräldrar samt elever. Jag har också undersökt om det finns tydliga regler för när och var överlämning av ansvar för eleverna sker från fritidshemmet till vårdnadshavare. Med hjälp av Uri Bronfenbrenners utvecklingsekologiska modell samt perspektiv har jag tydliggjort hur samarbetet mellan vårdnadshavare och fritidshem påverkar eleven. Bronfenbrenners modell visar hur elever påverkas av olika kringliggande faktorer och sammanhang. Jag har även undersökt hur samspelet kring föräldrarnas partikulära intressen samspelar med skolans universella. De teorier och begrepp som har varit centrala i min analys är; partikulära samt universella intressen, mikro-, meso-, exeo- och makrosystem. / This scientific essay is written on the basis that I, as an after-school center teacher, want to investigate and gain a greater understanding of the complex collaboration between parents and after-school center staff. I want to find out how I, as an after-school center teacher, can build up an amount of trust with the parents, get a well-functioning collaboration and come to a better understanding of where the line goes between offending or educating a student.  I have used process writing and a hermeneutic approach, where I have commuted between different approaches and perspectives and interpreted these. I have taken a closer look at the informal rules we have at the after-school center and how we convey these to parents and students. I have also investigated whether there are clear rules for when and where the submission of responsibility for the students takes place, from the after-school center to the guardians. With the help of Uri Bronfenbrenner's developmental ecological model and perspective I have clarified how the collaboration between guardians and after-school centers affects the student. Bronfenbrenner's model shows how the students are affected by various surrounding factors and contexts. I have also investigated how the interaction around the parents' particular interests interacts with the school's universal interests.   The theories and concepts that have been central to my analysis are particular and universal interests, micro, meso, exeo and macro systems

Previous research and media portray students' image of what health is. The purpose of this study is to investigate how students who have experience of going to leisure centers view the concept of health. To achieve the purpose of the research study, a qualitative study was conducted using semi-structured interview methods. Furthermore, the results will be analyzed on the basis of Antonovsky's theory of KASAM comprehensibility, meaningfulness and manageability. The results show that students have knowledge about health, however, a limited picture of what health means. The students describe health as mainly physical activity with emphasis on the fact that it is not good to sit still too much. The conclusion is that the students have a picture of health where practical elements are dominant and where theoretical elements shine with their absence. The study also shows that time, resources and committed staff should be set aside to clarify the concept of health in the after-school center. The results of the students' answers indicate that they have a limited knowledge of the concept of health and the conclusion of the study is that the students consider that the teaching in after-school centers is unclear many times. / Tidigare forskning och media skildrar elevernas bild av vad hälsa är. Syftet med denna studie är att undersöka hur elever som har erfarenhet av att gå på fritidshem ser på begreppet hälsa. För att uppnå syftet med forskningsstudien har en kvalitativ undersökning med hjälp av halvstrukturerade intervjumetoder genomförts. Vidare kommer resultatet att analyseras utifrån Antonovskys teori om KASAM - begriplighet, meningsfullhet och hanterbarhet. Resultatet visar att eleverna har kunskap om hälsa, dock en begränsad bild av vad hälsa innebär. Eleverna beskriver hälsa som främst fysisk aktivitet med betoning på att det inte är bra attsitta still för mycket. Slutsatsen blir att eleverna har en bild av hälsa där praktiska inslag är dominerande och där teoretiska inslag lyser med sin frånvaro. Studien visar också att det bör avsättas tid, resurser och engagerad personal för att tydliggöra begreppet hälsa i fritidshemmet. Resultatet av elevernas svar pekar på att de har en begränsad kännedom om hälsobegreppet och slutsatsen av studien är att eleverna anser att undervisningen inom fritidshem är otydlig många gånger

The purpose of this study was to investigate how the after-school center teachers experience the principal as the leader of the after-school center. The study is based on a survey that reached out to 60 educated after-school teachers around Sweden. The study addresses three main areas within the principal´s leadership and these are their insight into the after-school center functions, how the principals lead the systematic quality work and how the after-school center teachers think that the principal's functions as a leader for them. The results have been analyzed on the basis of Lars Svedberg´s pedagogical leadership theory and the analysis shows a fragmented picture of the principals leadership. What seem to be synonymous with the principal's pedagogical leadership of the after-school center is knowledge of the subject. The study highlights previous research in the field, concrete examples from the survey and statistics on how the teachers answered the survey. / Syftet med denna studie var att undersöka hur fritidshemslärarna upplever rektorn som fritidshemmets ledare. Undersökningen grundar sig på en enkät som nått ut till 60 utbildadef ritidshemslärare och fritidspedagoger runt om i Sverige. Studien tar upp tre huvudområden inom rektorns ledarskap och dessa är deras insyn i fritidshemmets verksamhet, hur rektorerna leder det systematiska kvalitetsarbetet samt hur fritidshemslärarna anser att rektorn fungerar som ledare för fritidshemmet. Resultaten har analyserats utifrån Lars Svedbergs pedagogiska ledarskapsteori och analysen visar på en splittrad bild av rektorernas ledarskap. Det som är synonymt för rektorns pedagogiska ledarskap över fritidshemmet är kunskap omverksamheten. I studien lyfts tidigare forskning inom området, konkreta exempel från enkätenoch statistik över hur fritidshemslärarna besvarat enkäten.

This study is based on the shared view of the free play and how the pedagogue should involve them self in it. That adults get involved in children’s play have accrued in other study’s but mostly in study’s that studying the preschools playtime. In the introduction the subject is problematized. Here it is shown that free play has several different views among pedagogues and authorities. The purpose of this study will be to study how the pedagogues is involving in the free play at the after-school centre and how their involvement is affecting the play itself. This will be done through the survey and observation method. The observation was carried out at a after-school centre and the questionnaires were answered by the after-school centre’s pedagogues. Through the collected empirical material, the study will investigate the pedagogue’s involvement through a socio-cultural perspective and previous research. The previous research is based on studies and scientific articles involving adult involvement in and view on children’s free play. The socio-cultural theoretical perspective, will together with the previous research, analyse the empirical material and in the end answer the study’s purpose. The result showed that the pedagogues at the after-school centre considered themselves thrifty with its involvement in the play because they didn’t want to risk ruining the children’s play. They only involved them self if necessary, to support the free play and to give it space and contribute what is needed for the play to considered good and developing. However, it turned out in the observations that the pedagogues became involved in the play to a large extent in two separate ways, passive, and active involvement. These two types of involvement are the basis for the study. In the discussion the result is discussed, and the conclusion drawn from the study is that the pedagogue’s passive and active involvement generates positive effects and contributes to an including, developing and learning free play. But for the free play to benefit in this way, skilled pedagogues with knowledge of play are required. The pedagogue’s involvement also shows important viewed from a intercultural perspective. / Denna studie grundar sig i tvetydigheten kring den fria leken och hur pedagogerna ska involvera sig i den. Att vi vuxna involverar oss i leken har framkommit i andra studier men främst inom förskolan. I inledningen problematiseras ämnet och visar på olika syner som finns på den fria leken hos arbetande pedagoger, myndigheter och organisationer. Syftet med studien blir att ta reda på hur pedagogerna på ett fritidshem involverar sig i leken. Detta kommer görs genom att använda metoderna observation och enkät. Observationen är genomförd på ett fritidshem och enkäten gick ut till pedagogerna på fritidshemmet. Genom det insamlade materialet kommer studien undersöka pedagogernas involvering genom ett sociokulturellt perspektiv tillsammans med tidigare forskning. Den tidigare forskningen grundar sig i studier och vetenskapliga artiklar inom leken där vuxnas involvering i och syn på den fria leken står för en stor del av det undersökta. Det sociokulturella teoretiska ramverket kommer tillsammans med tidigare forskning analysera empirin för att svara på syftet och forskningsfrågorna. Resultatet visade på att pedagogerna på fritidshemmet ansåg att de ska vara sparsamma i sin involvering i leken och detta för att de inte vill riskera att förstöra leken. De menar att de endast ska lägga sig i om det verkligen behövs och enbart stötta den fria leken samt ge den utrymme och bidra med det som krävs för att leken ska bli god och utvecklande. Dock visade det sig i observationen att pedagogerna involverar sig i leken i stor utsträckning och detta på två olika sätt, passiv och aktiv involvering. Båda dessa typer av involvering påverkar leken men på skilda sätt. Båda involveringarna visade sig dock vara viktiga för leken och lärandet i den. I diskussionen diskuteras resultatet och slutsatsen. I denna diskussion visar studien på att pedagogernas passiva och aktiva involvering genererar positiva effekter och bidrar till en inkluderad, utvecklande och lärande lek. Men för att den fria leken ska gynnas på detta vis krävs det skickliga pedagoger med kunskap om lek. Pedagogernas involvering visar sig också vara viktig ur ett interkulturellt perspektiv.

This study aims to research the student assistant’s workplace situation at the after-school center, wherein we examine the various differences between how school leaders, parents and guardians aswell as student assistants handle their duties at the after-school center. These questions are as follows, ”What duties should the student assistant role encompass”, as well as”Which differences exist in the support which students with special needs receive during school hours respective to after-school hours”. This study derives its information from qualitative research and scripted and improvised interviews. Our results demonstrate a clear link that the student assistant plays a vital role with the work of supporting special needs children. Since it has been difficult acquiring prior research regarding the student assistant’s role at the afterschool center we’ve had to draw parallels between the small amount of existing research regarding the student assistant’s work during school hours.

Previous research has shown that the existence of after school program is beneficial for children's health and their academic performance. Lorensborgsskolan, an elementary school situated in Malmö, implemented a project called “From movement in school to being active in organized sports” where they started a school sport organization. The project seeks to increase the amount of children active in external sport organizations and to make the transition more accessible. The project collaborated with Hemmaplan which is an initiative from the Scanian Basketball Federation. Therefore, the aim of this study was to discuss the prerequisites for implementing Lorensborgsskolans project “From movement in school to being active in organized sports” from a sustainable perspective. The sustainable perspective contains three concepts: social, environmental and economical. Three research questions has been formulated.How was the preparation of this project in relation to sustainability?What challenges can be identified when implementing this project?What benefits can be identified when implementing this project?Interviews, observation and document analysis were the methods used in this research and the data was analyzed through a six step coding process. The result and analysis were divided in three paragraphs named after the research questions connected to the theory. The research findings indicate how this project would give the children a protective factor outside of school. According to the collected result the children should be given the access to pursue sport in the entire city of Malmö and to work on their social skills. In conclusion, an external analysis should have been done before the implementation of the project. The financial aspect is identified as a challenge. For the children to be a part of the school’s sport organization is free of charge in contrast with external sport organizations where this does not imply.