This thesis deals with the assessment of school texts by students in Swedish upper-secondary school or in the corresponding adult education and concentrates on what differs between the grades Pass and Fail. The 60 texts used in the survey come from the 1997 archives of the national test construction group. A questionnaire to teachers asks what criteria are most important when distinguishing between Pass and Fail. The five criteria pointed out are Holistic scoring, Relevant content, The connecting thought, Sentence structure and How the student has followed the instructions. The most salient result regarding grades is the difference between grades from the students’ own teachers and from the independent assessors. Ten texts have received a Fail from the student’s own teacher, but as many as 35 get an average Fail from three assessors. There is variation in assessment, but 18 Fail texts and 18 Pass texts get a unanimous grade. Quantitative analyses of the 60 texts show a definite correlation between grade and number of words. However, the Fail-groups among narrative, expository and argumentative texts contain both the shortest and the longest texts. School texts are longer now than thirty years ago, especially texts with low grades. Sentences and words have become shorter. Coherence is investigated by a method of reference cohesion. No clear difference between Pass and Fail texts can be found, but between types of essay topics. Also important is the organization of the text and its paragraphs, a factor which separates Fail and Pass texts. Various aspects of sentence structure show better results in the Pass texts. The thesis is concluded with a commentary on the demands of the last compulsory course in Swedish. The needed level is argued to be the ability to write for an unknown reader.

The purpose of this study is to investigate teachers 'and students' understanding of why students finish school with incomplete scores and which resources they consider necessary for students to accomplish the goals that are set for the students. Owing to the reuse of pupils and teachers' experiences, this study will highlight significant qualitative aspects of work with students who finish school with incomplete high school grades. Hopefully, will this study be a support and information base in secondary school. The material forming the basis for the report's theoretical assumptions and the basic assumption is based on Lev Vygotsky sociocultural perspective on learning that Olga Dysthe discuss and develop further in his book, Dialog, samspel och lärande.  The present work is based on qualitative research method. I selected this research method because I am interested in getting an understanding of the importance and significance of this research The study applied a qualitative interview format. As a result of the investigation as it has appeared that students difficulties to achieve the goals,depends on several factors, mostly on the student's socio-economic and psychosocial situation they live in. The life situation of the students determines the learning and knowledge process and how they reach their goals. The study concludes that a better synergy between the various stages need to be improved, the necessary resources, teachers need to understand the course objectives and then enlighten them to the students. As a final point, more explicit syllabus is needed owing to the easiness of being interpretable. Having more straightforward syllabus, unfair judgment will be prevented.

The aim of this essay is to examine the supervisor’s view on the structure and content of the tasks given to students during their vocational training. The investigation could be of help for teachers when devising new vocational training tasks. The study is based upon qualitative interviews with five supervisors, all of whom work at preschools. The supervisors were asked to grade all the vocational training tasks on a scale from one (easy) to five (difficult). The results were then used as a starting point for a discussion with the supervisors about their grading of the tasks. When devising vocational training tasks, one of the foundations is the knowledge requirements as expressed in the syllabus, and how they are reflected in the vocational training. An important aspect of the student’s learning is the supervisor’s ability to clarify the goals and criteria of vocational training. The supervisor plays an important role and is responsible for the student’s vocational training period. This study has given me a better understanding of the supervisor’s view on the structure of the vocational training tasks and I have been given many useful suggestions as to how it can be improved to strengthen the quality of the education. The Swedish Schools Inspectorate carried out an investigation in 2011 and noticed shortcomings in the grading of the vocational training, which is interesting and relevant for my study. The supervisor assesses the student’s performance during the vocational training according to a certain scale of grades. The findings suggest that we need to revise the structure and assessment of the vocational training tasks. At the upper secondary school used in this study, the tasks are devised in a way that makes it difficult for the supervisor to support the student in his/her learning process, because the tasks are too numerous and the instructions contain many ill-defined terms. The supervisors also want closer contact with, and visits from, the upper secondary school teachers, so that both the former and the students can receive more feedback and better support. / Syftet med denna uppsats är att undersöka handledares syn på praktikuppgifternas utformning och innehåll. Undersökningen kan vara till hjälp för lärare när nya praktikuppgifter ska utarbetas. Arbetet bygger på fem kvalitativa intervjuer som har genomförts med handledare som är verksamma inom förskoleverksamheten. Handledarna fick göra en bedömning av praktikuppgifterna utifrån en svårhetsskala från ett till fem, där fem är mycket svår och ett är mycket lätt. Utifrån skalans bedömning samtalade vi kring varför de gjord den bedömningen. Vid utformning av praktikuppgifter är en av byggstenarna kunskapsmålen som kopplas till praktiken utifrån ämnesplanerna. En viktig del i elevens lärande är att handledaren kan tydliggöra mål och kriterier i det arbetsplatsförlagda lärandet. Handledaren har en viktig roll och ansvar för eleven under praktikperioden. Under undersökningens gång har jag fått inblick i hur handledarna ser på praktikuppgifternas utformning och fått bra förslag på hur de kan förbättras för att stärka kvalitén på utbildningen. Då skolinspektionen genomfört en kvalitets undersökning 2011 och sett brister i betygsättningen kopplat till praktiken är detta intressant och relevant att koppla till mitt arbete. Handledarna sätter omdöme på eleven under praktikperioden utifrån en betygsskala. Resultatet tyder på att vi behöver se över praktikuppgifternas utformning och bedömning innan eleverna går ut på praktik i höst. Som praktikuppgifterna ser ut idag i åk 1 på den för studien aktuella gymnasieskolan har handledarna svårt att stödja elevens lärande, uppgifterna består av många svåra begrepp samt att de är för många till antalet. Det finns också önskemål om tätare kontakt med skolan samt praktikbesök för att stötta och ge återkoppling till både handledare och elev.

Sammanfattning Syfte och frågeställningar Syftet med studien har varit att ur ett genusperspektiv undersöka synen på bedömningsgrunder i betygssättningen inom ämnet idrott och hälsa i relation till svenska, samhällskunskap och matematik bland flickor och pojkar på Natur- och samhällsprogrammet(NS). Detta har undersökts utifrån följande frågeställningar: • På vilket sätt upplever gymnasieelever på NS-programmet att de bedöms i idrott och hälsa i relation till de ämnen som syftet anger? • Vilka förutsättningar upplever eleverna finns för att nå de olika betygsstegen i skolämnena idrott och hälsa, samhällskunskap, matematik och svenska? • Hur tror eleverna att en jämställd betygsbedömning ser ut i de utvalda skolämnena? Utifrån detta kommer vi att diskutera hur eleverna bryter eller återskapar genusordningen i sina resonemang kring betygsbedömningen. Metod Den metod som använts i studien är av kvalitativ karaktär som i det här fallet varit fyra fokusgruppsintervjuer i en årskurs tvåa på NS-programmet. Vi använde oss av ett strategiskt urval för den utvalda målgruppen. För att förstå och tolka elevernas resonemang i vårt resultat har vi använt oss av Yvonne Hirdmans och Raewyn Connells genusteorier. Resultat I relationen mellan idrott och hälsa, matematik, svenska och samhällskunskap finns, enligt vårt resultat, en indikation på att kunskaperna laddas och värderas på olika sätt och får därmed olika dignitet. Idrott och hälsa som det lägsta i hierarkin och matematik som det högsta, däremellan befinner sig samhällskunskap och svenska. En del av bedömningen, enligt eleverna, är intresse och deras beteende och inställning under lektionerna. Beteenden, egenskaper och intressen genusifieras av eleverna. Intresset för idrott och hälsa tillskrivs pojkarna vilket i sin tur leder till att båda könen tillåter pojkarna att dominera idrottsundervisningen. Slutsats Eleverna i vår studie förhandlar sällan, eller aldrig om sina genusidentiter framförallt inte inom intresseområden. Detta menar vi begränsar både flickorna och pojkarna. Alla aktörer i skolan medverkar till att skapa och upprätthålla genussystemet, att diskutera betyg och bedömning är ett sätt att konkretisera detta. Då idrott och hälsa, enligt eleverna, saknar tydliga mål genererar det också att ett högt betyg i idrott och hälsa inte får samma legitimitet som de övriga ämnena vi undersökt. Resonemanget att det är lätt att uppnå ett betyg i idrott och hälsa i jämförelse med matematik, svenska och samhällskunskap medför en förstärkning av detta. Däremot verkar det, enligt vårt resultat och tidigare forskning, som att höga betyg i idrott och hälsa verkar statushöjande för framförallt pojkar. Nyckelord Genus, idrott och hälsa, samhällskunskap, svenska, matematik, genusidentitet, genuskontrakt, ideal, maskulinitet, feminitet, genusregim, betyg, bedömning. / Abstract Aim The aim of this study has been to examine the perception of assessment criteria in the grading of Physical education in relation to Swedish, Social studies and Mathematics among girls and boys in Nature and Society programme (NS) from a gender perspective. This has been examined through using the following questions: • How do high school students at the NS programme experience the assessment in Physical education in relation to other subjects in school? • Which specific terms do the students experience they have to achieve in the various grades in Physical education, Social studies, Mathematics and Swedish? • How do the students perceive that an equal assessment is made in the chosen subjects? From this, we will interpret how students challenge or reproduce the gender order in their discussion of assessment. Method This study has had an qualitative approach and four focus group interviews have been carriedout with second year students at the NS programme. We used a strategic selection for the selected target group. To understand and interpret students' reasoning in our results, we have used the gender theory of Yvonne Hirdman and Raewyn Connell. Results The main result obtained in our study indicates that the students value the relations betweenthe chosen subjects differentially. Physical education as the lowest in the hierarchy and Mathematics as the highest. In between are Social studies, and Swedish. With this setting it is also difficult for the students to define what they should learn in Physical education. This is not seen as a problem in Mathematics. Part of the assessment, according to students, is based on their level of interest and behavior. Behaviors, characteristics and interests of the students are gendered which also becomes a part of the assessment. Interest in Physical education is attributed to the boys, which leads to both sexes allowing them to dominate Physical education. Conclusion The students in this study rarely negotiate their gender identities, especially in areas of interest. This, according to us, limits both girls and boys. All actors at the school in this study helps to create and maintain the gender system. Discussing the grading and assessment are ways of concretizing it. According to the students is there a lack of aim in Physical educationin contrast to Social studies, Mathematics and Swedish. The consequence of these arguments is according to us that the legitimacy of Physical education is minor then the other subjects in our study. However due to our result and previous science do high grades in Physical education bring higher status above all to the boys. Keywords Gender, Physical education, Social studies, Swedish, Mathematics, gender identity, gender contract, ideals, masculinity, femininity, gender regime, grading. assessment.

Sammanfattning Syfte och frågeställningar Syftet med denna uppsats har varit att undersöka hur lärare i idrott och hälsa i grundsärskolan, år 7-10, arbetar med kunskapsbedömning och dokumentation av kunskap. Vidare syftade studien till att undersöka vilken eventuell inverkan Lgr 11 kommer ha på detta arbete. Studiens frågeställningar var: Hur resonerar lärare i idrott och hälsa i grundsärskolan kring bedömning och betygssättning? Hur har lärare i idrott och hälsa i särskolan dokumenterat sina elevers utveckling med Lpo 94 som ramverk/ styrdokument? Med vilka verktyg/på vilka sätt har elevernas kunskaper bedömts med Lpo 94 som ramverk/ styrdokument samt hur uppfattar lärare i idrott och hälsa i grundsärskolan Lgr 11? Metod Intresseförfrågningar skickades ut till ca 50 aktiva idrottslärare i idrott och hälsa i grundsärskolan, år 7-10. Åtta lärare svarade positivt till medverkan varav två av dessa, efter vidare kontakt, sållades bort på grund av att de var verksamma i annan skolform än grundsärskolan. Intervjuer genomfördes sedan med de sex informanterna, på en tid och plats som passade informanterna. Intervjuerna var ca 40 min långa, semistrukturerade och frågeområdena omfattade tankar kring betyg och bedömning generellt, hur bedömningsarbetet sett ut med Lpo 94 som styrdokument, samt hur lärarna uppfattade Lgr 11. Intervjuerna behandlade även frågor rörande hur lärarna kunde föreställa sig att undervisningen skulle kunna se ut med Lgr 11 som styrdokument. Resultat Lärarna uppgav att deras huvudsakliga syfte med bedömningsarbetet var att samla information för att kunna anpassa undervisningen. Fem av sex ställde sig frågande till betyg i särskolan. Hälften av de tillfrågade lärarna uppgav att bedömning i särskolan är problematiskt på grund av att elevgruppen är heterogen. Lärarnas dokumentation av elevernas utveckling skiljde sig åt, några dokumenterade ingenting medan andra hade välutvecklade system. I samtliga fall bedömdes eleverna genom observation. Lärarnas samlade intryck av Lgr 11 var att kraven ävarhögre än i Lpo 94 men tre av dem menade att de är väldigt oinsatta i särskolans nya kursplan för idrott och hälsa. Slutsats Lärarnas skiftande inställning till kunskapsbedömning och dokumentation av bedömning kan relateras till deras uppfattning av syftet med ämnet idrott och hälsa i grundsärskolan. Vidare verkade det som att implementeringen av Lgr 11 inte fått särskilt stort fokus i idrott och hälsa i grundsärskolan på de skolor som informanterna i denna studie var aktiva. Anledningen till denna brist på fokus kan dock ej urskiljas ur resultaten i denna studie, utan kräver en annan studie med ett annat fokus. / Abstract Aim The aim of this study has been to investigate how teachers in physical education and health in schools for intellectually disabled, year 7-10, incorporates assessment and documentation of knowledge in their practice. The aim of the study was also to investigate what possible effect the introduction of the new curriculum and syllabi of Lgr 11 will have on their work. The questions this study asked were: How do teachers in physical education and health in schools for intellectually disabled argue about assessment and grading? In what way have teachers in physical education and health in schools for mentally disabled documented the progression of their pupils, with Lpo 94 as a framework? What tools of assessment have been used with Lpo 94 as a framework? and How do teachers in physical education and health in schools for intellectually disabled perceive Lgr 11? Method An inquiry of participation was sent to 50 active teachers in physical education and health in schools for intellectually disabled, year 7-10. Eight teachers agreed to participate in the study. Two of these eight teachers were excluded due to the type of school they worked in did not match the intended form of the study.  Interviews were then conducted with the six informants, at a place and time that suited the informants. The interviews were approximately 40 min long, semi-structured and the questions covered thoughts on grading and assessment in general, how the assessment process with Lpo 94 as a framework had been carried out along with  how the teachers perceived Lgr 11 and their thoughts on how their lessons will look, with Lgr 11 as a framework. Results The main purpose of the assessment process is gathering information to be able to make sure that the lessons maintain an appropriate level of difficulty, according to the interviewed teachers. Five out of six teachers questions the usage of grades in schools for intellectually disabled. Every other teacher claims that assessment in schools for intellectually disabled is difficult, mainly because of the heterogeneity of the groups of pupils. The way the different teachers document their pupils development differs from one-another, some teachers do not document the development at all, while some have elaborate methods for documentation. All of the teachers state that they assess their pupils through observation. The teachers’ collected impression of Lgr 11 is that the demands are higher than in Lpo 94 but three of the teachers mean that their familiarity with the new curricula for Physical education and health is poor. Conclusions The way the teachers in this study work with assessment and documentation of knowledge differs from one another. Some of the teachers seem to emphasize the importance of a functioning assessment process more than others. This can be related to what the teachers perceive as the purpose of physical education and health in schools for intellectually disabled. Furthermore it seems like the implementation of Lgr11 in physical education and health-classes has not received the attention needed in the schools in which the informants in this study are active. The reason for this lack of attention cannot be distinguished in the results of this study. Another study with a different focus would be necessary to investigate this matter.

Genomförda undersökningar visar att formativ bedömning förbättrar elevers inlärning och förståelse. Den svenska läroplanen från 2011 ger tydliga indikationer på att formativ bedömning ska inkluderas i undervisningen. Vår diskussion i denna uppsats är därför aktuell och den visar hur forskare artikulerar fenomenet formativ bedömning. Litteraturstudien inkluderar information om vad formativ bedömning innebär och förslag på hur man kan arbeta utifrån ett sådant arbetssätt. Vår studie visar att de viktigaste komponenterna inom formativ bedömning är att tydliggöra målen, återkoppling samt själv- och kamratbedömning. Beskrivningarna av dessa resulterar i en analys där vi diskuterar det formativa arbetssättet. Både positiva och negativa aspekter tas upp. Vårt syfte med denna uppsats är att införskaffa djupare kunskaper om formativ bedömning likväl för oss själva som för redan aktiva lärare. Vi har en föraning om att många lärare inte har tillräckliga kunskaper kring ämnet och vår förhoppning är att denna uppsats kan fungera som ett verktyg för lärare som arbetar med eller skulle vilja arbeta med formativ bedömning. / Previous research shows that formative assessments improve pupils’ learning and understanding. Also, the Swedish Curriculum 2011 gives clear guidance that formative assessment should be included in school. Our discussion in this essay is therefore needed and it deals with how researchers articulate the phenomenon formative assessment. The study includes information about what formative assessment means and suggestions for how to work with it are given. The main parts within formative assessment are to clarify learning goals, feedback and self- and peer assessment. The information about these main parts ends in an analysis where a discussion about formative assessment and its positive and negative effects takes place.   Furthermore, the purpose of this essay is to inherit deeper knowledge about formative assessment as well for ourselves as for teachers already on duty. We anticipate that many teachers do not have sufficient knowledge about formative assessment and our expectation is that this essay can function as a tool for teachers who work or would like to work with formative assessment.

This thesis focuses on teachers’ assessment practices in primary and lower secondary schools for technology education (Sv. Teknik). It is grounded in my prior experience as a teacher but also addresses the national and international research fields of technology education and assessment. The thesis is based on four papers covering different aspects of teachers’ assessment practices in technology. Its aim is to contribute to knowledge regarding how teachers use assessments in primary and lower secondary school. The thesis explores: teachers’ formal documenting practices; primary teachers’ minute-by-minute classroom assessment; teachers’ views on assessment and finally teachers’ statements and motives relating to criteria for success while assessing students’ e-portfolios. The choice of methods varies, depending on the focus of each sub-study, including quantitative data, collected from official governmental databases, software-generated statistical data and questionnaires as well as qualitative methods such as observations and interviews. Formal documents proved to be unsupportive for teachers’ assessment practices. Lack of instruction and deficiencies in design templates made these documents practically useless. The classroom study shows that the studied teachers have great ambitions for their pupils to succeed but lack collegial support concerning their assessment practices. Findings also show that teachers who are specifically trained in technology show higher self-efficacy regarding their assessment practices. Based on the results from the teachers' assessments of e-portfolios, it is concluded that there is consensus among the teachers to focus on the whole rather than on particular details in student’s work. The overall results strengthen the importance of designing activities and that students should be taught and not left to unreflective doing in technology. Teachers’ assessment practices are complex. This thesis shows that teachers work with assessment in different ways. It is also shown that the educational environment is not supportive enough. Assessment is a necessity in the endeavour of bridging teaching and learning in technology, thus affordance for teachers’ assessment practices must be increased. / <p>QC 20150216</p>

In the following study the author compares two methods of teaching history, the thematic approach and a more traditional chronological approach. Aiming at distinguishing the perceived notions of strength and weaknesses of each method, from the perspective of teaching, the author uses semi-structural interviews with four teachers in order to shed light on the reasons why each method is chosen. The perceptions of the thematical and chronological method in teaching history are further compared with the result in students’ grades. The result shows that the thematic method is perceived as being better at teaching the student about causality and different understandings of changes in history, which would have positive impact on higher grades. However it was also looked upon as being more demanding of previous knowledge for the student. Therefore teachers would choose the chronological approach if they saw that the necessary previous knowledge was lacking in the class. The grades of different classes showed however that the perceived relation between method and learning can’t be confirmed, but that great difference in grades where found among classes of the same method. Even if the classes of the thematic method shows slightly higher grades then the classes of the chronological method it might be the result of difference in previous knowledge among classes which motivates the choice of method, more than it is the result of the method itself.

Avhandlingen handlar om hur bedömningssystemet i bred bemärkelse presenterades i betygsdebatten i samband de politiska besluten om betygssystemet för gymnasiet mellan 1960 och 1995. Avhandlingen tar sin utgångspunkt i de berättelser som konstruerades under perioden. Syftet är att spåra och tolka förändringar i berättelserna om bedömning i anslutning till det politiska projektet att demokratisera och individualisera skolsystemet. Fokus är särskilt riktat mot de bedömningstekniker och innebörder för relationen mellan stat, lärare och elever som aktualiserades i samband med de två gymnasiereformerna. Härigenom synliggörs en viktig definitionskamp om statens förhållande till individen - lärare och elever - och hur makten i den nya enhetliga och demokratiska gymnasieskolan skulle förstås och organiseras. Avhandlingen pekar också på hur berättelser konkurrerar och hur en berättelse kan ges olika innebörder i förhållande till det politiska projektet att skapa en skola som tar till vara elevernas demokratiska möjligheter och lika villkor. / This thesis explores how the system of examination, in broad terms, was presented in the debate about grading around the political decisions regarding the upper secondary school between 1960 and 1995. The point of departure is the narratives that were constructed during the time period. The main objective is to trace and interpret changes in the narratives of evaluation as a part of the political project of democratization and individualization of the school system. Special attention is given to the different grading techniques and implications for the relation between State, teacher and pupil that surfaced in and around the school reforms in 1964 and 1994. This also sheds significant light on the meaning constructions and struggle around the State’s relation to the individual - teachers and pupils - and how power was to be viewed and organized in the new homogenous and democratic school. The thesis also shows the rivalry of narratives and how a narrative can be given various meanings in relation to the political project of creating a school that advocates the democratic opportunities and equal rights of pupils.

This study has examined the relationship between student´s grades in Physical education and self-assessed health and level of physical activity. In this way some of the subject´s aims has been examined. Students should, through the subject, develop knowledge and skills that enable them to take an active responsibility for their health and physical activity throughout life. A quantitative method were used where students at the upper secondary school have taken part in a survey. The results from the study were analyzed using the cultural sociological perspective as well as curriculum theory. The results show a positive relationship between student´s grades in Physical education and self-assessed health as well as level of physical activity. Relationships could also be seen between student´s grades and if they state that they make active choices regarding their health and physical activity based on knowledge and skills learned in the subject. The relationships indicate that the teaching lives up to the researched aims. However, the results also show that the answers from many students indicate that the teaching in the subject does not live up to the researched aims. The results can thus be interpreted in two different ways.