This study examines how preservice teachers reflect upon queer pedagogy in relation to their future profession as English teachers. The purpose is to find out if preservice English language teachers consider queer theory to be important in their future profession, and if they do, find out what aspects they think are important, and what aspect could be challenging. Focus group interviews conducted with preservice teachers from Västra Götaland showed that queering English language teaching deemed important to encourage critical thinking, question norms and promote normalization of queer topics and acceptance of others. Results suggest that queer theory should be implemented in a natural way in order to avoid othering. The major concerns of the participants can be summarized as fear of being uninformed, and offending or differentiating students without meaning to. Moreover, many found it challenging to engage in the process of 'queering materials' as there are no clear guidelines or instructions, the responsibility placed on the individual teacher. In conclusion, preservice teachers would benefit from more queer theory courses related to their subjects, and opportunities to actively 'queer' and evaluate materials during their undergraduate teaching programs. This could provide confidence when working with and implementing queer theory in the classroom.

I november 2022 släpptes ChatGPT fritt på marknaden, och plötsligt förändrades synen på och kunskapen om artificiell intelligens! Syftet med studien är att synliggöra vilka olika uppfattningar elever på mellanstadiet har om artificiell intelligens (AI). Utifrån en fenomenografisk ansats har 16 mellanstadieelever, på två olika skolor, intervjuats i grupper om fyra vid två tillfällen. Mellan intervjutillfällena har i klasserna genomförts ett riktat undervisningsupplägg om AI och etik, hämtat från Mittuniversitetet. Syftet var att undersöka om elevernas uppfattningar förändrats av en sådan insats i undervisningen. Undersökningen visade att elever främst framställer AI på två olika sätt, AI beskrivs av eleverna som ett fysiskt ting, exempelvis en robot, eller så tillskriver eleverna AI mänskliga egenskaper. Dock visade undersökningen att eleverna bitvis har svårt att definiera vad AI faktiskt är och var AI finns. Resultatet visade också att eleverna kunde se både för- och nackdelar med AI och användande därav, både för den enskilde individen och för samhället i stort. Resultatet visade anmärkningsvärt liten förändring av elevernas uppfattningar mellan för- och efterintervju. Slutsatsen blev att elever har uppfattningar om vad AI är men att den inte alltid är verklighetsförankrad till exempel att man på sikt skulle kunna slippa gå i skolan för att AI löste allt. Detta kan ha med bristande kunskap att göra. / In November 2022, ChatGPT was released on the market, and suddenly the view and knowledge of artificial intelligence was drastically changed. The purpose of this study is to show different perceptions of artificial intelligence among primary school students. Based on a phenomenographic approach, 16 primary school students, at two different schools, were interviewed in groups of four on two different occasions. Between the interview sessions, a teaching sequence focusing on AI ethics, created by Mittuniversitetet, was carried out in the classes. The purpose was to investigate whether the students’ perceptions changed because of the participation in a focused teaching sequence. The study showed that students mainly describe AI in two different ways. AI was described by the students as a physical thing, for example a robot, or the students gave human characteristics to AI. However, the study showed that students sometimes find it difficult to define what AI actually is and where AI is found. The result also showed that the students could see both positive and negative aspects of AI and the use thereof, both for the individual and for the greater society. The result showed remarkably little change in the student’ perceptions between the pre- and post-interviews. The conclusion was that students have ideas about what AI is, but it is not always rooted in reality, for example that in the future you wouldn’t have to go to school because AI would fix everything for you. This may have to do with lack of knowledge.

Syftet med denna studie är att belysa några grundsärskolelärares konstruktioner av elevers delaktighet i ämnet matematik. För att kunna belysa lärares konstruktioner har jag genomfört kvalitativa gruppintervjuer med lärare, inom grundsärskolans olika stadier, som alla undervisar i ämnet. Jag har genom intervjuerna tagit del av lärarnas gemensamma beskrivningar och sedan analyserat dem ur ett socialkonstruktionistiskt perspektiv. Utifrån de intervjuade lärarnas konstruktioner handlar elevers egna önskemål om delaktighet i matematikämnet främst om tillgång till digitala verktyg i form av Ipads och här beskrivs elever som skickliga användare. Hinder för delaktighet däremot kan handla om elevers okunskap om hur man gör sig delaktig emedan möjlighet till delaktighet kan handla om att läraren är positivt inställd till ämnet. En matematikundervisning som är nivåanpassad och variationsrik och som präglas av lyhördhet och prestigelöshet kan inverka gynnsamt på elevers möjligheter att vara delaktiga. Variationer mellan stadier handlar bland annat om graden av initiativförmåga som tenderar att öka med stigande ålder men även om elevers förståelse av ämnet som blir mer tydligt ju äldre eleverna blir. Min förhoppning är att denna studie kan bidra till ökad förståelse för hur viktig lärarrollen är för grundsärskoleelevers möjligheter att bli delaktiga i matematikundervisningen. / The purpose of this study is to describe the constructions of student participation in mathematics made by some special school teachers. In order to obtain teachers' constructions of student participation in mathematics I conducted qualitative group interviews with teachers in special schools from different stages, each of which teaches the subject. Through the interviews I have been able to take part of the teachers’ common descriptions and I have analyzed these from a social constructionist perspective. Based on teachers’ constructions is students' own preferences about participation in mathematics mainly for access to digital tools as Ipads and the teachers describes students as skilled users. The picture of what can prevent participation include students' lack of knowledge about how to do their part. On the contrary if the teacher has a positive attitude towards mathematics opportunities for participation might be given. Mathematics teaching, if graded and varied and if characterized by sensitivity and modesty, have a positive impact on pupils' opportunities to be involved. Variations between stages include the degree of initiative that tends to increase with age but also students' understanding of the subject that becomes more evident the older the students are. My hope is that this study can contribute to greater understanding of how important the teachers role is for special school students’ opportunities to become involved in the teaching of mathematics.

Bakgrund: Enligt nationella patientenkäten är patienterna nöjda med vården, däremot skattas inte delaktigheten lika högt.  Ett sätt att öka delaktigheten är personcentrerad vård, som dessutom kan ge en mer effektiv vård med högre kvalitet.  Syfte: Studiens syfte var att beskriva och analysera ett förbättringsarbete om att öka patientens delaktighet genom införande av personcentrerad vård på en kardiologisk vårdenhet. Metod: Förbättringsarbetet genomfördes enligt Nolans förbättringsmodell. Studien var en fallstudie med induktiv ansats. Kvantitativ datainsamling skedde genom enkäter till patienter och medarbetare före och efter fem månaders förbättringsarbete. Kvalitativ datainsamling skedde genom foksugruppsintervjuer med medarbetare. Resultat: Enkäterna visade inga tydliga skillnader efter fem månaders förbättringsarbete. Både patienter och medarbetare skattade patientdelaktigheten högt. Det som skattades lägst av båda grupper var hänsynstagande till arbete, levnadsvanor och tidigare erfarenhet av sjukhusvård. Fokusgruppsintervjuerna visade att välinformerade patienter i större utsträckning kunde vara mer delaktiga. Medarbetarna fick en bättre förståelse av patienten, samtidigt fanns oro över att missa viktig information. Viljan fanns till personcentrering, men förutsättningarna saknades. Slutsats: Förbättringsmodellen är lämplig för införande av personcentrerad vård för att kunna testa vad som fungerar praktiskt. För att lyckas behövs tid och stöd från ledningen. Medarbetarna behöver träning, coaching och få vara delaktiga i förbättringsarbetet.

Bakgrund: Akuta försämringstillstånd i hemmet hos de mest sjuka äldre inträffar ofta. Det är inte ovanligt att flera olika vårdverksamheter är inblandade i vården kring denna grupp vilket ställer krav på en fungerande samverkan. Sjuksköterskor inom flera verksamheter möter de äldre vid akuta försämringstillstånd vilket skapar behov av en fungerande samverkan. Syfte: Syftet med studien var att belysa upplevelser av samverkan bland sjuksköterskor verksamma inom kommun, primärvård, ambulans och akutmottagning i samband med att de mest sjuka äldre blir akut försämrad i sitt hem. Metod: Kvalitativ metod med fokusgruppsintervjuer med sjuksköterskor som hade erfarenhet av samverkan kring de mest sjuka äldre vid akuta försämringstillstånd i hemmet. Intervjuerna analyserades enligt Burnard (1996) innehållsanalys i fyra steg. Resultatet: Analysen resulterade i två huvudkategorier samt sex underkategorier. Huvudkategorin Ensam i teamet presenteras i underrubrikerna Att företräda de mest sjuka äldre, Avsaknad av bedömning på plats och Interaktion med kollegor. Huvudkategorin Jakten på information presenteras i underrubrikerna Betydelsen av information om de mest sjuka äldre, Avsaknad av gemensamt IT-stöd och Behov av att dela information. Slutsats: Sjuksköterskorna upplever samverkan som en nödvändighet vid akuta försämringstillstånd av de mest sjuka äldre i hemmet. Samverkan visar sig dock vara kantad av barriärer. För att kunna bedöma och möta behoven hos de mest sjuka äldre i dessa situationer efterfrågar sjuksköterskorna en förändrad struktur för teamsamverkan, förbättrad kommunikation och informationsdelning. Detta skulle gagna samverkan och den personcentrerade vården. / Background: Reduced general condition at home among the most frail elderly are common. Collaboration of care is necessary as many different health care providers often are involved. Since nurses often meet the most frail elderly in their home in these situations they dependent ona well-functioning collaboration between the health care providers. Aim of this study was to elucidate nurses experiences of collaboration of care around the mostfrail elderly when reduced general condition at home. Method: Qualitative focusgroupinterviews with fifteen nurses from community based care,primary care, ambulance care and emergency care with experience of caring for the most frailelderly and collaboration of care in the elderly’s home. According to the qualitative contentanalysis described by Bernard (1996) the focusgroupinterviews were analysed. Result: The result consists of the two main categories Alone in the team and The pursuit forinformation and the six subcategories To represent the most frail elderly, Absence of medicalassessment, Interaction between colleges, The importance of information, Absence of shared ITsystem and The want of sharing information. Conclusion: Nurses consider collaboration of care as necessary amongst the most frail elderlywhen reduced general condition at home. The result indicate that collaboration of care is difficultto achieve. To meet the needs of the most frail elderly in these situations nurses desires a changein structure to provide for team collaboration, approvement in communication and in sharinginformation. According to nurses, this would benefit collaboration of care and the personcentered care.

The older population in Thailand is growing, and the number of older people who suffer from health problems is increasing as well. The health situation of the older population challenges healthcare providers to care for older people. Healthy aging is key to promoting the health of older people and sustaining their well-being. However, little is known about healthy aging in Thailand, especially in northeastern Thailand, or the Isan region, where the number of older people is increasing. Thus, this thesis aims to understand the factors associated with perceived health and healthy aging and how older people and their relatives in the Isan region conceptualize healthy aging. This thesis also focuses on how community nurses experience the meaning and promotion of healthy aging in this region. This thesis includes four studies. The first is a quantitative cross-sectional study with 453 participants aged 60 years or older. The second and third studies are qualitative with a phenomenographic approach that is based on lifeworld theory. Participants in the second and third studies include 17 older people and 14 relatives who are responsible for caring for older people, respectively. The fourth study is a qualitative study that involves focus group interviews with 36 community nurses who work with older people in the Isan region. The findings of the first study show a variance (24.3%) in perceived health and healthy aging based on residential area, marital status and disability status. The meaning of healthy aging, which was derived from the second, third and fourth studies, was divided into three domains: being interconnected; being able to do something good and feeling strong; and thinking beyond the capacity and functions of body and mind. The promotion of healthy aging was described as “providing health assessments”, “sharing knowledge”, and “having limited resources”. The findings of the first study revealed the key factors that will help healthcare providers promote healthy aging. The findings of the second, third and fourth studies revealed that older people, their children and grandchildren, and community nurses attach different meanings to healthy aging. The finding regarding promotion of healthy aging emphasizes that the person-centredness should be integrated in practice when promoting healthy aging. The results of this thesis will be useful to policymakers, who can apply this enhanced understanding of healthy aging to develop healthcare practices that promote healthy aging.

Syftet med studien var att kartlägga åsikter kring ett Gemensamt Konstruktivt Medarbetarskap (GKM) för att lägga grunden till en plattform att stå på inför kommande arbete kring medarbetarskap ute i organisationer. Studien är en kvalitativ undersökning med fallstudie som grundläggande design med en ansats av positiv psykologi, vilken genomfördes på en kemisk industri. Datainsamlingen gjordes genom fokusgruppsintervjuer där fyra-sex deltagare deltog/intervju. Vid intervjuerna diskuterades fyra fokusområden; gemensamt medarbetarskap, ledarskap, medledarskap och coaching. I studien har fem teman definierats vilka kan utgöra en plattform att stå på; ansvarstagande, förtroende, kommunikation, samarbete och engagemang. Grunden till en plattform består av fem ord som kan ses som ett gemensamt språk för att kunna kommunicera vidare; förtroende, ärlighet, pålitlighet, ansvarstagande och kommunikation. / The purpose of the study was to try to make a chart of views around a Common Constructive Empowerment (CCE) in order to set base for a platform to stand on due to further work around empowerment in organizations. The study is a qualitative research with a casestudy as a fundamental design with an approach to positive psychology, which was carried out in a chemical industry. The data collection took place in focused group interviews with four to six participants/interview. At these interviews four focus areas were discussed; common empowerment, leadership, shared leadership and coaching. In the study five themes has been defined that can be seen as a platform; responsibility, confidence, communication, cooperation and commitment. The base for a platform consists of five words that can be seen as a mutual language in order to keep on with the communication; confidence, honesty, reliability, responsibility and communication.

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This thesis examines the tenets and approaches of integrative learning for sustainability, and critiques the adequacy and effectiveness of conventional, higher education practices in preparing students for what is an increasingly uncertain future. At the centre of this inquiry is the study of a fourth year, undergraduate field course from the School of Environmental Studies at the University of Victoria that took an integrative, whole-person approach to sustainability in light of integral systems theory. The course provided students with an experiential and integrative learning approach to the study of sustainability that sought to engage the multiple intelligences of students, issuing from their intellectual, physical, social, and spiritual dimensions. To support this process, the course aimed at meeting the needs associated with these facets through diverse learning experiences that included contemplative exercises, the development of a learning community, a critical examination of course readings and experience in service learning activities. The evaluative research of the course’s impacts examined the learning experiences from the students’ perspective to identify which experiences and approaches were most meaningful. The enquiry also investigated which, if any, of these experiences led to enduring personal transformation and/or community action. The methodology undertaken involved a phenomenological examination of two small group interviews with six of the participating students, as well as an analysis of the six students’ written reflection assignments. The results of this research show the effectiveness and impact of some of the distinctive approaches of the course, namely the powerful effects of experiential learning, community based learning and the provision of time and space for personal and group reflection. These activities supported students in broadening and changing their view of themselves, their sense community, as well as provided opportunities for students to engage in sustainable practices. / Graduate

Abstract This thesis is both an empirical and theoretical contribution to the study of tax-compliance by taxi-operators and drivers. The exploratory case-study adopts a critical sociological perspective in assessing the limits of both the currently dominant academic literature and the industry-specific legislation on tax conformity, including the most recent strategies and explicit tax-compliance measures from the Australian Tax Office (ATO) with regard to Australian cab-drivers. The core premise of this thesis is that the social and economic activities (both legal and illicit) of cab-drivers are embedded within unique networks of social relations. The study utilises focus-group interviews to explore cabbies’ views on taxation, their perceptions of fairness and trust, and to elucidate how individual taxi-workers justify circumvention of Australian tax laws and regulatory measures in their actual work-practices. This exploration is achieved by analysing the verbal accounts and conversations among cab-drivers that involve their guilt-free justifications for non-compliance. The analysis presents further insights into their “vocabulary of motives” and “aligning actions” vis-à-vis non-compliant tax behaviour. The respondents’ views and perceptions about trust, and distributive and procedural justice, are compared and contrasted against the tax-regulator’s views and the ATO’s current enforcement measures. This study is semi-grounded and qualitative in approach, and is a first contribution to a field of inquiry that appears to be dominated by quantitatively-oriented criminological and social-psychological approaches. In contrast, the case-study presents a sociologically-inspired inquiry, by emphasising that cab-drivers are subjected to a multitude of structural arrangements and social control mechanisms, which influence their attitudes and actions with regard to non-compliance. Moreover, current regulatory initiatives towards diminishing non-compliance in the taxi-industry tend to neglect the concept of “mixed-embeddedness” and the inter-relatedness between tax rules, concomitant enforcement practices, and the nation’s broader legislative framework. The state’s regulation of tax-compliance behaviour of taxi-drivers cannot strictly be detached from other laws and regulatory measures in areas such as taxi-cab licensing, occupational health & safety (OH&S) or industrial & workplace relations, which affect every taxi-operator and contracted driver, albeit in different ways. A social-action approach that grasps more comprehensively the rich contexts and complexities involved in the informal behaviours of cabbies may be regarded as an additional and powerful information tool in the governance of modern taxation systems. The study will demonstrate how serious tensions and contradictory forces arise when tax regulators attempt to enforce a National Compliance Model which is, of itself, inherently mal-integrated and underpinned typically by a bureaucratic ‘one-size-fits-all’ enforcement approach in regard to local networks of taxi-drivers. It will be argued that legislative changes to the (legal) employment status of Australian taxi-drivers may produce a far more expedient and cost-effective way for curtailing the enduring and deeply imbued tax non-compliant modus operandi within this particular sector of Australia’s transport-services industry.