The purpose of this study is to reach a deeper understanding of what constitutes the critical approach, this by exploring the variations of teachers’ perceptions of the critical approach, specifically teachers of Social Studies at Swedish Upper Secondary School. The critical approach is expressed in Curriculum for the Upper Secondary School (2011) under the section Aim of the subject for Social Studies. The importance of a critical approach is seen in the light of the development of digitalization and the extent of the flow of information. Teachers have a vital role in how the curriculum is interpreted; interpretations which in turn are significant for how it is put into practice in their teaching. Accordingly, I argue that this requires surveys were teachers’ perceptions of the curriculum are distinguished. The research questions in this study are: I) how do teachers in Social Studies at Swedish Upper Secondary School perceive the critical approach? II) What didactic methods are used in teaching to develop students’ critical approach? This study applies a phenomenographic method and theory, which is based on examining different perceptions of phenomena, in this case the critical approach. To distinguish the different perceptions of the phenomena in question, four teachers in Social Studies have been interviewed. The aim of a phenomenographic study is to establish description categories that capture the inherent core of different perceptions of phenomena and the variations between them. The study results in three description categories: I) a critical approach as a result of scientific assessment and credibility examination, II) a critical approach as a recurring process of reflection regarding individual and context and III) a critical approach as expressed through active participation and meaningful social life. The result reveals that there are different ways of perceiving a critical approach in Social Studies at Swedish Upper Secondary Schools, which affects how it is taught in the classroom.

This phenomenographic study examines how imagining a future self as an English speaker and extramural English habits interact and affect the desire to learn English and engagement in the English classroom. The study was carried out in northern Sweden, and used a purposive sample of 23 pupils in the fifth and sixth grade of Swedish compulsory school. Mixed-methods data collection was used which included a questionnaire, an interview, and two linguistic portraits. Findings from this study indicate that in a Swedish compulsory school context young pupils are capable of imagining possible future English selves, and that these imagined future selves are dependent on the pupils’ dreams and aspirations or a view of English as a useful global language. Additionally, while these imagined future English selves are a reason for the pupils to learn English and indirectly affect their desire to learn English, they fail to explain the pupils’ engagement in English class with but a few exceptions.

The purpose of this qualitative study is to contribute with increased knowledge regarding preschool teacher’s notions of children’s participations and influence in preschool. To find out about this we used semi-structured interviews as a method when we interviewed eights preschool teachers in four different preschools in the same municipality. The preschool teachers that have participated in this study work with children in varying ages. To analyze their variations about children’s participations and influence we have used a phenomenographic method.    The result of the study shows that preschool teachers’ approaches differ because they have different ideas about how and to what extent children should be participating and have influence in preschool. The preschool teachers have described that the children have the right to have influence but that they can be limited by the preschool’s routines. The result also indicates that it’s very effective to use varying forms of support to make preschool available for every child. This support can for example be based on the perspectives that are used in special education. Furthermore, the result makes it clear that children’s many ways of communication are taken into account because their opinions are important, as well as their interests. The preschool teachers also described that the communication between adults is important in order to get a consensus view regarding the term’s participation and influence. Some preschool teachers also experienced that their own awareness of their approach affects the children’s participation and influence. / Syftet med denna kvalitativa studie är att bidra med ökad kunskap om förskollärares föreställningar kring arbetet med barns delaktighet och inflytande i förskolan. För att få reda på detta har vi använt semistrukturerade intervjuer som metod när vi har intervjuat åtta förskollärare på fyra olika förskolor inom samma kommun. Förskollärarna som har medverkat i studien arbetar med olika åldrar. För att analysera fram deras variationer i uppfattningar om barns delaktighet och inflytande i förskolan har vi använt oss av en fenomenografisk metodansats. Studiens resultat visar att förskollärares förhållningssätt ser olika ut då de har olika föreställningar om hur och i vilken utsträckning barnen ska göras delaktiga och få inflytande i förskolans utbildning. Förskollärare beskriver att barnen har rätt till inflytande men att de kan begränsas av förskolans rutiner. Resultatet visar även på att det är gynnsamt att använda stöd i olika former för att göra förskolan tillgänglig för alla barn. Dessa stöd utgår bland annat från det specialpedagogiska perspektivet. Vidare synliggörs det i resultatet att barns olika sätt att kommunicera på tas till vara då deras åsikter är viktiga, vilket deras intressen också är. Förskollärare uttrycker också att kommunikationen mellan de vuxna är betydelsefull för att få en samsyn kring begreppen delaktighet och inflytande. Det har också framkommit att förskollärare upplevde att deras medvetenhet om det egna förhållningsätt påverkar barns delaktighet och inflytande.

Studenter vid högskolor och universitet ska utveckla informationskompetens. Syftet med den här studien är utifrån såväl campus- som distansstudenters upplevelser undersöka vilka kunskaper som anses viktiga för att kunna söka, finna och kritiskt använda sig av information. Studiens teoretiska ramverk utgörs av fenomenografisk variationsteori, sociokulturell teori och filosofisk hermeneutik. Det empiriska materialet inleds med fem semi-strukturerade intervjuer med studenter. Därefter har en kvalitativ innehållsanalys av fyra kursers kursplaner och studiehandledningar i ämnena kriminologi och pedagogik, relaterat till informationskompetens genomförts. Studiens resultat visar att studenterna har varierande erfarenheter av informationskompetens, samt att de utvalda kursplanerna och studiehandledningarnas innehåll relaterat till informationskompetens utgår från olika perspektiv. I den kunskap som studenterna utvecklar i samband med författandet av inlämningsuppgifter och uppsatser fokuserar de på att bli godkända på respektive kurs. I studiens resultat problematiseras därmed hur den kunskap studenterna har förvärvat kan användas i deras framtida yrkesliv. Studien är en del av ett utbildningsprojekt som sker i samverkan mellan Universitetsbiblioteket och Lärande- och resurscentrum vid Mittuniversitetet gällande studenters informationskompetens. / Students at colleges and universities are to develop information literacy. The purpose of this study is to examine, based on experiences from both campus- as well as distance students, what kind of knowledge is important in order to search for, find and critically use information. The theoretical framework of the study constitutes of sociocultural theory, phenomenographic variation theory and philosophical hermeneutics. The empirical material starts with five semi-structured interviews with students. Following that, a qualitative analysis of content of four selected courses’ syllabus and study guidelines in relation to information literacy was carried out. The result of the study show that students have various degrees of experience of information literacy and also the contents of the chosen syllabus and study guides in relation to information literacy emanates from different perspectives. The knowledge which students develop in connection with the writing of essays and reports is the focus for students to pass their respective course. Therefore, the result of the study problemizes how the knowledge that the students have acquired can be used in their future professional life. This study is a part of an educational project in co-operation with the University Library and the Learning and Resource Centre at the Mid Sweden University regarding the students’ information literacy. / <p>Godkännandedatum: 2016-05-17</p>

<p>In this examination paper I’m using the qualitative method<em>: phenomenographic analysis</em> to present twenty educated and working pre-school teachers opinions about being outdoors in Swedish pre-school. The purpose is to describe the variation between different pre-school teachers’ opinions, not to focus on wrong or right.    The paper starts with a review over the opinions presented by the literature on the subject. After that I present the category system I’ve created based on the answers I’ve got from the interviews with the pre-school teachers. The category system have four main headlines: <em>Physical and psychological records of being outdoors</em>, <em>the</em> <em>outdoor environment</em>, <em>being outdoors </em>and<em> the outdoor environment in the Child’s perspective</em> and <em>being outdoors in the</em> <em>pedagogues perspective</em>.    In The ending chapter “Discussion/Analysis” I compare the literature with the pre-school teachers’ opinions and make the conclusions that good conditions for a qualitative time outdoors are: attending pedagogues manage to see possibilities in the outdoor environment, be conscious about what you are doing and why, never stress and have patience. Overall it doesn’t matter if you are indoors or outdoors you must always plan, have commitment and be full of happiness.</p> / <p>Genom den kvalitativa metoden fenomengrafisk analys redogör jag i det här examensarbetet för vad 20 utbildade förskollärare, som är verksamma på förskolor inom samma skolområde har för uppfattningar kring begreppet utevistelse. Syftet har varit att beskriva variationen i förskollärarnas uppfattningar, inte att visa på något som rätt eller fel.    Arbetet börjar med en genomgång av vad litteraturen har för olika uppfattningar kring utevistelsen på förskolan. Sedan har jag utifrån svaren jag fått av de intervjuade förskollärarna skapat ett kategorisystem med fyra rubriker som är genomgående genom hela arbetet. Dessa rubriker är: <em>Utevistelsens fysiska och psykiska förtjänster</em>, <em>utemiljön</em>, <em>utevistelsen och utemiljön i barnens perspektiv</em> och <em>pedagogen i utevistelsen</em>.    I det avslutande kapitlet ”Diskussion/analys” knyter jag an litteraturen till förskollärarnas svar i resultatet och drar slutsatser om vilka förutsättningarna för en bra utevistelse är. Främst krävs det närvarande pedagoger, pedagoger som kan se möjligheter i utemiljön, att vara medveten om varför man som pedagog agerar som man gör i olika situationer, att aldrig vara stressad och våga ha tålamod.  Övergripande kan jag se att det inte spelar någon roll om man är ute eller inne. Samma planering, engagemang och glädje ska alltid finnas som ledord hos pedagogerna.</p>

In this examination paper I’m using the qualitative method: phenomenographic analysis to present twenty educated and working pre-school teachers opinions about being outdoors in Swedish pre-school. The purpose is to describe the variation between different pre-school teachers’ opinions, not to focus on wrong or right.    The paper starts with a review over the opinions presented by the literature on the subject. After that I present the category system I’ve created based on the answers I’ve got from the interviews with the pre-school teachers. The category system have four main headlines: Physical and psychological records of being outdoors, the outdoor environment, being outdoors and the outdoor environment in the Child’s perspective and being outdoors in the pedagogues perspective.    In The ending chapter “Discussion/Analysis” I compare the literature with the pre-school teachers’ opinions and make the conclusions that good conditions for a qualitative time outdoors are: attending pedagogues manage to see possibilities in the outdoor environment, be conscious about what you are doing and why, never stress and have patience. Overall it doesn’t matter if you are indoors or outdoors you must always plan, have commitment and be full of happiness. / Genom den kvalitativa metoden fenomengrafisk analys redogör jag i det här examensarbetet för vad 20 utbildade förskollärare, som är verksamma på förskolor inom samma skolområde har för uppfattningar kring begreppet utevistelse. Syftet har varit att beskriva variationen i förskollärarnas uppfattningar, inte att visa på något som rätt eller fel.    Arbetet börjar med en genomgång av vad litteraturen har för olika uppfattningar kring utevistelsen på förskolan. Sedan har jag utifrån svaren jag fått av de intervjuade förskollärarna skapat ett kategorisystem med fyra rubriker som är genomgående genom hela arbetet. Dessa rubriker är: Utevistelsens fysiska och psykiska förtjänster, utemiljön, utevistelsen och utemiljön i barnens perspektiv och pedagogen i utevistelsen.    I det avslutande kapitlet ”Diskussion/analys” knyter jag an litteraturen till förskollärarnas svar i resultatet och drar slutsatser om vilka förutsättningarna för en bra utevistelse är. Främst krävs det närvarande pedagoger, pedagoger som kan se möjligheter i utemiljön, att vara medveten om varför man som pedagog agerar som man gör i olika situationer, att aldrig vara stressad och våga ha tålamod.  Övergripande kan jag se att det inte spelar någon roll om man är ute eller inne. Samma planering, engagemang och glädje ska alltid finnas som ledord hos pedagogerna.

An important challenge for physical education teachers is to find strategies for the implementation of health education in the school subject physical education and health (PEH). The overall aim of this thesis has been to develop and explore the implementation of a pedagogical, practice based teaching-learning model in PEH. Focus of the study has been to promote students' understanding of health with aerobic condition, and its impact on health, as the specific object of learn-ing. The concept of Health Literacy has pervaded the entire project, both in the design of the model and in the analysis of students' description of their experi-ence and knowledge development. One upper secondary school class (n=32) was chosen for this action-based study. The implementation of the pedagogical model was designed as a student task-oriented interactive model. The educational outcomes of the model derived from tests and questionnaires were examined analyzed with statistics and con-tent analyses, as presented in article I and with phenomenographic analyses of student reports presented in article II. In focus for the analysis was how the object of learning, the phenomenon that the students encountered were de-scribed, experienced, conceptualized and understood. The design of the model supported an active processing of knowledge and stu-dents' ability of critical self-reflection within the framework of health literacy. To better integrate health in physical education, we need to both broaden stu-dents' way of questioning, and challenge their ways of constructing knowledge in (physical) health. / Forskningslinjen Utbildning

The aim of the study is to investigate preschool educators' perceptions of children's need for sleep and rest in preschool as well as their experiences of cooperating with the home regarding the child's sleeping times, based on the child's needs. Our goal is to investigate how a claim from guardians regarding children's sleep in preschool is met by educators. To do this we search the answers of the following three questions: How do educators view children's need for sleep and rest in preschool and how do they respond to guardians demands for children's sleep? How do educators reason about good communication with guardians? What consequences do the educators think the dialogue with the guardian can have for the child's sleep and rest in preschool? To get the answers of these questions we have done ten qualitative interviews with female preschool educators. The study is based on a phenomenographic perspective, where we want to create an understanding of how educators perceive the phenomenon of sleep and rest in preschool. As children's need for sleep is something that is communicated about in the interpersonal meeting between educators and guardians, the importance of the relationship and the treatment will also be emphasized from an educator's perspective. To analyze the relationship and communication as concepts we use the social constructivist theory. The results we got through this study shows that all educators agree that the preschool should offer an environment where children get the opportunity to rest and sleep for a day full of activity, this to manage a whole day in preschool. Rest and sleep seem to be a routine that is adapted to needs, both after the childrens and guardian needs. Therefore we ask ourselves, whose needs are the most important, the childrens, guardians or both? The results also show that the preschool educators have different opinions about which competencies that are important when it comes to having good communication about sleep with guardians. Every pedagogue says that a certain competens is needed just because the communication is of such importance for a good cooperation between home and preschool.

This thesis explores the factors contributing to successful collaboration within the Quadruple and Quintuple Helix frameworks, with a specific focus on the active involvement of students as stakeholders. A qualitative research approach was adopted, utilising interviews, questionnaires, and action research documented in a diary form, to gather data. The study examines the Creative LAB, an innovation lab initiated by students in the Innovation and Design master’s program at Mälardalens University, as a base for the collaborations with which the data is inquired from. The research employs the Quadruple and Quintuple Helix models as theoretical frameworks to understand collaboration dynamics. Phenomenographic analysis was used to categorise and analyse the experiences of collaboration. The interviews and questionnaires, both addressing the same topic, were transcribed, and subjected to systematic extraction and analysis. The findings are presented in the form of categories, supported by direct quotations and perspectives from the respondents. The research diary served as a reflective tool throughout the thesis, documenting and analysing the obtained results and the work conducted within the Creative LAB. It provided valuable insights into the collaboration dynamics, success factors, and the role of students as active stakeholders in the Quadruple and Quintuple Helix models. By capturing observations and personal reflections, the diary contributed to a deeper understanding of the research findings and enhanced the overall validity of the study. One of the projects, WellBot, is also presented as a case study. In summary, this thesis provides insights into the key success factors for collaboration within the Quadruple and Quintuple Helix frameworks, while also highlighting the significant role of students as active stakeholders. The results shed light on the perceptions and experiences of the participants, offering valuable implications for fostering effective collaboration in the context of academia, industry, and society. In the end, success-factors identified within the study is presented, as well as a questionnaire to identify perceptions on potential collaborations.

Syftet med detta arbete har varit att undersöka hur BookTok används av bokhandlare och bibliotek. Till hjälp har ett teoretiskt ramverk använts bestående av Uses and Gratification,symboliskt kapital samt deltagarkultur. Utifrån detta ramverk har det gjort semistrukturerade intervjuer som analyserats med hjälp av fenomenografiska metoder. Intervjuer gjordes med tre bibliotek och två bokhandlar i södra Sverige under hösten 2023.  I analysen av materialet kunde fyra teman särskiljas utifrån huvudfrågeställningen – hur använder bokhandlare och bibliotek BookTok? Dessa fyra teman är BookTok som arbetsverktyg, kontaktyta, kreativ yta och symboliskt kapital. Analysen av de olika teman ger oss en idé om hur verksamheternas deltagande ser ut på plattformen samt hur bokhandlarna och biblioteken själva ser på deras användning av BookTok. / This study aims to understand how bookstores and libraries make use of  BookTok.  A theoretical framework has been used consisting of the Uses and Gratification theory, symbolic capital theory and participatory culture theory. Along the lines of this theoretical framework, semi structured interviews were designed with the help of a phenomenographic approach. The interviews were held during the autumn of 2023. Three libraries and two bookstores participated. In the analysis, four themes were detected in regards to the question at issue – How do bookshops and libraries make use of BookTok? The four themes are BookTok as a work tool, contact area, creative space and symbolic capital. The analysis of different themes gives us an idea of the operations participation on the grounds of TikTok – as well as their own perception of their BookTok use.