The purpose of my study is to determine students’ attitudes to the Natural Science subject. I want to contribute to scientific discourse about different learning styles that can respond to childrens’ requirements in teaching as well as to determine the student’s experience of learning styles. The studies were carried out at an upper secondary school in Stockholm (spring term 2011) for three different classes. I have used qualitative interviews to determine student's experiences and quantitative analysis of student's evaluations of science subjects they have been taught. In my research I concluded that pupils’ attitudes to science are quite common. I also suggest that students with negative attitudes to science have a basis in the student's difficulties with science learning. I also found that the students have different ways of learning. By making the students aware of their best way to learn they can develop individual strategies for attaining new information. The traditional teaching methods that exist in today's education system impart knowledge in the form of finished facts. This can lead to pupils having difficulties in learning. Therefore teachers must adapt their teaching styles and methods to a way that fits all of the students’ different ways of processing information and learning. Schools need to find different approaches to the teaching of its pupils. My conclusion is that if teachers adjust their methods of teaching the Natural science subjects to suit each student learning - styles, this can increase their ability to learn and therefore increase their comprehension of the subjects.

Våra tre månader i Indien har resulterat i en studie av olika perspektiv på lärande, inom ämnet matematik. De synsätt på lärande som vi observerade hos de indiska lärarna har kopplats till studiens fyra valda perspektiv; det behavioristiska perspektivet, det kognitiva perspektivet, det pragmatiska perspektivet och det sociokulturella perspektivet. Fältstudien genomfördes i en skola i den södra delstaten Kerala. Elever och lärare på skolan deltog under våra observationer, intervjuer och undervisningsförsök. Vår slutsats är att undervisningen innehöll influenser från alla fyra valda perspektiv, och att somliga perspektiv förekom mer än andra. / Our three months in India included a field study of different perspectives on learning the subject of mathematics. The chosen perspectives were; the behaviouristic perspective, the cognitive perspective, the pragmatic perspective and the socio-cultural perspective. The study was implemented with teachers and students at a public school in the state of Kerala, which is situated in the southernmost part of the country. They participated in our observations, interviews and teaching experiments. We sought to ascertain which of the four chosen learning perspectives the faculty and students at the host school use for educating. Our conclusion is that the observed teaching methods had influences from all four chosen perspectives, some more than others.

The study included transcripts from seven students with Swedish as a second language in grade 3, with the purpose being focusing on how they experience language during mathematic lessons and how second language learners´ learning could be understood from a sociocultural perspective. Each student was individually interviewed. My method for interviewing the students was using a semi-structured way of interviewing, meaning that I had predefined questions with room for asking follow up-questions during the interviews. The students were asked questions about their background, and they also got to answer mathematical questions including mathematical terms and words. They were asked questions about what they found difficult and easy within the mathematical questions. The second language learners had in general low difficulty with the understanding of the mathematical language in the mathematical questions. The results show that the students have appropriated knowledge by scaffolding and the zone of proximal development, which is part of the sociocultural perspective of learning. A conclusion is that the students didn’t show any signs of having trouble understanding words within mathematics that usually causes confusion among second language learners. When it comes to further developing their language skills a support of pictures can be used to describe difficult words, further can physical material also be used while learning second language learners´ new mathematical terms and words. The physical material can also act in combination with pictures to easier explain new mathematical terms and words.

The aim of this essay is to examine why and how three teachers who work in elementary classes choose to use ability grouping during math lessons and what they think of ability grouping as a method to individualize the activities according to the pupil’s needs. I chose one main question for this study that is the following: What is the teacher’s point of view and experience of ability grouping in teaching mathematics? And three sub-questions: What are the motives behind the choice of ability grouping? What are the advantages of ability grouping? What are the disadvantages of ability grouping? In order to be able to answer my questions, I used the qualitative method. I interviewed three teachers who work in the elementary classes (First to fifth grade) to find out what they think about ability grouping and how it is experienced in mathematic teaching.The result shows that the common thing between these three teachers is that they don’t use ability grouping as the only teaching method. They all agree that the whole class teaching has many benefits for the pupils. Regarding the teachers’ views on advantages of ability grouping, they all regard it as a method that contributes to differentiating the math activities according to the pupil's personal needs. My conclusion is that the teachers’ different experiences of ability grouping have an impact on their point of view of ability grouping.

Informations- och kommunikationstekniken (IKT) är en viktig del av vår vardag, då tekniken på olika sätt förenklar och effektiviserar vårt dagliga agerande på arbetet och i hemmet. Genom att interagera med tekniken kan vi kommunicera med andra människor, på en mängd olika sätt genom en mängd olika medier. Förskolan ska på ett lustfyllt och varierande sätt spegla samhällets utbredning av de digitala verktygen och lärplattan har blivit allt mer vanligt förekommande i förskoleverksamheten. Lärplattan har många egenskaper och möjligheter, exempelvis kan det möjliggöra tillfällen av språklig interaktion med olika samtalspartner, medier och genrer, vilket kan utveckla barns kommunikativa kompetenser. Syftet med denna uppsats är att undersöka förutsättningarna för och användandet av lärplattan som ett digitalt verktyg i barnets litteracitetsutveckling på förskolan. Studien baseras på en mindre enkätundersökning riktad till förskolechefer samt intervjuer med tre pedagoger som aktivt arbetar med lärplattan på förskolan. Denna metod tror jag på bästa möjliga sätt ska kunna uppfylla uppsatsens syfte. Resultatet visar att förutsättningarna på förskolorna är relativt lika. Förskolechefernas erfarenhet av lärplattor och deras synsätt till användandet av lärplattor i verksamheten är mestadels positivt. Samtliga förskolor som informanterna representerar har tillgång till lärplattor, i olika utsträckning. Det som skiljer förskolorna åt är hur den praktiska implementeringen genomförts. Resultatet visar även att praktiken är relativt lika varandra. De intervjuade pedagogerna talar om ett medvetet användande, en närvarande pedagog och ett meningsfullt lärandesammanhang. De olika situationerna där barnen använder lärplattan, har litteracitet som en gemensam nämnare. Pedagogerna använder inte begreppet litteracitet, men de beskriver situationer för språkande och kommunikation, ur ett sociokulturellt perspektiv. / Information and communication technology (ICT) is an essential part of our everyday life, as the technology in different ways simplifies and streamlines our daily behavior at work and at home. By interacting with the technology we are able to communicate with other people, in a variety of ways through a variety of media. Preschools should in an enjoyable and varied way reflect the propagation of digital tools in society and the learning tablet has become increasingly common in early childhood education. This tool has many features and capabilities, for example, it may allow for occasions of linguistic interaction with various interlocutors, media and genres, which can develop children's communication skills. The purpose of this paper is to examine the conditions for and use of the learning tablet as a digital tool in the child's development of literacy, in preschool. The study is based on a smaller survey of preschool managers and interviews with three teachers who are actively working with the learning tablet in preschool. I believe that this method is the best way to fulfill the thesis purpose. The result shows that the conditions in the preschools are relatively similar. Preschool managers' experience of learning tablets and there approach to the use of learning tablets in preschool, is mostly positive. Every preschool which the informants are representing have access to learning tablets, in different extents. What distinguishes the preschools apart is how the practical implementation is carried out. The results also show that the effect is relatively similar. The interviewed teachers talk about a conscious use, a present educator and a meaningful learning context. The different situations, in which children use the learning tablet, have literacy as a common denominator. The teachers don’t use the concept of literacy, but they describe situations for language and communication, from a sociocultural perspective.

Over 20,000 Swedish lower high school students are currently learning mathematics in English but little research has been conducted in this area. This study looks into the question of how much second language learner training teachers teaching mathematics in English to Swedish speaking students have acquired and how many of those teachers are using effective teaching practices for second language learners. The study confirms earlier findings that report few teachers receive training in second language learning but indicates that some of the teaching practices shown to be effective with second language learners are being used in some Swedish schools / Mer än 20 000 högstadiet elever i Sverige har valt att lära sig matematik på engelska, men det finns väldigt lite forskning inom området. Detta arbete granskar hur mycket utbildning i andraspråksinlärning har lärare som undervisar matematik på engelska till svensktalande elever och hur många av de undervisnings-strategier som tidigare forskning har visat att vara effektiva används numera under matematiklektionerna på engelska? Arbetet bekräftar tidigare forskning, som visar att få lärare som undervisar matematik på engelska till svensktalande elever har fått utbildning i andraspråksinlärning, men den här forskningen visar att några av de effektiva strategierna numera används under matematiklektioner i vissa skolor. / <p>Matematik</p>

Numerous research showed having a child with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) can affect families in many ways (Brace, 2009; DeGrace, 2004; Fantaroni, 2012). The primary types of impact include family relationship (spousal and sibling relationships), finances, and access to resources and services to assist with caring for the social, emotional and academic development of a child with autism (Grindle & Remington, 2014; Harper et al., 2013; Koydemir & Tosun, 2009; Ludlow, Skelly, & Rohleder, 2011; Montes & Cianca, 2014). While extensive studies have shown similar findings of the impact of autism on family quality of life in America and other places in the world, such as Africa, East of England and London, Jamaica, Toronto and Turkey, limited or no research has shown the impact of autism on family quality of life in The Bahamas. This study expands those findings and identifies parent perceptions of the quality of life for a family raising a child or children with ASD in The Bahamas. The purpose of this study was to identify parent perceptions of the quality of life for a family raising a child with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in The Bahamas. This study employed the Beach Center on Disability (2006) Family Quality of Life Survey to collect data from a purposive and chain sample of 56 parents raising a child with autism spectrum disorder in The Bahamas. The data from the survey was statistically analyzed using descriptive statistics such as means, standard deviations, skewness, kurtosis, and correlation, and inferential statistics such as multiple regression, and coding for the four open-ended questions. The results of this study revealed the family quality of life for parents raising a child with ASD in The Bahamas was overall satisfactory with family interactions, parenting, and physical/material well-being being the areas of most satisfied, while emotional well-being and disability-related support were the least satisfied. The predictors for parenting, and emotional well-being were statistically significant for severity level, and educational level, respectively. The predictors for parenting a child with mild (p = 0.01) or moderate (p = 0.05) autism were higher than raising a child with severe autism. The predictor for emotional well-being for families with mother/guardian’s education level of a bachelor’s degree were the highest predictor and was statistically significant (p = 0.02). However, the predictor for emotional well-being for families with father/guardian’s education level of a bachelor’s degree was lower than father/guardian’s education level of a graduate/professional degree, which was statistical significant (p = .03). The correlation analysis revealed there was a positive and strong relationship between family interactions and physical/material well-being (p = .0003), and a positive and strong relationship between physical/material well-being and disability-related support (p = .0001). Emotional well-being and disability-related support also had a positive and strong relationship (p = .0001), and emotional well-being and physical/material well-being also had a positive and strong relationship (p = .0001). Educational workshop was identified as the dominant resources, but many indicated the lack of available resources. Evidence-based intervention (applied behavior analysis, speech therapy, occupational therapy) were identified as intervention/therapy services received, but most indicated the lack of available intervention/therapy, financial distress paying for these services, and dissatisfaction seeking resources and intervention services for their child with ASD. This study was significant as it highlighted and added to the knowledge relevant to parent perceptions of family quality of life raising a child with ASD. Identifying these perceptions would be useful toward improving services for families of children with ASD in The Bahamas. In addition, information gathered would assist in further development of effective programming initiatives specific for this population.

No description available.

The study is based on the pre-schools principal's descriptions of their work with language and the multilingualism's developing working methods in learning organizations to promote multilingualism and the language development of and for children in preschool. Social constructionism and Theoretical perspective on learning organizations are the theories in which the study is based, empirical data were collected via four semi-structured interviews. To analyse the empirics, a thematic analysis method was used. The purpose of the study is to investigate and make visible how principals describe the possible multilingualism of preschool activities and language-stimulating teaching strategies. Based on the purpose, two issues were formed; “How do principals in preschool activities describe the supportive working methods of multilingualism based on management level? What possible initiatives and dilemmas can be found when working with multilingualism and language development teaching for preschool children from a perspective on learning organizations according to the principals' description?”. The result led to the following conclusion: That the representatives have a great ability and knowledge regarding language development methods in preschool. It was also made clear in the study that the representatives work towards long-term goals with different strategies and methods as pedagogical leaders. Increased competence and constant development are seen as an asset by the representatives, however, the results showed that the representatives had different views on how educators should acquire increased competence in language as well as multilingual development methods or methods. Another dilemma that stands out in the result was that the representatives do not have the opportunity to make all decisions on their own, but in some situations the administration makes decisions that the representatives do not have the opportunity to influence, which may have a direct or indirect impact on the activity or activities for which the representatives are the principal, which will then have a direct or indirect impact on the children and guardians who have their children enrolled in these activities.

<p>Syftet med detta examensarbete är att undersöka undervisning och lärande under en matematiklektion som präglas av traditionell skolmatematik. Metoden för undersökningen var en deltagande observation av en matematiklektion i åk 3 på gymnasiet. Med hjälp av begreppen matematikens lärandeobjekt, matematiska resurser, eleven som lärande aktör och sociomatematiska normer har jag tolkat de resultat som genererats från observationen. Två slutsatser som kan dras av undersökningen är att eleverna stimuleras till att bli oberoende lärande aktörer i undervisningen av traditionell skolmatematik samt att det i första hand är läraren som synliggör potentiella matematiska resurser för eleverna. Medvetenheten om elevernas användande av matematiska resurser skulle kunna påverka elevernas lärande genom att läraren synliggör matematiska resurser på ett mer medvetet sätt.</p> / <p>The aim with this degree project is to examine teaching and learning during a mathlesson characterized by traditional school mathematics. The method of the study was aparticipant observation of a mathematics lesson in year 3 in upper secondary school. Using the concepts of mathematical learning objects, mathematical resources, and pupil as an active learner in combination with socio-mathematical norms, I have interpreted the results generated from the observation. Two main conclusions can be drawn from the study. Firstly, pupils are encouraged to become independent as active learners in the teaching of traditional school mathematics. Secondly, it is primarily the teacher who makes potential mathematical resources visible and available for the pupils. With an increasing awareness of pupils’ use of mathematical resources, teachers can affect pupils’ learning by making potential mathematical resources explicit in a more conscious way.</p>