The network "Developing Quality in Mathematics Education II" is a continuation of the associated project "Developing Quality in Mathematics Education" (http://www.dqime.unidortmund. de). In this project participate universities, teacher education institutions and schools from 11 European countries. Cross-cultural cooperation and exchange of ideas, materials, teachers and pupils support developing quality in mathematics education, especially in the area of mathematical modelling. The quality and application of the developed learning materials is also guaranteed by using, comparing and modifying them in eleven different countries. This comparison leads to an agreement about contents of mathematical learning and teaching in eleven European countries. Thus we want to establish a "European Curriculum for the teaching and learning of mathematics" in the 21st century. A special feature of this project is the strong connection between theory and practice and between the research and development of mathematics education. In this project our Faculty of Mathematics, Physics and Informatics of Comenius University Bratislava manage testing of translated teaching materials at the high school „Gymnazium Sturovo“. We know that using ICT and didactical software in schools is almost present and wide spread. So we try to focus on several possibilities in solving real-life tasks using this technologies, regard to the fact technologies are hard upon the young generation of students.

The aim of this study was to describe and analyse the perceptions that ten 12-15 yearold pupils with special educational need, who had been assigned a personal computer, have about Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in the learning process. Data was collected by personal interviews and observations. Sociocultural perspective and phenomenographic research approach were used as theoretical and methodological frameworks in analyzing and understanding the result. The major conclusions were that most respondents perceived the computer as beneficial assistive technology for learning, but some felt singled out by having a computer to assist in learning. Students had various opportunities to succeed in using their tool depending on e.g. knowledge, accessibility and infrastructure around the ICT tool.To identify each pupil’s most successful way of learning with ICT, communication between pupil and teacher were essential.

Informations- och kommunikationsteknik (IKT) är ett aktuellt ämne i skolor världen över och denna studie kan vara av intresse för lärare, specialpedagoger, skolledare och lärarutbildare. Syftet med föreliggande studie var att beskriva och analysera lärares erfarenheter och uppfattningar av användningen av IKT för elever i behov av särskilt stöd som går i vanliga klasser, och att finna sambandet mellan IKT och inkludering. Vidare identifierades omständigheter och strategier för att göra arbetet med IKT mer inkluderande. En enkätstudie genomfördes med 92 lärare och kvalitativa intervjuer gjordes med fyra lärare i tre olika kommuner i norra Sverige. Resultatet indikerade att IKT användes för elever i behov av särskilt stöd i alla åldersgrupper, vanligast användes datorn för skrivande och ordbehandling. IKT skulle kunna användas för att kompensera för olikheter och bidra till inkludering för elever i behov av särskilt stöd, men då behöver undervisningen anpassas med tanke på elevers behov samt att tekniken bör integreras med pedagogiken. Uppfattningarna om vad inkludering innebär varierar och inkludering ses huvudsakligen som kunskapsmässig, vilket kan leda till både social och fysisk exkludering. Undervisningen i vanliga klassrum anpassades inte alltid för alla elevers behov och IKT verktyg användes ofta av elever i exkluderande miljöer. För att göra IKT användningen mer inkluderande behöver kunskap till lärare, utrustning och tid. Implikationer för praktiken är att lärare behöver mer utbildning i att använda IKT för elever i behov av särskilt stöd och att specialpedagogen bör ses som en handledare för lärarna. Förslag till fortsatt forskning skulle kunna vara fler liknande studier eller studier om möjligheterna med en-till-en för elever i behov av särskilt stöd. / Information and communication technology (ICT) is a current issue in schools around the world and this study may be of interest to teachers, special education teachers, school leaders and teacher educators. The aim of this study was to describe and analyze teachers’ experiences of and perceptions on information and communication technology (ICT) use for students with special educational needs (SEN) in general educational settings and to find the relationship between ICT and inclusion. In addition to that, conditions and strategies in order to make ICT use more inclusive were identified. A questionnaire survey was carried out with 92 responding teachers and qualitative interviews were made with four teachers. The results indicated that ICT was used for SEN students in all age groups, most commonly the computer was used for writing and word processing. ICT could be used as a way to bridge the gap to inclusion and compensate for differences and contribute to inclusion of students with special needs but in order to do that teaching should be adapted to students’ needs and pedagogy ought to be integrated with technology. Though, the perceptions of what inclusion is differs and inclusion is mainly seen as didactic, which can lead to social and physical exclusion. Teaching in mainstream classrooms was not always adapted to all students’ needs and assistive technology was often used by students in exclusive settings. In order to make the use of ICT more inclusive, teachers need knowledge, equipment and time. Implications for teachers and teacher educators are that teachers should become more educated about ICT for SEN and that special education teachers should be seen as supervisors for teachers. Suggestions for further research could be more similar studies or studies about the possibilities with one-to-one for students with special educational needs.

Design probes are a User-centered Design method with focus on close involvement of users in design. This is done by creating a package of artefacts that participants can complete wherever and whenever the individual sees fit. Further, children are a user group that differentiate from other user groups having other needs and attributes within design. This study investigated how design probes motivate children in the design process. A focus of the study is also to compare the applicability of thematic and non-thematic design probes with children.  The study was conducted with a qualitative approach where the empirical data was in the shape of four different design probes that were created and tested by students from Linköping University from the program of Design and Product Development. The tests they carried out were performed on children at the age of 10 to 13. Data analysis were made through coding and thematic analysis.  The study concludes that design probes is an adequate method for designing with children. Although, there are additional challenges in terms of playfulness, motivation, language, rewards, time-sense, creativity, influences and reflection. If design probes with children are managed correctly, they will yield results of great value to design. Also, having a theme in the design probe might help to motivate children. Although, themes are no guarantee for success since it will not solve challenges that are independent of themes. Keywords: Design probe, children, designing with children, User-centered Design, motivation

Title: Designing Communication for Dialogue and Engagement Authors: Christopher Bradson & Sofia Amanuel Level: Master Thesis, 30p  Keywords: Dialogue, Communication Design, Stakeholder engagement, Stakeholder communication, CSR communication.  Background: The changed attitudes about the role of business in today's contemporary society alongside with globalization and the evolved media-information environment has enlarged the pressures on businesses in regards to how they should pursue profitability, while responding to demands about accountability that is motivated beyond financial gain. There is a need for a better understanding about communication choices and how these are perceived by intended stakeholders, in order to accelerate effective communication that initiates stakeholder engagement. Research Questions:(1)How is Volkswagens communication design constructed in creating dialogue and engagement after a corporate scandal with its customers? (2)How does Swedish Volkswagen customers, in attribute of being external stakeholders, perceive the opportunities for engagement based on the four selected Volkswagen tools? What challenges does Volkswagen encounter when trying to create dialogue through these tools? Purpose: The purpose of this thesis is to examine how Volkswagen is creating opportunities for stakeholder dialogue and engagement through the theoretical perspective of communication design. By engagement we mean one-way or two-way communication, where stakeholders seek out or take part of communicative messages provided by the organisation.The study aims to examine how Volkswagen has designed their communication efforts, after being subjected to a global corporate scandal which proposed public demands for accountability and responsibility. Theoretical Framework: The framework consists of Communication theories, giving considerable space to literature from theorists Aakhus and Bzdak whom developed the framework for communication design used in this study. Additionally, the framework includes a smaller selection of CSR, Public Relation, and Media research focusing on stakeholder engagement.  Method: We have taken two parallel methodological pathways. The first method involved applying for elements provided by Aakhus and Bzdak framework for reconstructive design, while doing a thematic analysis on the media texts provided by the tools. The second research question was examined by conducting semi-structured interviews with Swedish Volkswagen stakeholders in order to gain a deeper understanding if Volkswagens communicative instruments were enabling engagement.   Findings & Conclusions: Our study concludes that Volkswagen is showcasing constructs in their design that aims to reduce scepticism among stakeholders, addressing important issues for stakeholders, providing solutions and articulating progress in multi-stake issues. Wealso conclude that Volkswagens communication messages are conveyed in a calculated way, with a persuasive nature to create an identity of being a ‘corporate good citizen’.There is a complexity in terms of diminishing scepticism, since stakeholders are being more demanding in today's society, particularly after a corporate scandal such as the one Volkswagen has been subjected to. Stakeholders are becoming more aware that companies are dictating the dialogic discourse, which affects the communication design in what motives a company incorporates in their communication. We conclude that customers felt that the opportunities to engage with the company was fairly low, and highly depended on how they where processing the nature of the messages (intrinsic/extrinsic),as well as how they defined engagement from personal beliefs and values.

As waste is separated at the source, the success of the Swedish recycling system largely depends on an active participation of households. However, especially young people were found to not consistently follow their local recycling schemes. A recent and promising approach to tackle such suboptimal household recycling behaviour (HRB) is the use of persuasive technology. To understand and further its context-specific potential, this research aims to explore the key elements of persuasive technology which aspires to promote sustainable household recycling behaviour among adults in Sweden. The chosen methodology is research through design. Based on the results of a literature review and online survey among target users (N=50), a mobile phone application was designed in an iterative manner. Through these activities, the following key elements were established: (1) easy access to information about optimal household recycling behaviour, (2) employment of several motivational strategies, (3) recognition of differences between local recycling schemes, (4) regard of users as equals and (5) use of a readily accessible technology channel. The impact of these elements depends on the users’ ability to carry out the target behaviour and therefore on a well-functioning recycling system. The technological format of persuasive technology interventions was found to spark the target users’ curiosity. Using this as a ‘carrot’, a well-designed content is argued to encourage repeated use and a reflection process to help break unsustainable household recycling habits. / Eftersom avfall separeras vid dess källa, beror Sveriges återvinningssystems framgång i stor utsträckning på aktivt deltagande hushåll. Studier har visat att särskilt unga inte följer lokala återvinningsrutiner på ett konsekvent sätt. Ett nytt och lovande tillvägagångssätt för att hantera detta suboptimala hushållsåtervinningsbeteende (English: household recycling behaviour (HRB)) är användningen av övertygande teknik. Syftet med denna studie är att utforska de viktigaste delarna av övertygande teknik som strävar till att främja ett hållbart hushållsåtervinningsbeteende hos vuxna i Sverige. Den valda metodiken är forskningsdriven design. Baserat på resultat från en litteraturstudie samt en online enkätundersökning fokuserad på målgruppen unga (N=50), designades en mobilapplikation genom ett iterativt tillvägagångssätt. Studien identifierade följande nyckelelement för en övertygande design i domänen: (1) Lättillgänglig information angående optimalt hushållsåtervinningsbeteende, (2) Användning av flera motivationsstrategier, (3) Identifiering av skillnader mellan lokala återvinningsrutiner, (4) Betrakta användare som jämställda och (5) Användning av lättillgänglig teknikkanal. Effekterna av dessa element är beroende av att användarna även har möjlighet att utföra den önskade sopsorteringen, och därför på ett välfungerande återvinningssystem. Designlösningen att använda sig av övertygande teknik i form av en app visade sig väcka målanvändarnas nyfikenhet. Studien visar att en väldesignad app kan fungera som en 'morot' för att uppmuntra användning över en längre tid, och skapa en reflektionsprocess som kan bryta ohållbara återvinningsvanor.

Syftet med denna studie är att bidra med kunskap om elevers perspektiv på användandet av digitala verktyg i socialt samspel, som stöd i undervisningen och i vardagen. För att belysa detta område har elever som går ett nationellt yrkesprogram i gymnasiesärskolan intervjuats. Intresset för denna studie uppkom då jag genom mitt arbete inom särskolans verksamheter ibland upplevt att jag inte haft tillräckligt med kunskap inom detta område för att kunna stötta eleverna optimalt. Tidigare forskning visar att användandet av digitala verktyg i undervisningen har positiva effekter för elever med utvecklingsstörning. Det finns även forskning som visar att användandet av digitala verktyg kan bidra till ökad självständighet och delaktighet i samhället för dessa personer. Studien utgår från ett sociokulturellt perspektiv, där lärande och utveckling sker i interaktion mellan människor. En kvalitativ halvstrukturerad intervju, valdes som metod för att samla in det empiriska materialet. Resultaten i studien pekar på att eleverna använder vanligt förekommande funktioner i mobiler och datorer i många olika kontexter. Enligt eleverna är verktygen en nödvändighet för både undervisningen och för att kunna vara delaktiga i samhällets alla delar. Inga specifika funktioner eller användningsområden som kan härledas till just gymnasiesärskolans verksamhet framträdde i studien. Eleverna uttryckte att de lärt sig använda verktygen av sig själva eller utav kompisar. De uppgav också att de själva funnit lämpliga strategier och användningsområden för verktygen som kompenserar olika funktionsnedsättningar eller andra svårigheter både i och utanför skolan. För att belysa området ytterligare kan det vara lämpligt att studera användandet av digitala verktyg utifrån speciallärares perspektiv och se vilka möjligheter det finns för att utveckla användandet av de verktyg eleverna redan är förtrogna med i undervisningen. / The purpose of this study is to contribute knowledge about students’ perspectives on the use of digital tools in social interactions, education and everyday life. In order to examine this area, students in compulsory school for pupils with learning disabilities have been interviewed. The interest for this subject arose when I during my work in special school sometimes experienced a lack of knowledge, regarding digital tools, on how to support the students fully in their education. Previous research shows positive results for students with intellectual disabilities regarding use of digitals tools during education. There are also studies that show that using digital tools can contribute to increase the independence and connection to the society for these people. This study is based on a sociocultural perspective, where education and personal growth is developed by interaction between people. In order to collect empirical data, a qualitative semi-structured interview method was selected. The results indicate that the students are using common functions in both smart phones and computers in a variety of contexts. According to the students, the digital tools are necessary for their education as well as their participation in all parts of the society. The study did not result in any features or applications used specifically for educating students in compulsory school for pupils with learning disabilities. The students expressed that they learned to use the tools by themselves or from friends. They also stated that they themselves found appropriate strategies and area of use for the tools that compensate for different disabilities or other difficulties both inside and outside the school. Regarding future research in this area one suitable approach could be to use the special education teacher’s perspective as a main source and explore the possibilities to further develop the digital tools the students already are familiar with, towards a better education.

Denna studie behandlar lärares användning av IKT i olika ämnen av deras undervisning från förskoleklass till år tre. Genom intervjuer har data samlats in och sedan tematiskt analyserats. Studien fokuseras på i vilket syfte IKT används i undervisningen och vilka faktorer som anses påverka implementeringen av IKT i undervisningen. Vidare jämförs resultatet med tidigare forskning inom området. I studien framkommer att lärare generellt upplever en osäkerhet kring IKT. Det finns även ett behov av bättre struktur och stöd gällande fortbildning kring IKT. Vidare visar resultatet att ramarna för hur lärare arbetar i olika ämnen med IKT är relativt fasta, där många lärare använder IKT på liknande sätt inom specifika ämnen. Studien uppmärksammar också problem gällande likvärdigheten i utbildningen för eleverna med avseende på IKT. Avslutningsvis lyfts några förslag till hur en fortsatt forskning skulle kunna te sig gällande lärares användning av samt fortbildning kring IKT. / This study addresses teachers' use of ICT in different subjects of their teaching from pre-school class to year three. Through interviews, data has been collected and then thematically analyzed. The study focuses on the purpose of ICT in teaching and what factors are considered to affect the implementation of ICT in teaching. Furthermore, the result is compared to the results of previous research in the field. The study shows that teachers generally experience uncertainty concerning ICT. There is also a need for better structure and support for teachers’ continuing education on ICT. Furthermore, the results show that the framework for how teachers work in different subjects with ICT is relatively fixed, where many teachers use ICT in a similar manner in specific subjects. The study also addresses issues regarding the educational equity for students with regard to ICT. Lastly, some suggestions for further research concerning teachers’ further education and use of ICT are highlighted.

In 2015, the Narrative model was created as a result of a study exploring how episodic games keep player’s interests through combining narrative and gameplay. In this thesis, the Narrative model is used as a framework for designing a language game for children to see whether that makes players more inclined to keep playing than a game not designed based on the model. Two games were created and evaluated in a within subject controlled experiment. Player enjoyment was measured by using GameFlow as a basis for interview questions and Likert scales. The results indicated that the game based on the model more successfully achieved GameFlow than the game that was not. As such, it was concluded that the model can be used as a tool for game design to increase the desire to keep playing a game, but that it needs further study to be validated.

The current case study served to investigate roles, uses, attitudes, and future implications of a collaborative artificial intelligence system [CAIS] at a user experience and service design firm. Due to the shortage in the body of literature for human machine co-creative collaboration, this study obliged in expanding on it from a qualitative and conceptual level. Findings from a thematic analysis on design practitioners, indicated three main themes: Attitudes, Attributes, and Awareness. Main findings indicate that negative attitudes affect how much autonomy is ascribed to CAIS; There is a lack of actuating design with this type of technology, partly due to lack of knowledge but also a central authority in the community; CAIS is perceived to foster creativity, but not truly collaboratively; Finally, ethical considerations towards designing with such intelligent systems are discussed both regarding the designer and the design process, but also towards the end-user.