I läroplanens inledande del lyfts betydelsen av att elever aktivt får delta i planering och utvärdering av undervisningen och utveckla sin förmåga utöva inflytande och ta ansvar i skolan. Tidigare forskning visar att skolan inte lyckats i detta uppdrag. Studien är en del av en aktion vars utvecklingsfokus varit att öka elevers delaktighet i projektarbetsformen. Studien vill belysa elevdelaktighet ur elevernas perspektiv, vilken betydelse och vilket värde delaktighet har för eleverna, samt hur de anser att den fungerar i praktiken. Forskningsfrågan är: Hur beskriver elever delaktighet i skolan? Studiens syfte är att belysa elevdelaktighet ur elevernas perspektiv, för att förstå vilken betydelse och vilket värde delaktighet har för eleverna, samt hur de anser att den fungerar i praktiken. Data har skapats genom elevers loggboksskrivande om delaktighet och uppföljande samtal med elever, som analyserats genom dimensioner av delaktighet; innehållsdimension, drivkrafts-dimension och samspelsdimension. Elevers beskrivningar av delaktighet är i lika mån beskrivningar av lärandet. Resultatet visar att delaktighet ger mening till elevernas lärande. Den individuella valfriheten är motiverande för eleverna. Det absolut viktigaste för eleverna att få vara delaktiga i är lärandets innehålls- och formfrågor. Delaktighet beskrivs av eleverna både ur ett individuellt och ett kollektivt perspektiv. Studiens resultat bekräftar Illeris och Wengers teorier om lärandets samspel och socialt lärande. / In the introductory part of the Curriculum for the Compulsory School, the importance of pupils participation in the planning and the evaluation of their education is highlighted. Also to develop their ability to participate and to take responsibility in school is highlighted. Earlier research shows that the school has failed in this mission. This study is a part of an action, which developing focus has been to increase the pupils participation in project based learning. The intention of the study is to throw light upon pupils participation from the pupils view, what meaning and what value do the pupils give participation, and how do they think it is working in practice. The research question is: How do pupils describe participation in school? The purpose of the study is to highlight pupils participation from the pupils' view, to understand what meaning and value it gives to the pupils', and how they think it works in practice. Data has been produced by the pupils by writing logbooks about participation and by follow-up conversation with the same pupils. The empirics have been analyzed throw dimensions of participation; the dimension of content, the dimension of motive power and the dimension of cooperation. The pupils descriptions' of participation are also descriptions about learning. The result shows that participation gives meaning to the pupils learning. The individual freedom of choice is motivating for the pupils. The most important area for the pupils to participate in, is the content and the form of learning-area. Participation is described both from an individual and a collective perspective by the pupils. The results of the study confirm Illeris and Wengers theories about cooperative learning and social learning.

Framed by Social Constructivist theories of learning, this project employed a descriptive case study approach to investigate the types of social and verbal interactions that occurred as four Reading Recovery teachers worked with their respective students to devise and record a brief message during the 10-12 minute writing section of a Reading Recovery lesson. Data was collected over a period of two months and each teacher was observed working with the same student on two separate occasions. The conversations that transpired were audiotaped and transcribed and the cognitive and affective dimensions of the teachers’ communications were specifically examined. Findings indicate that effective teaching interactions more often arose when the teachers continually endeavored to understand the meanings behind their students’ words and actions. When teachers considered their students’ perspectives, when they gave them cognitive space to think, speak, and act, and when they designed literacy activities that centered on children’s demonstrated understandings, they ensured their students’ continued motivation thereby fostering cognitive development.

Swedish pre-school teachers are in the middle of a debate regarding a form of general school competence that today is criticized by mass media. The training and skill development that is used today is an important tool in the development of the organization as well as the people that work in them. This study aims to explain how this training actually is performed and the opinions of the pre-school teachers that actually finish the training. Previous research in this area has primarily been focused at the types of methods that exists from an executive standpoint. This study, instead, aims to shift that focus to the individual worker. As the theoretical background we both apply a general sociocultural perspective as defined by Leontiev, which is supplemented by a motivational and emotional perspective from Illeris three dimensions of learning. The study is based on semi-structured interviews from seven respondents in the public sector. The data that is presented is to be viewed as having qualitative potential, and should be read with that in mind. The results from the study points at several problematic areas where pre-school teachers claim the training to be of lackluster standards. One common theme that can be noticed from most respondents is that different workgroups experience different problems and different advantages. Despite this there are two main areas that heavily affects some situations - the leadership and the degree of individual adaptation. / Svenska förskollärare befinner sig mitt i en debatt kring skolkompetens som idag kritiseras av massmedier. Kompetensutvecklingen som bedrivs existerar idag som ett kraftfullt verktyg för att förbättra såväl organisationen som de människor som arbetar där. Studien ämnar belysa hur denna kompetensutveckling faktiskt går till och vilka åsikter förskollärare har kring den. Tidigare forskning i ämnet fokuserar främst på vilka typer av metoder för kompetensutveckling som existerar ur ett chefsperspektiv. Vi ämnar istället att skifta detta fokus till den individuella arbetstagaren. Som teoretisk bakgrund applicerar vi dels ett allmänt sociokulturellt perspektiv som definierat av Leontiev, vilket kompletteras med ett drivkrafts- och emotionsperspektiv från Illeris tre dimensioner av lärande. Studien är utförd via semistrukturerade intervjuer om sju respondenter i den offentliga sektorn. Den data som presenteras anser vi ha kvalitativ potential och bör därmed tolkas med det som bakgrund. Resultatet pekar på olika problemområden där förskollärare anser kompetensutvecklingen vara bristfällig, men ett gemensamt tema via samtliga respondenter är att olika arbetsgrupper upplever olika problem och olika fördelar. Trots detta existerar det två huvudsakliga faktorer som kraftigt påverkar samtliga situationer, ledarskapet och graden av individuell anpassning.

Significant changes have taken place in higher education over dte past ten years. Learners are more liberated and want to be acknowledged as individuals with differences, and not expected to adapt their individual characteristics to fit in with the specific environment of the learning situation. A new emphasis is placed upon creating and sustaining learning environments that accommodate Ieamer needs and dte process of effective learning. Learners' individual needs include their need to learn how to learn and an acceptance of their individual differences as expressed in learning styles. Active Ieamer participation in dte learning process is necessary for effective learning to take place. Only dten can the desired outcome be reached. For a Ieamer to actively participate in the learning process, the Ieamer must know how to learn, and how to function as an independent Ieamer. To reach these goals, sound knowledge of individual differences in learning st;ytes is necessary. The impact of individual differences on education and the way they affect educational practice, future learning and academic achievement places the emphasis even more strongly on constant awareness, updatlng or change, improvement and development of the educational environment. The educator, as one of the role players in the educational environment, is the facilitator of learning, and should be empowered with a strong knowledge base regarding individual differences among both learners and educators, thus becoming more innovative and creative. Qualitative non-empirical research was undertaken. The aim of this research was to analyse and explore the concept learning style as well as to promote learning style awareness through assessment of learning st;ytes, and to provide an organised frame of reference to guide the learning process and provide for systematic education. Based on insight and knowledge gained through Inductive and deductive reasoning, The Learning Style Assessment Tool and a model for learning style promotion in higher education were constructed. The instrument enables learners and educators to assess their own learning st;ytes and identify their learning characteristics and preferences. The model can serve as a basis for acknowledging and accommodating learning styles in higher education. The desired outcome of this research is effective learning and quality education. / Health Studes / D. Litt. et Phil. (Advanced Nursing Sciences)

Significant changes have taken place in higher education over the past ten years. Learners are more liberated and want to be acknowledged as individuals with differences, and not expected to adapt their individual characteristics to fit in with the specific environment of the learning situation. A new emphasis is placed upon creating and sustaining learning environments that accommodate learner needs and the process of effective learning. Learners' individual needs include their need to learn how to learn and an acceptance of their individual differences as expressed in learning styles. Active learner participation in the learning process is necessary for effective learning to take place. Only then can the desired outcome be reached. For a learner to actively participate in the learning process, the learner must know how to learn, and how to function as an independent learner. To reach these goals, sound knowledge of individual differences in learning styles is necessary. The impact of individual differences on education and the way they affect educational practice, future learning and academic achievement places the emphasis even more strongly on constant awareness, updating or change, improvement and development of the educational environment. The educator, as one of the role players in the educational environment, is the facilitator of learning, and should be empowered with a strong knowledge base regarding individual differences among both learners and educators, thus becoming more innovative and creative. Qualitative non-empirical research was undertaken. The aim of this research was to analyse and explore the concept learning style as well as to promote learning style awareness through assessment of learning styles, and to provide an organised frame of reference to guide the learning process and provide for systematic education. Based on insight and knowledge gained through inductive and deductive reasoning, the Learning Style Assessment Tool and a model for learning style promotion in higher education were constructed. The instrument enables learners and educators to assess their own learning styles and identify their learning characteristics and preferences. The model can serve as a basis for acknowledging and accommodating learning styles in higher education. The desired outcome of this research is effective learning and quality education.

Significant changes have taken place in higher education over dte past ten years. Learners are more liberated and want to be acknowledged as individuals with differences, and not expected to adapt their individual characteristics to fit in with the specific environment of the learning situation. A new emphasis is placed upon creating and sustaining learning environments that accommodate Ieamer needs and dte process of effective learning. Learners' individual needs include their need to learn how to learn and an acceptance of their individual differences as expressed in learning styles. Active Ieamer participation in dte learning process is necessary for effective learning to take place. Only dten can the desired outcome be reached. For a Ieamer to actively participate in the learning process, the Ieamer must know how to learn, and how to function as an independent Ieamer. To reach these goals, sound knowledge of individual differences in learning st;ytes is necessary. The impact of individual differences on education and the way they affect educational practice, future learning and academic achievement places the emphasis even more strongly on constant awareness, updatlng or change, improvement and development of the educational environment. The educator, as one of the role players in the educational environment, is the facilitator of learning, and should be empowered with a strong knowledge base regarding individual differences among both learners and educators, thus becoming more innovative and creative. Qualitative non-empirical research was undertaken. The aim of this research was to analyse and explore the concept learning style as well as to promote learning style awareness through assessment of learning st;ytes, and to provide an organised frame of reference to guide the learning process and provide for systematic education. Based on insight and knowledge gained through Inductive and deductive reasoning, The Learning Style Assessment Tool and a model for learning style promotion in higher education were constructed. The instrument enables learners and educators to assess their own learning st;ytes and identify their learning characteristics and preferences. The model can serve as a basis for acknowledging and accommodating learning styles in higher education. The desired outcome of this research is effective learning and quality education. / Health Studes / D. Litt. et Phil. (Advanced Nursing Sciences)

The purpose of this study was to examine formal volunteering among retirees in order to explore whether their volunteer experiences represent an extension of their career in the paid workforce or whether their volunteer activities represent a completely new direction, and how this influences their career self-concept, as interpreted through Donald Super’s life-span, life-space theory of career development. This study employed a developmental mixed-method design. In Phase 1, qualitative interviews were conducted with 12 participants to better understand retirees’ volunteer experiences. Phase 1 informed the design of an instrument for the Phase 2 survey which examined the issues among a larger sample of 214 retirees. The Phase 2 results supported the Phase 1 findings and indicated that many retirees sought an extension of career in volunteer activities in that they used similar skills and knowledge. Study participants also displayed a desire for lifelong learning. Retirees relinquished their paid-work career, took on the retiree and volunteer roles, and integrated these roles within their career self-concept to create a new sense of self. These results indicated that the retirees had entered a new stage of life, qualitatively different from ‘retirement’. To better reflect the experiences of these retirees, it was proposed that Donald Super’s life-span, life-space theory of career development be extended to include Redirection. This theorizing is consistent with the finding that retirees both wanted to and are able to integrate previous paid work elements as well as seek out lifelong learning opportunities within their volunteer activities. This study demonstrates that the volunteer role in the lives of retirees can lead to personal renewal and reshaping of the career self-concept, or what is labeled as the stage of Redirection. This study also has implications for volunteer management, retirement planning and social policy, and may be of interest to volunteer managers, nonprofit organizations, career counsellors, financial planners, retirement planning consultants, life coaches and policy planners.

The purpose of this study was to examine formal volunteering among retirees in order to explore whether their volunteer experiences represent an extension of their career in the paid workforce or whether their volunteer activities represent a completely new direction, and how this influences their career self-concept, as interpreted through Donald Super’s life-span, life-space theory of career development. This study employed a developmental mixed-method design. In Phase 1, qualitative interviews were conducted with 12 participants to better understand retirees’ volunteer experiences. Phase 1 informed the design of an instrument for the Phase 2 survey which examined the issues among a larger sample of 214 retirees. The Phase 2 results supported the Phase 1 findings and indicated that many retirees sought an extension of career in volunteer activities in that they used similar skills and knowledge. Study participants also displayed a desire for lifelong learning. Retirees relinquished their paid-work career, took on the retiree and volunteer roles, and integrated these roles within their career self-concept to create a new sense of self. These results indicated that the retirees had entered a new stage of life, qualitatively different from ‘retirement’. To better reflect the experiences of these retirees, it was proposed that Donald Super’s life-span, life-space theory of career development be extended to include Redirection. This theorizing is consistent with the finding that retirees both wanted to and are able to integrate previous paid work elements as well as seek out lifelong learning opportunities within their volunteer activities. This study demonstrates that the volunteer role in the lives of retirees can lead to personal renewal and reshaping of the career self-concept, or what is labeled as the stage of Redirection. This study also has implications for volunteer management, retirement planning and social policy, and may be of interest to volunteer managers, nonprofit organizations, career counsellors, financial planners, retirement planning consultants, life coaches and policy planners.