Abstract In this essay we investigate how attachment between the children and the educators is experienced in preschool. We look at attachment in as a phenomena and use a phenomenological theoretical perspective. Our own experience of many years of working in preschools in Sweden is that there seems to be an unequal perception on the importance of attachment. The purpose of our study is to investigate the picture of how the interviewed educators say that they experience attachment, as a phenomena, in preschool. 15 educators in preschool were interviewed with a qualitative method and analysed with a content analysis. The result shows that all the interviewed educators see attachment as something important. They seem to equate the phenomena with security. They experience attachment differently depending on their own earlier experiences, views on children and their understanding and knowledge. We can see that there is a gap of knowledge, among educators, when it comes to how to understand the children's attachment behaviour which can be a great loss for the children who don't have a safe attachment pattern.

The aim of this study is to investigate work on social and emotional learning in the everyday practice of 221 educators working in preschools and schools. With using a mixed method both quantitative and qualitative information was gathered. In the introduction and background, the state of knowledge is problematized, SEL is defined, previous research reports and the education in SEL is described. The literature review describes SEL in relation to educators, children/pupils and children with special needs. An expansive learning approach permeates the performance analysis. The study's results are largely in line with previous research in the field of SEL and shows correlations between educators and child/pupils social and emotional skills and relational competence. The educators describe that they perceive children's behavior in a different way, had better understanding themselves, gained a common understanding and a common language, and become better at working inclusively and making adjustments based on the children’s/pupils needs. The educators felt that the children/pupils managed routine situations better based on the environment's expectations. The children/pupils were also perceived to have developed a better self-esteem and self-confidence based on the fact that they more often succeeded in interacting with others and that they were seen and confirmed based on their needs. The thesis concludes with suggestions for further research and hopes. / Denna studie syftar till att undersöka hur pedagogerna upplever att en kompetensutveckling i socialt och emotionellt lärande - SEL påverkar deras vardagsnära praktik och barnen/eleverna. 221 pedagoger verksamma inom förskola och skola deltar i studien. Med hjälp av en mixad metod samlades kvantitativ och kvalitativ data in. I inledningen och bakgrunden problematiseras kunskapsläget och SEL definieras. Tidigare forskning redovisas grundligt utifrån socialt och emotionellt lärande i förhållande till hälsofrämjande och förebyggande arbete, pedagoger, barn/elever samt barn i behov av särskilt stöd. Engeströms teori om expansivt lärande tillsammans med tidigare forskning om SEL används i resultatanalysen. Studiens resultat visar på samband mellan pedagogers och barns/elevers sociala och emotionella kompetens och relationella kompetens. Pedagogerna beskriver att de har fått bättre förståelse för barns beteende, fått en samsyn och ett gemensamt språk, och blivit bättre på att arbeta inkluderande och göra anpassningar utifrån barnens/elevernas behov. Pedagogerna redogör för hur barnen/eleverna klarar rutinsituationer bättre utifrån omgivningens förväntningar. Barnen och eleverna upplevs också ha utvecklat en bättre självkänsla och självförtroende utifrån att de oftare lyckades i samspel med andra och att de blev sedda och bekräftade utifrån sina behov. Uppsatsen avslutas med förslag på vidare forskning och förhoppningar.

Despite educational legislation and school reforms to promote improved performance and quality education, underperformance among secondary school learners is still the norm in the rural schools of KwaZulu-Natal (KZN). This dissertation investigates the problem of learner underachievement by means of a literature study and an empirical inquiry. The former provides an overview of the provisions for and problems of rural schooling in both an international and local context and it is followed by a discussion of learner assessment and learner achievement in the South African education system, with specific reference to KZN's schooling system and the problem of learner underachievement. The empirical inquiry investigates the experience of learner achievement in four rural schools in KZN and makes use of qualitative data gathered during individual and focus group interviews conducted with a small sample of underachieving learners and their parents, educators and school managers. Based on these findings, recommendations for improvement are made. / Comparative Education / M.A. (Comparative Education)

Despite educational legislation and school reforms to promote improved performance and quality education, underperformance among secondary school learners is still the norm in the rural schools of KwaZulu-Natal (KZN). This dissertation investigates the problem of learner underachievement by means of a literature study and an empirical inquiry. The former provides an overview of the provisions for and problems of rural schooling in both an international and local context and it is followed by a discussion of learner assessment and learner achievement in the South African education system, with specific reference to KZN's schooling system and the problem of learner underachievement. The empirical inquiry investigates the experience of learner achievement in four rural schools in KZN and makes use of qualitative data gathered during individual and focus group interviews conducted with a small sample of underachieving learners and their parents, educators and school managers. Based on these findings, recommendations for improvement are made. / Comparative Education / M.A. (Comparative Education)