The aim of the present study is to investigate how three Swedish teachers view literary discussion as a tool for teaching and learning. A socio-cultural perspective with Vygotsky’s zone of proximal development and Dysthe’s dialogic/monologic classroom serves as the theoretical point of departure. The study is based on qualitative semistructured interviews with three Swedish teachers, all working in upper secondary school. An interview guide was established on the basis of previous research in the field of literary discussion. The interviews showed that the teachers had a positive view of conversations and discussions as a tool for teaching and learning, since they see good progression in the pupils’ reading comprehension, their conception of literature, and analytical ability. Literary discussions are chiefly appreciated as a tool that comes into its own as a method in teaching an aspect of a subject and as preparation for a written examination. Another finding is that the teachers’ positive outlook on literary discussion includes a view of teachers as being active and present when help and support should be close at hand for the pupils.

an autoethnographic exploration, this study aimed to determine how I (the researcher) could enhance the learning experience of tertiary jazz piano students while focusing on self-reflection. Vygotsky’s (1978) zone of proximal development and Csikszentmihalyi’s (1990) flow theory were used as the theoretical background of the study. Based on the zone of proximal development, I aimed to enhance the students’ learning during weekly piano lessons. Furthermore, based on flow, I intended to reflect on my own experiences while teaching. For the duration of the study, data collection took place at a South African university with four first-year undergraduate jazz piano students. During weekly lessons, a reflective journal was kept, recording personal flow experiences including an assessment rubric where students’ progress could be measured. Results were analysed and sorted under four elements of flow applicable to practical teaching – challenge/skill, clear goals, concentration on the task at hand and unambiguous feedback – including personal flow experiences. These flow dimensions served as a valuable guideline in adjusting teaching methods while teaching jazz. The personal flow experiences relates to Bakker’s (2005) emotional contagion theory where a teachers flow experience can cross over to a student, or a teachers mood can influence the students’ learning experiences. I found that reflecting on my own flow experiences enhances my confidence, motivation and concentration as a lecturer. Additionally, based on the zone of proximal development, aural/video imitation and scaffolding proved to be important concepts while teaching jazz piano. / Mini Dissertation (MMus)--University of Pretoria, 2019. / Music / MMus / Unrestricted

English reading comprehension is an educational challenge worldwide. This study investigated how Grade 2 teachers teach English reading comprehension to First Additional Language (FAL) learners at three selected independent schools in Gauteng where the language of learning and teaching (LoLT) is English. Three English medium independent schools in Gauteng, South Africa participated in the study. The participants at each research site consisted of Grade 2 teachers (main participants) and Grade 2 learners (secondary participants). Grade 2 teachers were selected purposively on the criteria that they had taught for more than two years and were teaching English reading comprehension to Grade 2 FAL learners. This study followed a qualitative approach, and was situated within the interpretivist paradigm. The research design accommodated a case study. The conceptual framework was based on the revised taxonomy by Krathwohl and Anderson for questioning which integrated the role of the teacher in a reading lesson. The three stages of reading, before reading, during reading and after reading were divided into the different levels of thinking and reasoning as suggested in Vygotsky's Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD) theory. The data collection strategies were semi-structured interviews with Grade 2 teachers; observing reading lessons they gave; and keeping a journal in which personal reflections on the investigation into teaching and learning practices were documented. Once data was collected, the recordings of the semi-structured interviews were transcribed. The observation checklists and the reflection journal entries were analysed. Data was analysed using a coding process and five themes and twelve sub-themes emerged. The findings show that the interactive approach was common in the teaching of English reading comprehension. However, parental involvement, the availability of the trained teachers and appropriate resources were necessary. A learner's individual reading needs and reasoning ability have to be considered through the use of differentiated teaching practices. Questioning throughout the reading process improves a learner's understanding of the text. / Die leesbegrip van Engels is 'n wêreldwye uitdaging. Hierdie studie het ondersoek hoe Graad 2-onderwysers onderrig in leesbegrip in Engels aan leerders van Engels as Eerste Addisionele Taal gee by drie uitgesoekte onafhanklike skole in Gauteng waar die taal van leer en onderrig (TLO) Engels is. Drie onafhanklike Engelsmediumskole in Gauteng, Suid-Afrika het aan die studie deelgeneem. By elke skool was die deelnemers Graad 2-onderwysers (hoofdeelnemers) en Graad 2-leerders (sekondêre deelnemers). Graad 2-onderwysers is doelbewus gekies op grond van die kriterium dat hulle langer as twee jaar onderrig gegee het en ten tye van die studie Graad 2-EAT-leerders onderrig het. Die studie volg 'n kwalitatiewe benadering binne die interpretivistiese paradigma. Die navorsingsontwerp behels 'n gevallestudie. Die konseptuele raamwerk is gebaseer op Krathwohl en Anderson se hersiene taksonomie van vraagstelling wat die onderwyser se rol in 'n leesles integreer. Die drie leesstadia voor, gedurende en na lees word in die verskillende vlakke van lees en redenering verdeel, soos wat in Vygotsky se teorie van die Sone van Naaste Ontwikkeling (ZPD) aan die hand gedoen word. As dataversamelingstrategieë is semigestruktureerde onderhoude met Graad 2-onderwysers gevoer, lesse waargeneem en 'n joernaal gehou waarin persoonlike besinning oor die ondersoek van onderrig- en leerpraktyke gedokumenteer is. Na dataversameling is die opnames van die semigestruktureerde onderhoude getranskribeer. Die waarnemings-kontrolelyste en die inskrywings in die besinningsjoernaal is ontleed. Data is met behulp van 'n koderingsproses ontleed, wat vyf temas en twaalf subtemas na vore gebring het. Daar is bevind dat die interaktiewe benadering algemeen in die onderrig van leesbegrip van Engels gebruik word. Die betrokkenheid van ouers, beskikbaarheid van opgeleide onderwysers en geskikte hulpbronne was egter noodsaaklik. Leerders se individuele leesbehoeftes en redeneringsvermoë moet by wyse van gedifferensieerde onderrigpraktyke in aanmerking geneem word. Leerders se begrip van die teks verbeter wanneer vrae in die loop van die leesproses gestel word. / Dissertation (MEd)--University of Pretoria, 2016. / Early Childhood Education / MEd / Unrestricted

Syftet med den här studien är att undersöka och synliggöra eventuella likheter och skillnader mellan lärares och elevers upplevelser av matematiklektioner och dess olika arbetsformer som bidrar till elevernas lust att lära. För att kunna synliggöra detta har vi genomfört semistrukturerade intervjuer med enskilda lärare och deras elever i fokusgrupper. Den data som vi fått in har strukturerats enligt en tematisk analysmetod och sedan redovisats och tolkats enligt ett sociokulturellt perspektiv och med hjälp av begreppet KASAM (känsla av sammanhang).  I resultatet har vi jämfört data från lärare och respektive fokusgrupp med deras elever för att se om det finns likheter eller skillnader i deras upplevelse av matematiklektioner. Den insamlade datan visade att eleverna i ena fokusgruppen ville ha utmanande uppgifter medan den andra fokusgruppen ville visa och få bekräftat att de gjort rätt.  Det fanns skillnader och likheter bland lärare och elevers upplevelser av matematiklektioner och dess arbetsformer i relation till lust att lära. De två lärarna hade olika skillnader och likheter jämfört med varandra i relation till sina elever. Lärare B hade en mer precis upplevelse av hur eleverna såg på olika arbetsformer. Lärare A hade en mer precis upplevelse av hur sina elevers lust att lära var. Utifrån vår insamlade data och resultat går det inte att dra en generell slutsats om likheter och skillnader till matematiklektioner och dess arbetsformer i relation till lust att lära.

This research is located in the interdisciplinary field of curriculum studies, drawing on both psychological and sociological theories of pedagogy. I explore classroom practice, through a qualitative study into a preparatory school curriculum innovation called DIY: Dream, Innovate Yourself, which encourages children to develop skills (both topic-specific and dispositional) that prepare them for the modern world of business, where flexible thinking, creative problem solving and collaboration are high on the list of ‘hiring qualities’. Using concepts of learning, cognitive and moral development, semiotic mediation, and pedagogy, I develop an analysis of the ‘what’ and ‘how’ of mediation and learning in DIY: Dream, Innovate Yourself. The findings gathered through classroom observation and interviews with learners, suggest that DIY is meeting its intended aims through the programme. However, due to limitations in the data that could be collected, these findings must be treated as preliminary.

Research is needed that examines the effects of kiosk technology on restaurant operational performance measures, such as total sales. The study employs a 2X2 between-subjects field experimental design to empirically test the hypothesized relationships proposed in the research model. The data collection site was Burger King located in the student union of a large Tier 1 research university in southwest USA. The independent variables included ordering method (kiosk vs. cashier) and operational volume (peak vs. off-peak). The dependent variables were cognitive and affective attitudes, behavioral intention, satisfaction, sales per person, and order time. Consumers at Burger King were approached before they started ordering their meal to ask for voluntary participation. If they agreed to participate, they were randomly assigned into two test groups. Participants in one test group used kiosk technology to order their meals, while those in the other test groups spoke with a cashier to order their meals. The same number of participants were recruited from peak and non-peak volumes. The seconds used to order was observed and recorded after consumer engagement with the ordering method. After participants ordered, they completed a paper survey that measured their behaviors while ordering with each method and asked participants to indicate total purchase amount. Results of 192 surveys indicated to different extents that consumer behaviors were more positive with kiosk technology. Affective attitude results, however, were insignificant. On average, kiosk technology was found to be a faster method of ordering in quick-service restaurants, but it yielded less sales than when the consumer ordered from a cashier.

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.

Eftersom läroboken har en dominerande roll i den svenska matematikundervisning är det av vikt att läroböckernas innehåll är av god kvalitet och arbetar mot de mål som skolans styrdokument strävar mot. Begreppsförståelsen kan förstås som grunden i det matematiska tänkandet. Denna förmåga utvecklas i takt med att eleven får nya erfarenheter och kunskaper kring matematiska problem i olika sammanhang. Ett möte med uttrycksformer av stor variation skapar erfarenheter och hjälper eleven utveckla sin begreppsförmåga. Syftet med denna studie är att få en förståelse för vilka uttrycksformer eleven får möta i det marknadsdominerande läromedlet för grundskolans lägre åldrar samt hur eleven får möjlighet att använda uttrycksformerna som ett verktyg i utvecklandet av begreppsförmågan. Resultatet av studien visar att eleverna får få tillfällen att möta olika uttrycksformer och lära sig använda dem som ett stöd för att utveckla sin begreppsförståelse i matematik. Studien belyser även vikten av elevers kunskap att översätta uttrycksformer till en annan uttrycksform för att erhålla en bredare förståelse för begreppens betydelse. / Since the textbook has a dominant role in Swedish mathematics education, it is important that content is in good quality and works towards the goal of Swedish education. Conceptual understanding can be understood as the basis of mathematical thinking and develops as the student gains new experiences and knowledge of mathematical problems in different contexts. A meeting with a variety of representations can create new experiences and help the student develop a god conceptual understanding. The purpose of this study is to understand what forms of representations the pupils may encounter in the market-dominant textbook for the elementary school. As well the possibility the students have using representation as a tool to create conceptual understanding. The results of the study show that the students are given few opportunities to meet a variation of representations and learn how to use them as a support to gain the conceptual understanding. The study also highlights the importance of students’ ability to translate representations to gain a broader conceptual understanding.

The purpose of the study is to investigate preschool teachers' views on the learning environment as a tool for interaction and learning. The study is based on a qualitative study, where we have chosen to interview four preschool teachers based on a semi-structured interview method, this to get an insight into their thoughts, opinions and experiences. We feel that there are shortcomings in the discussion about the learning environment as a tool based on our experience, which is why we chose to investigate active preschool teachers' views on this. The study is based on a sociocultural perspective to highlight the learning that takes place in interaction with the environment you are in.  The results of the study show that preschool teachers look at the learning environment as a foundation in preschool, especially for learning and interaction. The preschool teachers describe that they therefore work actively with the learning environments based on the resources they have. The results show that the preschool is given different conditions for developing the learning environments to stimulate and inspire the children. Some conclusions are presented and one of them is how learning and interaction are affected depending on the structure of the learning environment. The study shows that various factors are involved in influencing the preschool teacher's work.

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