No / FP7

Early tracking is an educational practice where students are divided into separate groups of ability. Despite many studies linking early tracking with increased inequality in education, it is a prevalent feature of education systems. This research uses a qualitative approach to study the perceptions of teachers regarding early tracking and the effects that it has on equality of education. Furthermore, it compares these perceptions between teachers from the Netherlands and Sweden. By means of thematic analysis a number of themes were identified from the interview data: the teaching-learning process; self-confidence and image forming; selection process and flexibility between tracks; labour-market transitions; opportunities for self-development; socio-economicstatus; and immigrant students. Comparative analysis showed that generally, the Swedish teachers had stronger negative perceptions of early tracking. They were more worried about the possible negative side-effects of dividing students at such a young age. Moreover, they felt that by adapting their teaching methods they were able to cope with the range of abilities in their classroom. The Dutch teachers did agree that the negative sides of tracking existed, but mostly they thought that these did not outweigh the benefits that they felt early tracking has for the quality of education. A number of the Dutch teachers worried especially that if some of the low-performing students would not be able to keep up with the rest of the class, they would lose their motivation and become disruptive to the lesson. Class size was found to be an important factor here: teachers from both countries strongly expected that smaller classes might make teaching in a mixed-ability group more manageable. Increasing the flexibility between the tracks was also seen as an important factor by the teachers from the Netherlands.

The purpose of this study was to contribute with knowledge about the tension between preschool teachers' mission to teach and support children's learning on the one hand and the mission to assess children's learning processes on the other hand, in relation to equality in education. In Swedish preschools, children with different experiences meet, all of whom should have the opportunity to develop and learn based on their varied circumstances and needs. According to the Education Act (SFS, 2010:800), preschool education must be equal, and all children must have the opportunity to learn and develop as far as possible based on their potential. However, previous research (Alasuutari, Vallberg Roth & Markström, 2014) indicates that assessment involves risks for children’s identity creation.  This study examines how seven preschool teachers tackle the challenge of assessing and paying attention to individual children in their ongoing learning processes. A sociocultural perspective (Vygotskij, 1978) has been used to study preschool teachers' reasoning about assessment in relation to each child's possibilities for being supported in their proximal development zone. The sociocultural perspective stresses the importance of cultural tools for communication. Stimulated-recall interviews were conducted with seven preschool teachers in Sweden. Content analysis was used to reveal the views that emerged in preschool teachers’ descriptions. In the preschool teachers' reasoning, different strategies for assessment and methods for making the child's learning processes visible as well as approaches for following the progression in children's learning processes have emerged, which can create both opportunities and limitations for children to learn based on their potential. Findings indicate three areas significant for assessment in relation to an equivalent education in this study. Firstly, there is clarity regarding the approach to assessment, what is to be given attention and assessed and how the assessment should be carried out. Secondly, the preschool teachers in the study have knowledge about various methods to make children's learning processes visible and thus possible to follow over time. Thirdly, the preschool teachers in the study know how to draw attention to and make visible the child's learning from a holistic perspective.  The Licentiate thesis highlights different strategies for assessment, methods for making the child's learning processes visible and approaches for following the progression in children's learning processes that emerged during the preschool teachers' reasoning. The study has shown that attentiveness (Elbaz, 1992) can be used as a concept to bridge the tension surrounding assessment. / Deltagare i forskarskolan ReCEC

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No. of bitstreams: 1 PROJETO DE INTERVENÇÃO - FINAL - IMPRESSÃO.pdf: 2780343 bytes, checksum: aff023bd4335564134e728b127b997f1 (MD5) / O presente Projeto de Intervenção apresentado como resultado final do curso de Mestrado Profissional em Educação, Currículo, Linguagens e Inovações Pedagógicas da Faculdade de Educação da Universidade Federal da Bahia é um trabalho de natureza crítica-reflexiva-propositiva que teve como ponto de partida a investigação educacional, visando à identificação, ao estudo de problemas e a recomendação de ações que colaborem com a mudança da realidade observada. O contexto investigativo é o Colégio Municipal Eufrásio Vilela Dourado, situado na zona urbana do Município de Ibititá-Ba, que oferece Ensino Fundamental, dada a situação de exclusão, descaso e discriminação que marcam, em especial, os alunos do turno vespertino de modo distinto dos alunos do turno matutino. Os objetivos do Projeto são apresentar recomendações direcionadas para a melhoria de qualidade de ensino no turno vespertino e matutino, tendo como ponto de partida estudar as causas das diferenciações nas condições de estudo e de rendimento dos alunos entre os dois turnos. Para a construção da proposta, foi realizado um levantamento de estudos sobre as diferenças na qualidade do ensino e aprendizagem entre os turnos matutino e vespertino. Buscou-se aporte teórico em autores como Perrenoud, (2001); Freire, (2014); Gadotti, (2013); Bordieu Apud: João E Silva, (2014); Nogueira, (1998); Viana (2013); Tardif (2002). Foram coletados dados entre professores e estudantes, através de entrevistas, grupo focal e observação. Um dos resultados mais relevantes desse processo foi a identificação de fatores internos e externos à escola como possíveis responsáveis pelas diferenças de qualidade entre os turnos matutino e vespertino. Como conclusão, o presente trabalho aponta para a necessidade de um conjunto de ações articuladas, abordando as dimensões: estrutural e sociopedagógica, que ocorrerão simultaneamente. Com a Intervenção Estrutural não será dado a apenas alguns alunos o direito de escolher o turno para estudar. A Intervenção sociopedagógica, será proposto aos professores um trabalho mais coletivo, participativo e motivador, pelo qual serão criadas mais oportunidades de interação e (re) conhecimento de culturas entre escola, famílias e comunidade. / ABSTRACT This Intervention Project presented as final result of the course Professional Master's in Education, Curriculum, Pedagogical Languages and Innovation, School of Federal University of Bahia Education, is a work of critical-reflective-propositional nature which had as its starting point the educational research in order to identify, study problems and recommending actions to collaborate with the change of observed reality. The research context is the Municipal College Eufrásio Vilela Gold, located in the urban area of the municipality of Ibititá-Ba, which provides primary education, given the exclusion, neglect and discrimination that mark, in particular students of evening shift differently students of the morning shift. The project objectives are to make recommendations directed to the improvement of educational quality in the morning and afternoon shift, taking as a starting point to study the causes of differences in the conditions and student performance between the two rounds. For the construction of the proposal, a survey was conducted studies on the differences in the quality of teaching and learning between the morning and afternoon shifts. He attempted to theoretical support in authors like Perrenoud (2001); Freire (2014); Gadotti, (2013); Bordieu Apud: John E Silva (2014); Nogueira, (1998); Viana (2013); Tardif (2002). Data were collected between teachers and students, through interviews, focus groups and observation. One of the most important results of this process was the identification of internal and external factors to the school as possible responsible for the differences in quality between the morning and afternoon shifts. In conclusion, this study points to the need for a set of coordinated actions, covering the dimensions: structural and sociopedagógica, which will occur simultaneously. With structural intervention will not be given to just a few students the right to choose the shift to study. Sociopedagógica with the intervention, will be offered to teachers a more collective, participatory and motivating work and will be more opportunities for interaction and (re) knowledge of cultures between school, families and community.

Detta arbete har, med ett kvantitativt arbetssätt, undersökt hur socioekonomisk ojämlikhet kan påverka matematikutbildning på grundskolan. Syftet med detta arbete är att undersöka hur 15-åriga högstadieelever på skolor med högre respektive lägre genomsnittlig socioekonomisk profil upplever matematikundervisningen. Forskningsfrågorna handlar om hur elever upplever eget intresse och svårighet inom matematik, och hur elever upplever förväntningar från föräldrar och lärare samt deras egna mål på slutbetyg i matematik. För att beskriva skolornas socioekonomiska profil, användes föräldrarnas utbildningsbakgrund utifrån skolverkets SALSA-undersökning. Digitala enkäter i Google formulär användes i datainsamling för detta arbete. Univariata analyser med statistiska tabeller och signifikanstest (Wilcoxon test) används i dataanalysen. Totalt 19 elever på skolan med högre socioekonomisk status och 70 elever på skolan med lägre socioekonomisk status har deltagit i enkätundersökningen. Resultaten visar att elever på skolan med lägre socioekonomisk status upplever större förväntningar från föräldrar på deras betyg i matematik. Resultaten visar också att jämfört med elever på skolan med lägre socioekonomisk status, så tycker elever på skolan med högre socioekonomisk profil att matematik är enklare och att några matematiska områden som ingår i det centrala innehållet är mer intressanta. De matematiska områdena som taluppfattning, samband och förändring samt sannolikhet och statistik påverkas mest av elevers socioekonomisk status. Socioekonomisk status kan även påverka elevers gymnasieval där elever på skolan med högre socioekonomisk status har betydande högre vilja att söka gymnasieprogram som kräver matematisk kunskap. / This work has, with a quantitative approach, investigated how socio-economic inequality can affect mathematics education in primary school. The purpose of this work was to investigate how 15-year-old students at schools with higher and lower average socio-economic profile experience mathematics teaching. The research questions were how students experience their own interest and difficulty in mathematics, and how students experience expectations from parents and teachers as well as their own goals for final grades in mathematics. To describe the schools’ 'socio-economic profile, the parents' educational background was used based on the National Agency for Education's SALSA survey. Digital surveys in Google Forms were used as a data collection method. Univariate analysis with statistical tables and significance tests (Wilcoxon test) are applied in the data analysis. A total of 19 students at the school with higher socio-economic status and 70 students at the school with lower socio-economic status have participated in the survey. The results show that students at school with lower socio-economic status experience greater expectations from parents of their grades in mathematics. The results also show that compared with students at the school with a lower socio-economic status, students at the school with a higher socio-economic profile think that mathematics is simpler and that some mathematical areas that are included in the central content are more interesting. The mathematical areas such as number perception, connection and change as well as probability and statistics are most affected by students' socio-economic status. Socio-economic status can also affect students' upper secondary school choices, where students at the school with a higher socio-economic status have a significantly higher willingness to apply for upper secondary school programs that require mathematical knowledge.

No description available.

Avhandlingen handlar om digital (o)jämlikhet. Begreppet (o)jämlikhet utgår från en sammanskrivning av jämlikhet och ojämlikhet men uttalas som det sistnämnda. Problematiken kring digital (o)jämlikhet belyses i avhandlingen i form av fyra olika delstudier samt en kappa. Avhandlingens övergripande syfte är att öka kunskapen om digital (o)jämlikhet genom att empiriskt kartlägga och teoretiskt tolka användning av informations- och kommunikationsteknik (IKT) bland barn och unga vuxna. Ett speciellt fokus läggs vid skolans roll i sammanhanget då den svenska skolan har i sitt uppdrag att ge alla elever en likvärdig utbildning. Skolan ska även kompensera för elevers olika förutsättningar. Genom en enkätstudie och en intervjustudie analyseras grundskole- och gymnasielevers användning av och tillgång till IKT i skolan och i hemmen. Elevernas digitala kompetens i allmänhet och deras kompetens i informationssökning i synnerhet, analyseras också för att skapa en bild av den digitala (o)jämlikheten. I dessa analyser studeras även skolans bidrag till elevers digitala kompetens och digitala jämlikhet. Resultaten av dessa analyser presenteras i två delstudier. För att få en djupare förståelse för fenomenet digital (o)jämlikhet ur ett internationellt perspektiv utgör en av delstudierna en systematisk forskningsöversikt. Ytterligare ett sätt att fördjupa kunskapen om digital (o)jämlikhet i avhandlingen är att studera fenomenet utifrån en utbildningssociologisk teori vilket genomförs i den sista delstudien. Inom ramen för det övergripande syftet prövas, och granskas kritiskt, därför Selwyns begrepp tekniskt kapital. Tekniskt kapital har sin grund i Bourdieus kapitalbegrepp och syftar därmed på tillgång till och användning av IKT som tillskrivs ett värde. Resultaten visar att det finns en digital ojämlikhet bland de unga som ingår i studien, trots den till synes höga tillgången till IKT. Avhandlingen visar även att skolan inte klarar sitt uppdrag då eleverna inte får en likvärdig utbildning samt att skolans uppdrag avseende elevers digitala kompetens är oklart. Vidare visar resultatet att begreppet teknisk kapital ger möjlighet till en djupare förståelse av digital (o)jämlikhet. Samtidigt ges förslag på hur begreppet tekniskt kapital kan förfinas ytterligare. / This doctoral thesis focusses on digital (in)equality; a new concept construed by combining the notions equality and inequality. The concept will for the purpose of this thesis be written as (in)equality constituting a new domain of study as explored in four separate studies together comprising this thesis. The general aim of the thesis is to increase the knowledge base of digital (in)equality by empirically charting and theoretically interpreting the use of in-formation and communication technology (ICT) by children and adults alike. A specific focus is how ICT is utilised in schools since the Swedish school system is commissioned by law to provide equal education for all. Compulsory school pupils' use and access to ICT in schools as well as at home was investigated both by a survey study and an interview study. In addition, pupils' general digital competence as well as their skills in searching information were studied in order to gain insight into digital (in)equality. The Swedish school system and its role in conveying such competence was a particular concern. Results are presented in two of the four articles constituting this doctoral thesis. To gain a wider understanding of the ICT (in)equality phenomenon an international outlook was incorporated into thesis in the form of a systematic literature review. This literature review is presented in the third article of the thesis. The fourth and final study widens the scope even further by analysing the phenomenon in the light of sociological theory. The general aim of the thesis was scrutinised and critically analysed using Nathan Selwyn's construct of Technology Capital, which in turn is derived from Pierre Bourdieu's notion of cultural capital. Technology capital defines both access to and the use of ICT, which of course also implies that ICT indeed has cultural value. The results of this sociological analysis showed that there does indeed exist a digital inequality amongst the younger generation in Sweden in spite of having easy access to the technology. It is demonstrated that the Swedish school system actually fails its commission. In respect to the use of and access to ICT the school system is not equal and pupils do not receive equal education. Furthermore, the analysis suggested that the task given to the school system is unclear and that the use of a concept such as technological capital is a promising one in gaining further insights into the phenomenon of digital (in)equality. In conclusion, suggestions are also made how the notion of technology capital could be further developed made more precise.