The study assessed the knowledge structure of Grade 11 physics students and their instructors using Pathfinder networks. Instructors’ structural knowledge was averaged to create a referent pathfinder network. Each student’s pathfinder network was compared with the referent pathfinder network in order to identify misconceptions. These misconceptions served as the basis for remedial instruction. The study was conducted in six sections of Grade 11. Three different types of remedial instruction based on three different chapters from the Grade 11 physics textbook were given to the students at three separate stages. In the first section, students were shown their own and referent pathfinder networks as an intervention during the first stage. The students were asked to reflect on the similarities and differences between them. The researcher gave written concept-oriented exercises based on the differences at the second stage, and multimedia concept-oriented instruction based on the differences was given to the students at the third stage. The order of instruction was counterbalanced in all the six sections. After each stage, students’ pathfinder networks were reassessed and the similarities between students’ and the referent pathfinder networks were calculated to measure the effect of a particular intervention. The study tried to determine which type of remedial instruction given to students best improved the knowledge structure of the students in the domain of physics. Results revealed that the similarity indices around the treatment concepts in the pathfinder networks of the students increased the most from pre- to post-intervention phase because of their reflections, followed by multimedia concept-oriented instruction and written concept-oriented exercises. Most likely, the major reason for this change was the interventions around the treatment concepts by the researcher at three different stages which stimulated and probably changed some of students’ misconceptions. To address the issue of validity, the similarity indices of control concepts in the students’ pathfinder networks were also checked for improvement. The result shows that there is no appreciable improvement in control concepts as there was no intervention around those concepts. Findings support the use of structural assessment of knowledge with pathfinder scaling technique to check the effectiveness of a classroom instruction.

The effective use of formative assessment practices has resulted in some of the largest gains in student learning ever documented (Meisels, 2006; Davies 2007; Black & Wiliam 2006, 1998; Marzano 2006). Given this support in the literature for the connection between improving classroom assessment and increasing student learning, the critical question among school leaders no longer seems to be, "what classroom practices best improve student learning?" Instead, leaders interested in student learning through classroom assessment are increasingly driven to inquire into the conditions that will best foster effective assessment practices in the classroom.<p> The purpose of this study was to take cases of schools where changes in classroom assessment practices had increased student learning, and to examine both the practices of leadership that supported the assessment initiatives, and the ways in which these leaders were connected. In recent studies of school improvement efforts focused on classroom assessment, Wiliam (2004, 2007) and Reeves (2007) concluded that teachers required support across the entire school system in order to embed effective formative assessment practices into their instructional repertoire. Hargreaves (1999) and Fullan (2005) defined this type of systemic support as lateral and overall capacity. While Goleman (2006) and Barabasi (2009) pointed to the influence of the social network of learners surrounding an initiative, Fullan (2005) warned that learning networks also require quality and implementation controls in order to sustain changes. Wiliam (2007) defined this tension between educators learning from one another and being openly responsible for sharing new practices as supportive accountability (p. 199).<p> This study sought to inquire into leadership networks and leadership practices that supported schools in which an assessment initiative had resulted in improved student learning. Two elementary schools were selected for study following a nomination process by central-office staff. A chain-sampling methodology was used to identify individuals who were seen to play an important leadership role in initiating and sustaining assessment efforts in each school. In all, qualitative data were generated from interviews with ten participants, eight from within the selected schools, and two central-office support staff.<p> This study revealed several major themes in the leadership practices of leaders inside the schools: engagement in a range of formal and informal professional learning experiences by teachers and school administrators; application of assessment for learning principles to the overall work of the initiative; engagement in a multi-level learning community; and the integration of school and system-level plans. Additionally, participants described a cross-role network of leadership supports that seemed to infuse teachers and staff with the positive energy required to maintain a high level of commitment to the initiative. While all participants described feelings of frustration and discomfort with the elements of accountability to their peers, they also described valuing the high levels of active support they received from other teachers, school administrators, and central-office staff. Leadership practices within the context of a network or pattern of leadership relationships aimed at fostering effective levels of supportive accountability seem to be most effective.

Informell formativ bedömning är inte bedömning som tenderar att dokumenteras och sammanfattas till ett betyg, utan den bedömning som via dialoger i klassrummet hjälper läraren att avgöra vad eleverna kan eller om de hänger med i det läraren försöker förmedla. För att bedömningen sedan skall vara formativ krävs det att informationen som läraren får fram vid dessa dialoger används som grund i fortsatt undervisning. Syftet med den här studien är att fördjupa kunskapen om informell formativ bedömning inom matema- tik på gymnasieskolan. Vi vill undersöka hur lärare själva menar att de använder informell formativ bedöm- ning i undervisningen utifrån en teori som tillskriver informell formativ bedömning ett antal strategier. För att kunna göra detta kommer vi genomföra kvalitativa intervjuer. Det visade sig att vårt resultat kom att skilja sig från tidigare forskning med liknande teoretisk utgångs- punkt. Denna skillnad kan bero på att vissa strategier används omedvetet av lärarna. Om lärare blir mer medvetna om strategier de använder omedvetet eller strategier de inte använder alls får de en större repertoar av strategier att använda i klassrummet. Detta tror vi kan leda till att undervis- ningskvalitéten ökar och därmed ger elever en bättre chans att lära. / Informal formative assessment is not the assessment that tend to be documented and summarized to a grade, but the assessment through dialogue in the classroom that helps teachers to determine what students know or if they can keep up with what the teacher trying to convey. For the assessment to be formative its required that the information that the teacher collects/gathers in these dialogues is used as a basis for further teaching. The purpose of this study is to widen the knowledge of informal formative assessment in mathematics in secondary school. We wanted to examine how teachers themselves say that they use informal formative assessment in every day teaching based on a theory that ascribes informal formative assessment a number of strategies. To do this, we used qualitative interviews. It turned out that our results were to differ from previous research with similar theoretical basis. Perhaps the differences demonstrate strategies that teachers use unconsciously. If teachers become more aware of the strategies they use unconsciously or strategies they are not using at all, they get a larger repertoire of strategies to use in the classroom. We believe this could lead to an increase in teaching quality, and therefore give students a better chance to learn.

Syftet med följande studie är att undersöka hur gymnasielärare kan resonera kring bedömning. Fokus ligger på huruvida respondenterna har ett i huvudsak formativt eller summativt förhållningssätt, samt vilka möjligheter respektive hinder de ser i formativa bedömningsmetoder. Empirin har insamlats genom intervjuer, och visar att respondenterna har en summativ syn på bedömning där betygsskalan är central. De möjligheter som ses i formativa metoder är ökad medvetenhet hos eleverna samt tydlighet gällande kursmål. De hinder som tas upp gäller elevernas mognad, lärarens osäkerhet och otillräckliga kunskap samt tidsåtgången. / The purpose of this study is to investigate how upper secondary school teachers reflect on assessment. The aim is to examine whether the interviewed teachers think of assessment in a summative or formative way, and also which possibilities and obstacles they see in formative assessment methods. The result shows that the teachers have a summative approach where the grades are central. The possibilities mentioned are the pupils’ increased awareness of their learning process and the clarification of the course objectives. The obstacles brought up consider the pupils’ immatureness, the teacher’s insecurity and insufficient knowledge, as well as the time limit.

Assessment is considered one of the most important tools used today by people in almost everything they do and learn. This also applies to school, where assessment is considered as a constant companion to teaching and used in order to develop students' learning and skills. Assessment is also an educational necessity which has different purposes and therefore different consequences.                                                                                                                         The idea of ​​this thesis was on the basis of the interviewed teacher's perspective to investigate what role the formative assessment has on the development of pupils' learning and knowledge in mathematics for primary education, and explore how the teacher can, according to my informants, work with this assessment practice in the classroom so that it promotes the learning of the students in the best possible way.                                                                 To carry out this study, I used qualitative research studies, the interview method, and also talked to five different teachers in the lower school ages on their view at the work of the formative assessment. Theoretical basis of the thesis is also based on the research that says that the assessment can be used to promote student learning and knowledge, but also the teacher's learning’s in the educational process: assessment can and should be an assessment for learning.                                                                                                                                        The results of my survey show that assessment, in the sense of assessment for learning, is an important part of the work for the school and is used in order to develop both students' learning and skills, and provide support for teachers to develop their own work. The assessment can also be used in many different ways and in many different situations. The study also shows that even the teacher's role in the assessment of student learning and knowledge is extremely important and great. From what all the teachers are saying and based on my own conclusions from the work done, I can see that it is the teacher's task, to constantly be responsible for the development of the pupils' learning and knowledge, and show the way for these students in this process. In addition, play pedagogue planning and the methods he/she uses also an important role for the learning needs of the students. The teacher is seen as the engine for all learning and depending on how he/she use this knowledge and experience her/his students will learn.

The effective use of formative assessment practices has resulted in some of the largest gains in student learning ever documented (Meisels, 2006; Davies 2007; Black & Wiliam 2006, 1998; Marzano 2006). Given this support in the literature for the connection between improving classroom assessment and increasing student learning, the critical question among school leaders no longer seems to be, "what classroom practices best improve student learning?" Instead, leaders interested in student learning through classroom assessment are increasingly driven to inquire into the conditions that will best foster effective assessment practices in the classroom.<p> The purpose of this study was to take cases of schools where changes in classroom assessment practices had increased student learning, and to examine both the practices of leadership that supported the assessment initiatives, and the ways in which these leaders were connected. In recent studies of school improvement efforts focused on classroom assessment, Wiliam (2004, 2007) and Reeves (2007) concluded that teachers required support across the entire school system in order to embed effective formative assessment practices into their instructional repertoire. Hargreaves (1999) and Fullan (2005) defined this type of systemic support as lateral and overall capacity. While Goleman (2006) and Barabasi (2009) pointed to the influence of the social network of learners surrounding an initiative, Fullan (2005) warned that learning networks also require quality and implementation controls in order to sustain changes. Wiliam (2007) defined this tension between educators learning from one another and being openly responsible for sharing new practices as supportive accountability (p. 199).<p> This study sought to inquire into leadership networks and leadership practices that supported schools in which an assessment initiative had resulted in improved student learning. Two elementary schools were selected for study following a nomination process by central-office staff. A chain-sampling methodology was used to identify individuals who were seen to play an important leadership role in initiating and sustaining assessment efforts in each school. In all, qualitative data were generated from interviews with ten participants, eight from within the selected schools, and two central-office support staff.<p> This study revealed several major themes in the leadership practices of leaders inside the schools: engagement in a range of formal and informal professional learning experiences by teachers and school administrators; application of assessment for learning principles to the overall work of the initiative; engagement in a multi-level learning community; and the integration of school and system-level plans. Additionally, participants described a cross-role network of leadership supports that seemed to infuse teachers and staff with the positive energy required to maintain a high level of commitment to the initiative. While all participants described feelings of frustration and discomfort with the elements of accountability to their peers, they also described valuing the high levels of active support they received from other teachers, school administrators, and central-office staff. Leadership practices within the context of a network or pattern of leadership relationships aimed at fostering effective levels of supportive accountability seem to be most effective.

Denna studie syftar till att undersöka hur gymnasieelever upplever litteraturläsning samt i vilken utsträckning estetiska läsningar görs. Vidare undersöks hur litteraturläsningens potentiella pedagogisk-didaktiska funktioner uppnås och/eller utnyttjas. Data har samlats in genom en enkät med öppna och slutna frågor. Genom diskursanalys har respondenternas svar kategoriserats och kommenterats. Resultatet visar att eleverna både genomlider och genomlever undervisningen och läsningen. Andelen estetiska läsningar är låg jämfört med andelen efferenta. En grupp respondenter signalerar att de inte kan skapa någon mening i och av sin läsning alls och det finns respondenter som gör uttalat efferenta läsningar och som därvid lyckas sämre med att skapa mening: dessa genomlider således. Det finns tecken på goda estetiska läsningar i respondentgruppen som ett resultat av ett genomlevande av litteraturen. Dessa läsningar lyfts sällan fram som bas för kunskapsutvecklande samtal kring läsning vilket sannolikt skulle gynna den förra gruppen respondenter. Studien visar även att vissa respondenters läsningsförmåga är svag och denna primärt behöver stärkas. Studien visar på en relativt svag uppfattning kring litteraturläsningens syfte: från disciplinär åtgärd via språkriktighet till insikt om den egna individen. Det finns utrymme för att öka litteraturläsningens didaktiska funktioner och positiva effekter på kunskaps- och personlighetsutveckling. Studien visar att detta kan uppnås genom att främja läsningsförmågan hos efferenta och allmänt svaga läsare genom en förstärkning av uppfattningen av litteraturläsningens syften, uppdelning mellan litteraturhistoria och utveckling av läsningsförmåga, stärkt stöd före och efter läsningen, gemensam läsning och bok- och textsamtal. Formativ bedömning skulle stärka individuella insatser i förmågansutvecklingen samt höja den kvalitativa nivån på elevernas läsningar.

The purpose of this essay is to study how to support students who have not achieved the objectives for grade 3 in mathematics. This was done using a teaching experiment with students in grade 4 who have failed the target in grade 3. The research tools were literature searches, mentoring, diary entries, interviews, analysis of student responses from the primary sample, and photographs of critical moments of the teaching. The teaching experiment was made at an elementary school outside a major city in Sweden. Out of 49 students 17 needed to be given extra support in one or more milestones from national tests grade 3. The paper reports one of the targets, which is written algorithms, where nine students participated in 15 lessons á 30 minutes. All nine participating students enhanced to fulfill their objectives and passed the level approved in the fractional G "Written algorithms". The average changed from 5 to 12 correct out of 14 possible after the teaching experiment. The students worked in a small temporary group linked to the present case by virtue of a special teacher who used formative assessment. The students chose to use the arrangement as written calculation method instead of using intermediaries in the sub sample. / Syftet med denna uppsats är att undersöka hur man kan stödja elever som ännu inte nått målen för skolår 3 i matematik. Detta genomfördes i ett undervisningsförsök med elever i skolår 4 som inte klarat målet för skolår 3. Forskningsverktygen var litteratursökning, handledning, dagboksanteckningar, intervjuer, analys av elevsvar från delprov och fotografier av kritiska moment från undervisningen. Undervisningsförsöket gjordes på en 1-7 skola utanför en större stad i Sverige. Av 49 elever var det 17 st som behövde få extra stöd i ett eller flera delmål enligt nationella prov skolår 3. I uppsatsen redovisas ett av delmålen som handlar om skriftliga räknemetoder där nio elever deltog på 15 st lektioner á 30 min. Alla de nio deltagande eleverna ökade sin måluppfyllelse och klarade nivån för godkänt på delprov G "Skriftliga räknemetoder" . Medelvärdet på resultatet ändrades från 5 till 12 rätt av 14 möjliga efter undervisningsförsöket. Eleverna arbetade i en liten tillfällig grupp knuten till det aktuella målet med stöd av en speciallärare som använde sig av formativ bedömning. Eleverna valde att använda uppställning som skriftlig räknemetod framför räkning med mellanled i delprovet.

I den kvalitativa studien undersöks vad som ligger till grund för bedömning i fyra ämnen inom gymnasieskolan. De ämnen som undersöks är teater, idrott- och hälsa, hotel- och restaurang samt träteknik. Intervjuer med lärare visar att det läggs stor vikt vid bedömning av processen i den dagliga undervisningen, dvs. närvaro, samarbete, ansvar, behov av handledning, självständighet och ambition. Även den produkt eller det slutresultat som undervisningen leder fram till tas med i bedömningen. Lärarna uttrycker även att teoretiska aspekter på undervisningen såsom faktakunskaper, analys, att problematisera och reflektera är underlag för bedömning. Personlig färdighet, talang, förkunskaper samt att kunna göra kopplingar till yrket dvs. elevens förmåga att tillämpa sina kunskaper väger även det in i bedömningen. Observationer vid omdömessamtal samt analys av skriftliga omdömen visar att det är processen som får mest utrymme i bedömningen. För att dokumentera och avgöra om eleven nått målen för undervisningen använder sig lärarna av anteckningar men även den produkt eller det resultat som består. Lärarna beskriver även att de genom kommunikation med eleverna och genom att uppmärksamma hur elever reflekterar kring uppgifterna gör bedömningar. Lärarna uttrycker att de skulle önska att de kunde arbeta mer med bedömning men det som hindrar de är fram för allt tiden, att man upplever att man i så fall skulle behöva strukturera om eller göra avkall på viss undervisning. Andra hinder som lärarna beskriver är att man är fast i vissa traditioner vad gäller undervisning och organisation. Dessutom beskriver lärarna att de saknar tydlighet hur de själva kommunicerar mål och betygskriterier till eleverna.

Syftet med denna uppsats är att undersöka vilka arbetssätt som verksamma matematiklärare använder för att arbeta med formativ bedömning. Syftet är även att undersöka vilka effekter på elevernas lärande de upplever att arbetssätten har samt vilka svårigheter de upplevt med att implementera formativ bedömning. I och med den nya läroplanen samt flera stora forskningsöversikter har begreppet formativ bedömning fått stor genomslagskraft inom den svenska skolan, trots detta upplevs ämnet matematik inte vara lika formativt som många andra ämnen. Den teoretiska utgångspunkten i denna studie bygger på Dylan Wiliams fem nyckelstrategier för formativ bedömning. För att uppnå studiens syfte har åtta stycken verksamma matematiklärare deltagit i en kvalitativ intervju. Deras svar har analyserats utifrån en meningstolkande analysmodell. Resultatet visar att samtliga lärare anser sig arbeta med formativt bedömning och att det främst görs genom ökad muntlighet i klassrummet, grupparbeten och problemlösningsfokus. Det framgår även att de två sista nyckelstrategierna, kamratbedömning och självvärdering, är de som lärarna arbetar minst med. Samtliga lärare upplever att tidsbristen är den största svårigheten och att den främsta effekten på elevernas lärande är att de blir mer medvetna om sin egen lärprocess. / The purpose of this essay is to give an insight into how people working as mathematics teachers works with formative assessment, which effects on the students learning they experience that the formative methods have and which difficulties they have experienced when implementing a formative assessment. Due to the new curriculum and many significant research surveys the term formative assessment have made a big impact on the Swedish school system, despite that the mathematics subject doesn't seem as formative as other subjects. The theoretical starting point for this study is found Dylan Wiliams five key strategies for formative assessment. Eight mathematics teachers have participated in a qualitative interview and their answers have then been analyzed on the basis of an analyzing model with the purpose to find an answer at our research questions. The result shows that all the teachers consider themselves to work with formative assessment and that it is mostly done through more oral components, group work and problem solving in the classrooms. It also shown that the last two of the key strategies, peer assessment and self-evaluation, are the two components that they work the least with. All teachers experience that the lack of time is the biggest problem in implementing a formative assessment and that the biggest effect on students learning is that the students become more aware of their own learning process.