No / Wellbeing is a growing concern for educators and students alike and is especially significant in the light of the Covid-19 pandemic, which has brought the importance of wellbeing into sharp focus. Elsewhere, the authors (Cobb and Croucher) have written about a new pedagogic approach they have developed, specifically related to archaeology, although applicable across higher education. In this approach, they draw on relational theories and archaeology's “material turn” to focus on “Inclusive Learning Assemblages”. They explore the material and social assemblages that students encounter, both in different learning contexts and outwith learning, arguing that if we foreground learning assemblages, then student diversity and the student learning experience will be enhanced. In this paper, the authors take a step further by exploring the value of this approach for student wellbeing. They argue that taking an assemblage approach to teaching and learning in archaeology, and foregrounding diversity, actively improves student wellbeing too. This paper brings into dialogue mental health issues, with the diversity of student experiences, and the broad material engagements of an archaeology degree, in order to suggest a series of concrete steps that practitioners can implement to enhance student wellbeing.

Magister Artium (Social Work) - MA(SW) / A qualitative study was conducted to explore and describe the factors that hinder parent involvement in the High Five Life Skills Programme for at risk children. Parent involvement remains a challenging phenomenon, which affects not only the child, as an individual, but also the family in society. However, although parenting children is perceived to be an important responsibility, parents do not receive any formal training on how to be good parents. An explorative and descriptive research design was utilised. Data collection was done by means of semi-structured interviews and focus group discussions, with the parents/guardians and children in the High Five Life Skills Programme, as well as the teachers, who refer children to the programme. The method of non-probability sampling, employed in this study was purposive sampling. The sample was selected on the basis of the researcher’s own knowledge, as well as the purpose of the study. Data were analysed using the nine steps proposed by Creswell. The results highlighted six barriers that hindered parent involvement in the High Five Life Skills Programme, namely, Low self-esteem of parents/caregivers and children; Lack of communications between all relevant parties - caregivers, teachers and the facilitators of the High Five Life Skills programme; Lack of role models: Parents’ not being role models as their own negative behaviour hindered their involvement; Lack of an emotional bond between parents and children, coupled with absent fathers; Lack of parents’ parental skills and support networks; and the lack of resources and support with transport to and from meetings, as well as child care for younger siblings. The participants, especially the children, freely expressed themselves, and contributed to the results; thereby assisting the researcher to explore the barriers that hinder parent involvement in the High Five Life Skills Programme. It is anticipated that the results of this current study will form a basis for the High Five Life Skills Programme to develop strategies that respond to the needs of the parents and children involved in the programme.

This thesis explores the extent to which English curriculum, teachers’ literary choices, and a high demographic of Muslim students, influence the way English teachers educate for citizenship, in public and Islamic schools in Ontario. The three aspects this thesis examines are the following: how English teachers conceptualize citizenship education using informed, purposeful, and active citizenship learning expectations; in what ways their practice and literary choices enhance dimensions of citizenship education; and to what extent the English citizenship educator provides an inclusive space for Muslim perspectives. While the study shows that English teachers were successful at infusing purposeful citizenship, the study suggests that a more explicit link is needed in curriculum and in teacher practice, to inculcate informed and active citizenship outcomes in English. This study also implies, that teachers’ specific literary choices coupled with a citizenship education pedagogy, provides a more inclusive space for Muslim hybrid identities in English.

This thesis explores the extent to which English curriculum, teachers’ literary choices, and a high demographic of Muslim students, influence the way English teachers educate for citizenship, in public and Islamic schools in Ontario. The three aspects this thesis examines are the following: how English teachers conceptualize citizenship education using informed, purposeful, and active citizenship learning expectations; in what ways their practice and literary choices enhance dimensions of citizenship education; and to what extent the English citizenship educator provides an inclusive space for Muslim perspectives. While the study shows that English teachers were successful at infusing purposeful citizenship, the study suggests that a more explicit link is needed in curriculum and in teacher practice, to inculcate informed and active citizenship outcomes in English. This study also implies, that teachers’ specific literary choices coupled with a citizenship education pedagogy, provides a more inclusive space for Muslim hybrid identities in English.

Nurse educators are tasked with preparing safe, competent nurses but are faced with unique challenges in helping students with disabilities. Students with learning disabilities require accommodations which are alterations or adjustments within the learning environment and are developed by the instructor. The purpose of this 3-manuscript dissertation, guided by the universal design for instruction (UDI), was to explore the attitudes and instructional methods used among nursing faculty related to teaching students with learning disabilities. Three research questions were framed as parallel studies to address the gap in understanding how faculty view nursing students with disabilities, how clinical specialty influences faculty's teaching methods, and what UDI teaching methods faculty use. Nursing faculty who teach in the classroom for prelicensure nursing programs were recruited to complete the Instructional Methods and Attitudes Faculty Survey. Data from 102 participants were analyzed using a Wilcoxon-Mann-Whitney test, which indicated significant differences between the use of inclusive teaching methods (hands-on or interactive and problem solving, communication and interaction among students brainstorming, and providing class outlines or lecture slides before class). There were no differences when comparing faculty attitudes toward UDI familiarity, disability familiarity, and clinical specialty. The implementation of UDI promotes social change by creating an inclusive learning environment that increases the likelihood of success for students with learning disabilities. Future research should focus on best practices to educate faculty about inclusive teaching paradigms, such as UDI and explore faculty and student perspectives about the use and implementation of UDI.

This thesis is a part of Master Degree within the field of Special Education at Malmö University. The purpose of the research is to elucidate how the supportive material Assessment Tool for Accessible Education of the Swedish National Agency of Special Needs Educations and Schools is being used by educational institutions in Sweden and how it contributes to the change in the learning environment among preschools and schools. The reading provides valuable knowledge for how the agency can develop their support to educational institutions, as well as for the actors of the field to make the learning environment accessible to the students. The study looks at similarities and differences between the inclusive learning environments based on previous research, and the accessible learning environment based on Assessment Tool for Accessible Education. A lot of similarities can be found in the pedagogic and social aspects, while the differences become prominent in aspects of the physical environment which can only be found in accessible learning environments. Further, pros and cons of supporting individual needs in relation to the learning environment are discussed and what consequences it may give rise to for disabled students. Research questions are as follow; Does the Assessment Tool for Accessible Education contribute to a change in the learning environment? What developing processes contribute to the change? How should institutions be supported in order to develop the accessible learning environment?Mixed methods have been used for collection of data; a poll was answered by 425 people and interviews were held with nine focus groups from four different institutions, including one group of students. The theoretical frame of the analysis follows the organization theory; learning organization and rational-analytic, interactional, and political perspective. The empiric has been worked through thematically and is presented in a chronological order from when people first came in touch with Assessment Tool for Accessible Education, how the work has been implemented and processed at the institutions, and a description of what changes has been processed and its effects upon the learning environment. Obstacles and factors of success experienced by the respondents as well as the need of support for development are also presented. The results of the research show that the assessment tools contribute to a change in how the pedagogues approach the knowledge of how the learning and development of the students is affected by the learning environment when organizational development exists within the institution. Development launches when structural and cultural conditions exist and are processed which in turn leads to development of the learning organization. The research looks at the consequences when these conditions are lacking. Further, when good conditions exist the learning environments develop. The research shows changes that have been processed through the physical, pedagogic, and social environment. Also, all students receive a higher level of accessibility than disabled students. The conclusion is that the Assessment Tool for Accessible Education contributes to a higher level of knowledge regarding the significance of the learning environment which implies changes, provided that organizational development exists within the institution. Keywords: Accessible Learning Environment, Disabilities, Inclusive Learning Environments, Learning Organization, Organization theory, Process

This is a qualitative study which aims to explore if cooperative learning can be a teaching strategy to improve inclusiveness, social relations and academic achievement for young students in special needs in Swedish primary schools. Earlier research in cooperative learning and its effects suggests that social interdependence and individual accountability are important components, according to Johnson, Johnson and Holubec (1994). Other prominent factors for successful cooperative learning is that students have opportunity to practise and improve their cooperative and social abilities, that the structures of education are thoroughly implemented and well known by the teachers and, finally, that differences among children are viewed as beneficial rather than problematic. To conduct this study, semistructured interviews and participating open classroom observations has been done. Four female teachers with long experience and two female principals have been interviewed. Two classroom observations has been conducted. The results of the study show that principals consider the teachers' abilities to be most important for the inclusion of students, their social relations and academic achievements. Three of the four teachers regard cooperative learning as a teaching strategy for inclusion, social relations and academic achievement, while the fourth teacher experience that cooperative learning can be excluding for some students in special needs. The classroom observations suggest that a thoroughly implemented cooperative learning, with a teacher who is versed in the basic thoughts and theories of cooperative learning may foster inclusion, social relations and academic achievement.

abstract: Clickers are a common part of many classrooms across universities. Despite the widespread use, education researchers disagree about how to best use these tools and about how they impact students. Prior work has shown possible differential impacts of clickers based on demographic indicators, such as age, gender, and ethnicity. To explore these topics a two-part project was designed. First, a literature review was completed focusing on past and current clicker practices and the research surrounding them. Second, original data, stratified by demographic characteristics, was collected on student perceptions of clickers. The literature review revealed that not all uses of clickers are created equal. Instructors in higher education first introduced clickers to enhance traditional pedagogies by simplifying common classroom tasks (e.g. grading, attendance, feedback collection). More recently, instructors pair clickers and novel pedagogies. A review of the identified benefits and drawbacks for students and instructors is provided for both approaches. Instructors can use different combinations of technological competency and pedagogical content knowledge that lead to four main outcomes. When instructors have both technological competency and pedagogical content knowledge, all the involved parties, students and instructors, benefit. When instructors have technological competency but lack pedagogical content knowledge, instructors are the main benefactors. When instructors have pedagogical content knowledge alone, students can benefit, but usefulness to the instructor decreases. When instructors have neither technological competency nor pedagogical content knowledge, no party benefits. Beyond these findings, recommendations are provided for future clicker research. Second, the review highlighted that clickers may have a differential impact on students of different demographic groups. To explore this dynamic, an original study on student views of clickers, which included demographic data, was conducted. The original study does not find significantly different enthusiasm for clickers by demographic group, unlike prior studies that explored some of these relationships. However, white students and male students are overrepresented in the group that does not enjoy clickers. This conclusion is supported by visual observations from the means of the demographic groups. Overall, based on the review of the literature and original research, if instructors pair clickers with validated pedagogies, and if researchers continue to study clicker classrooms, including which students like and benefit from clickers, clickers may continue to be a valuable educational technology. / Dissertation/Thesis / Masters Thesis Biology 2020

The purpose of this study is to contribute with knowledge of how preschool teachers describe the work with inclusion in practice. Based on the purpose, four questions were formulated. The study was based on a phenomenographic method set to highlight variations of conceptions of inclusion and its working methods. Data were collected via semi-structured interviews with open-ended questions. The interviews are conducted both digitally and physically with five licensed preschool teachers with varied professional experience. All interviews were recorded in order to then be transcribed and analyzed. The material was then analyzed through a seven-step phenomenographic analysis model to highlight variations in preschool teachers' conceptions regarding the working methods of inclusion. In the work with inclusion, preschool teachers perceive that they work for the children to participate based on their needs and conditions. Preschool teachers perceive that they adapt and use strategies, as well as special educational tools as support. Adaptations are perceived to take place based on the children's conditions and needs. Strategies are highlighted as "training backwards" and clarifying pedagogy. Special educational tools are mainly perceived as image support and TAKK. The creation of learning environments is mainly based on the children's interest. An inclusive learning environment is perceived as changeable, visabel and accessible by preschool teachers. There has been a variation in conceptions regarding children's participation and pre-school teachers' control over the learning environment. Perceived obstacles to being able to work optimally inclusively are perceived by pre-school teachers as: lack of staff, lack of time, lack of resources regarding finances and competence development, documentation requirements and that one does not have the same view of inclusion in the work team. / Syftet med denna studie är att bidra med kunskap om hur förskollärare beskriver arbetet med inkludering i praktiken. Utifrån syftet så formulerades fyrafrågeställningar. Studien baserades på en fenomenografisk metodansats för attlyfta fram variationen av uppfattningar om inkludering och dess arbetssätt.Data har samlats in via semi-strukturerade intervjuer med öppna frågeställningar. Intervjuerna genomfördes både digitalt och fysiskt med fem legitimerade förskollärare med varierad yrkeserfarenhet. Samtliga intervjuer speladesin för att sedan kunna transkriberas och analyseras. Materialet analyseradessedan genom en sjustegs fenomenografisk analysmodell för att framhäva variationer i förskollärares uppfattningar rörande inkluderingens arbetssätt. I arbetet med inkludering uppfattar förskollärare att de arbetar för att barnen ska fådelta utifrån sina behov och förutsättningar. Förskollärare uppfattar att de anpassar och använder strategier, samt specialpedagogiska verktyg som stöd. Anpassningar uppfattas ske utifrån barnens förutsättningar och behov. Strategierlyfts som ”baklängesträning” och tydliggörande pedagogik. Specialpedagogiska verktyg uppfattas främst som bildstöd och TAKK. Vid skapandet av läromiljöer utgår man huvudsakligen från barnens intresse. En inkluderandelärmiljö uppfattas som föränderlig, tydlig och tillgänglig av förskollärarna. Dethar framkommit en variation i uppfattningar gällande barns delaktighet ochförskollärares styrande rörande läromiljön. Upplevda hinder för att optimaltkunna arbeta inkluderande uppfattas av förskollärarna såsom: personalbrist,tidsbrist, brist på resurser gällande ekonomi och kompetensutveckling, dokumentationskrav och att man inte har samma syn på inkludering i arbetslaget.

The purpose of this qualitative study is to examine what possibilities and obstacles teachers may experience when working with the ASL-method from a perspective that concerns students’ literacy development. The reason why we have chosen to study the ASL-method is that this method has spread like wildfire in Swedish schools to streamline literacy development among students. We have gathered our empirical data through semi-structured interviews with five teachers who actively work with the ASL-method. The results show that the method contributes to individualized and enjoyable learning since students can work from their own knowledge and language levels. This study also shows that the ASL-method contributes to more opportunities than obstacles, but there are some factors to consider when implementing this method in the classroom such as the teachers competence, personal qualifications and what demands it may put on teachers and students. Altogether, this study gives a balanced presentation of the ASL-method to teachers who are considering implementing this method in their teaching.