This is a life story about a man, Victor, and his life. He was born into a family of travellers, this has been a very important part of his upbringing, socializing and how society has viewed him. The purpose of this essay is to discuss how a society's values, and the changes in these values, are manifested in a life story. A person’s identity is created in the situations one is in and in the relationships with ones social contacts. A person has not just one, but several different identities that coexist and are highlighted depending on the situations in which we find ourselves. I will look for traces of such identity formation in Viktor's life story. The environments vary continuously in the story as Viktor has moved often. Friends and wives also vary, but the family and relatives are always available. In Viktor's life, there is rootlessness and a feeling of being rejected or treated with hostility. It is only when Victor falls ill that community and the health care give him the respect that everyone deserves. I wonder if these changes are linked to the fact that Viktor is traveller or if there are other reasons for them?

Syftet med studien är att förstå hur två gymnasieelever i läs- och skrivsvårigheter, på olika yrkesprogram, upplever sin undervisning i kursen Engelska 5. Följande frågeställningar har valts för att nå studiens syfte: Hur upplever eleverna att deras läs- och skrivsvårigheter påverkat deras studieresultat i kursen Engelska 5? Hur upplever eleverna att studieresultaten i kursen Engelska 5 påverkat den akademiska självbilden? Hur upplever eleverna olika bedömningspraktiker i engelskundervisningen? Studien har en kvalitativ ansats med livsberättelseintervju som metod. Den teoretiska utgångspunkten i studien är fenomenologi och Amedo Giorgis femstegsmodell har tillämpats för att analysera studiens data. I resultatet framkommer att eleverna upplever att deras läs- och skrivsvårigheter har påverkat både studieresultatet i kursen Engelska 5 och den akademiska självbilden negativt. De upplever att undervisningens upplägg, med stora undervisningsgrupper, begränsat lärarstöd och inga stödinsatser, är bidragande orsaker till att de inte lyckats nå kunskapskraven i kursen Engelska 5. Eleverna upplever att den muntliga feedbacken från läraren är mest effektiv för kunskapsinhämtandet samt att strategin kamratbedömning upplevs som negativ på grund av nya gruppkonstellationer varje läsår i kursen Engelska 5. Båda elever anser att de kommer ut i ett yrke efter gymnasiestudierna oavsett om de lyckas nå kunskapskraven i kursen Engelska 5 eller ej. / The purpose of the study is to understand how two students in upper secondary school, with reading- and writing difficulties, experience their education in the course English 5. To clarify and deepen the aim of the study three questions have been used: Do the students experience that their reading- and writing difficulties have affected their academic results? In what way do the students experience that their academic results have affected their academic self-concept? How do the students experience different types of assessment? The study has a qualitative approach with life stories as a method and the theoretical frame of the study is phenomenology. Amedo Giorgi's five steps model has been used to analyze the data of the study. The results show that the students experience that their reading- and writing difficulties have affected both their academic results and their academic self-concept negatively. They experience that the structure of their lessons, with big classes, limited teacher support and no special educational support, affect their possibility to accomplish the knowledge requirements. The students experience that the oral feedback from the teacher is the most important thing to accomplish knowledge. The strategy peer review is experienced as negative due to new classes every semester in the course English 5. Both students are convinced that they will be employable after their studies regardless if they have accomplished the knowledge requirements in the course English 5 or not.

Title of this master thesis is “But what are you doing? Working with young people in difficult life situations focusing on the life stories.” Through practical knowledge theory, I will try to find ways to depict knowledge that cannot be fully explained in models or methods. I want to highlight what my career is about. I'm not a social worker, I'm not a therapist, a bit of an behaviourist, but without an exam. I do this by showing how I work with the individual's life stories, helping young people in vulnerable life situations to gain an understanding of their skills, abilities and interests. I have a narrative starting point in my work. By this I mean that through my conversations with young adults and their networks, are interested in how people use and relate to their life stories. I have also given some examples of how I use fictional stories like as a mask, to help the individual reflect on their own life situation. Through conversations with young adults and professional partners I have tried to show how I work for the individual to own his own process. / Genom praktisk kunskapsteori försöker jag finna vägar att gestalta den kunskap som inte fullständigt kan förklaras i modeller eller metoder. Jag vill belysa vad min yrkesroll går ut på. Jag är inte socionom, jag är inte terapeut, lite beteendevetare, men utan examen. Jag gör detta genom att visa hur jag arbetar med individens livsberättelser, hjälper unga i utsatta livssituationer att få syn på sina färdigheter, förmågor och intressen. Jag har i mitt arbete en narrativ utgångspunkt. Med det menar jag att genom mina samtal med unga och deras nätverk är intresserad av hur människor använder och förhåller sig till sina livsberättelser. Jag har också givit några exempel på hur jag använder fiktiva berättelser som mask, för att hjälpa individen att reflektera kring den egna livssituationen. Genom samtal med unga vuxna och professionella samverkansparter har jag försökt visa hur jag arbetar för att individen ska äga sin egen process.

Syftet med denna studie är att få en förståelse för hur förskollärare arbetar med att synliggöra de yngsta barnens lärprocesser och hur detta har betraktats i förskolan. Frågeställningarna som ligger till grund lyder; Hur beskriver förskollärarna den pedagogiska verksamhetens utformning och dokumentation med de yngsta barnen?         och Hur har arbetssättet kring att synliggöra de yngsta barnens lärprocesser förändrats över tid ur förskollärares perspektiv? Studiens empiri har samlats in genom tre förskollärares livsberättelser som tolkats och analyserats utifrån narrativ teori med en hermeneutisk ansats. En utgångspunkt är att det krävs förförståelse för att kunna få ny förståelse, vilket utifrån förskollärarnas beskrivningar har ökat vår förståelse för förskollärarprofessionens utveckling i relation till samhällets utveckling. Studiens resultat lyfter hur förskollärarna arbetar med att synliggöra de yngsta barnens lärprocesser där framförallt konkreta och fysiska föremål framkommer som betydelsefulla. Arbetssättet kring att synliggöra barns lärprocesser har förändrats från att det inte var en del av uppdraget till att förskollärarna idag dokumenterar, reflekterar och analyserar kring barns lärande.  Slutsatsen som dras är att med hjälp av de strategier som lyfts i studiens resultat, i relation till förståelsen för förskolans utveckling, kan förskollärare möjliggöra för att tolka, förstå och synliggöra de yngsta barnens lärande. / The purpose of this study is to gain an understanding of how preschool teachers work to make visible the learning processes of the youngest children and how this has been viewed in preschool. The underlying questions are; How do preschool teachers describe the desgin and documenting with the youngest children? and How has the approach to making the youngest children's learning processes visible changed over time from the preschool teachers' perspective? The empirical data was collected through three preschool teachers' life stories, which were interpreted and analysed using narrative theory with a hermeneutic approach. A starting point is that prior understanding is required to gain new understanding, which based on the preschool teachers' descriptions has increased our understanding of the development of the preschool teaching profession in relation to the development of society. The results of the study highlight how preschool teachers work to make visible the learning processes of the youngest children, where concrete and physical objects in particular emerge as significant. The approach to making children's learning processes visible has changed from not being part of the mandate to preschool teachers now documenting, reflecting and analysing children's learning.  The conclusion drawn is that using the strategies highlighted in the study's findings, in relation to understanding preschool development, preschool teachers can enable the interpretation, understanding and visibility of the youngest children's learning.

<p>The aim of this study has been to investigate, through the narratives of ex-perienced teachers, insights and strategies in the teaching of history in upper secondary school. Based on a flexible grounded theory, life history and theories of pedagogical content knowledge, seven experienced history teachers have been interviewed about their conceptions of history teaching.</p><p>Development of insights into history teaching and the formation of knowledge can be described as involving both a refinement of practice and more revolutionary turning points. These insights emphasize that good knowledge of the subject is central for legitimacy and creativity. History teaching in Sweden is described as increasingly international and contem-porary, and focussed on students’ learning from various points of view. Varied teaching is stressed with the teacher in centre and also being able to take the role of arranger. Of importance is also the handling of teaching in history as a foundation course as well as an advanced or specialized course.</p><p>Influences from other subjects have had a diverse impact at the same time as personal interests and experiences, as well as external influences, have been important for the development of strategies. History teachers’ teaching strategies may be described in terms of 1) multiperspectivity, where different points of view and interpretations of history are central; 2) narrative history, where through both major and minor stories, a chronological structure and animation of the subject of history are strived after; 3) social scientific history, which uses history to explain contemporary society through making comparisons and seeking general patterns; and 4) an eclectic strategy, which strives after varieties of an individualised teaching of history by allowing students to make their ways into history in diverse ways. The experienced history teachers’ narratives make evident how the subject of history can be transformed, they demonstrate different conceivable ways of teaching history and reveal its complexity.</p><p>The teachers’ narratives show how, through their strategies in interaction with their insights in history teaching, they have created an overview and structure in the complex reality of teaching history. The teachers’ insights and strategies constitute a practice based contribution to a more experience informed practice and research on the teaching of history.</p>

The aim of this study has been to investigate, through the narratives of ex-perienced teachers, insights and strategies in the teaching of history in upper secondary school. Based on a flexible grounded theory, life history and theories of pedagogical content knowledge, seven experienced history teachers have been interviewed about their conceptions of history teaching. Development of insights into history teaching and the formation of knowledge can be described as involving both a refinement of practice and more revolutionary turning points. These insights emphasize that good knowledge of the subject is central for legitimacy and creativity. History teaching in Sweden is described as increasingly international and contem-porary, and focussed on students’ learning from various points of view. Varied teaching is stressed with the teacher in centre and also being able to take the role of arranger. Of importance is also the handling of teaching in history as a foundation course as well as an advanced or specialized course. Influences from other subjects have had a diverse impact at the same time as personal interests and experiences, as well as external influences, have been important for the development of strategies. History teachers’ teaching strategies may be described in terms of 1) multiperspectivity, where different points of view and interpretations of history are central; 2) narrative history, where through both major and minor stories, a chronological structure and animation of the subject of history are strived after; 3) social scientific history, which uses history to explain contemporary society through making comparisons and seeking general patterns; and 4) an eclectic strategy, which strives after varieties of an individualised teaching of history by allowing students to make their ways into history in diverse ways. The experienced history teachers’ narratives make evident how the subject of history can be transformed, they demonstrate different conceivable ways of teaching history and reveal its complexity. The teachers’ narratives show how, through their strategies in interaction with their insights in history teaching, they have created an overview and structure in the complex reality of teaching history. The teachers’ insights and strategies constitute a practice based contribution to a more experience informed practice and research on the teaching of history.

Denna avhandling fokuserar på det meningsskapande och begripliggörande som fortgår vid tilltagande demenssjukdom, i det sociala samspelet, och de utmaningar för demens-omsorgen som detta innebär. Studien är aktörsorienterad och adresserar frågan om hur personer med åldersrelaterade progressiva demenssjukdomar i den vardagliga kommuni-kationen söker förstå sina situationer, omgivningen och sina liv – alltsammans inom ra-men för det dagliga samspelet på ett demensboende. Av särskilt intresse är hur dessa per-soner hanterar problem som har att göra med att handla tillsammans med andra i en gemensamt delad värld och hitta sin roll i det pågående samspelet, och hur de etablerar och upprätthåller en identitet i detta samspel. Detta trots svåra minnesproblem, desorien-tering i tid och rum, olika sätt att förstå den pågående situationen samt svårigheter att be-rätta om sina liv på ett sätt som både stämmer överens med biografiska data och har en tillfredsställande temporal organisering. Avhandlingen adresserar också frågan om hur omsorgspersonalen kan hantera det komplexa samspelet mellan de boende i den dagliga omsorgen, med avseende på att upprätthålla och respektera dessa personers värdighet. Studien ansluter till en växande tradition av att studera interaktion vid demens som meningsbaserad och situerad i en kontext snarare än enbart som beteende som orsakas av kognitiva svårigheter. Metodologiskt är studien etnografisk och bygger på observationer fördelade över en tidsperiod av sex månader. Materialet, som består av ca 150 h videoma-terial och kompletterande fältanteckningar, möjliggör att samspelet studeras både i detalj och i relation till det större sammanhang som det ingår i. Studien visar på kvarvarande kompetenser och bidrar med ny kunskap om strategier som personerna med demens använder sig av i ett aktivt, kreativt och på många sätt ratio-nellt meningsskapande i det sociala samspelet med andra människor. Detta diskuteras i termer av resurser för demensomsorgen i relation till den stora utmaning som det innebär att lappa ihop och upprätthålla en begriplig och socialt delad värld, samt upprätthålla kon-tinuitet med personernas livshistorier på ett sätt som möjliggör en önskad identitet. / This thesis focuses on the identity work and the meaning- or sense-making that continue in the face of evolving dementia diseases, in social interaction, and the challenges for care this involves. The study adopts an actor-oriented approach and addresses the question of how persons with age-related progressive dementia diseases in everyday communication make sense of their situations, their surroundings, and their lives – all within the context of daily life in residential care. Of particular interest is how these persons handle issues of joint action in a shared world and how they establish and maintain an identity in the inte-raction. This is in spite of severe memory problems, disorientation in time and space, dif-fering understandings of the current situation, and difficulties in telling “accurate” and temporally ordered stories about their lives. The thesis also addresses the question of how caregivers may handle the complex interplay between residents in daily care, in maintain-ing and respecting these persons’ dignity. The study follows a growing tradition of studying interaction in dementia as mean-ing-based and situated in a context rather than merely as behavior caused by cognitive impairment. Methodologically, this is an ethnographic study based on observations made within a period of six months. The data consist of around 150 hours of video recordings and complementary field notes. This extensive material has made it possible to study the social interaction both in detail and situated in a larger context. The findings point to remaining competences and strategies that persons with demen-tia use actively and creatively in the ongoing interaction – and, given the premises, often in a rational way. This is discussed in terms of resources for dementia care, in relation to the great challenge of patching up and putting together a comprehensive socially shared world as well as maintaining continuity with the persons’ previous life histories in a way that preserves a positive self-identity.

Studiens mål är att bidra till kunskapsutveckling om hur unga människor utvecklar handlingskompetens för hållbar utveckling. Med handlingskompetens för hållbar utveckling avses i studien vilja och förmåga att påverka livsstil och levnadsvillkor på ett sätt sominkluderar intergenerationellt och globalt ansvar. I avhandlingen introduceras begreppet avståndsmoral för att beskriva detta ansvar, som utsträcker sig i både tid och rum, till kommande generationer och till nu levande människor globalt. En utgångspunkt för studien är att hållbar utveckling innefattar idén om avståndsmoraliskt ansvar. Studiens huvudfråga är: Hur erfar avståndsmoraliskt aktivt handlande unga människor att de utvecklat handlingskompetens för hållbar utveckling? Studiens teorigrund är livsvärldsfenomenologisk. En upplevd verklighet undersöks i studien via berättelser. Genom ett strategiskt urval har tre intervjupersoner, som motiverar sina handlingar med avståndsmoraliska argument, valts att ingå i studien. Datainsamlingen har skett genom en kombination av öppna livsberättelseintervjuer ochhalvstrukturerade intervjuer. Analys och tolkning har metodologiskt stöd i berättelseforskningstraditionen och empirisk fenomenologisk forskning. Resultaten presenteras som tre citatrika levnadsberättelser om Karin, Carl och Matilda, tre unga vuxna med flera års engagemang i hållbarhetsfrågor. Syftet med levnadsberättelserna är att bidra till förståelse av det speciella i en enskild individs upplevelse av attutveckla handlingskompetens för hållbar utveckling. En integrerande analys redovisar mönster i form av likheter och skillnader mellan de tre individernas berättelser om att utveckla olika aspekter av handlingskompetens i avståndsmoraliska frågor. Sex gemensammakärnpoänger framstår som betydelsefulla: känslomässiga reaktioner, upplevd kompetens, kontrasterande perspektiv och normativ grund, handlingsimpregnering, tillit från och tillit till vuxna samt social gemenskap kontra utanförskap. Som motiv och drivkrafterför engagemanget framstår känslomässiga reaktioner som initierar önskan om förändring och vilja till handling, längtan efter meningsfullhet, önskan om att komma till sin rätt och längtan efter gemenskap. Resultaten diskuteras i förhållande till tidigare forskningoch en modell av en möjlig väg att utveckla aspekter av handlingskompetens för hållbar utveckling presenteras. Diskussionskapitlet utmynnar i fyra didaktiska utmaningar för enutbildning för hållbar utveckling. / The aim of the study at hand is to develop knowledge about the process of developing action competence for sustainable development. The overall research question explored is: How do young people experience that they have developed aspects of action competence forsustainable development? For the purposes of this study, action competence for sustainable development is defined as willingness and capability to act for changes in individual life style, as well as for structural changes of society, in a way that includes responsibility for present and future generations,globally. Life-world phenomenology provides the theoretical foundation of the study. Through purposive sampling, individuals have been found who, through different action strategies, engage in sustainability issues as for example climate change, bio-diversity and social justice. From a larger sample, three young adults have been selected for several life storyinterviews. Data has been analyzed and interpreted by use of narrative methodology. The result is presented as three stories, presented as thick descriptions, through whichthe winding paths towards aspects of action competence, as experienced, appear. This is followed by an integrative analysis presenting six themes that have emerged in theanalyses as relevant in the process of developing action competence for sustainable development: emotional reactions; perceived competence; contrasts and normative foundation;action permeation; trust and faith from adults and in adults; and social belonging in contrastto outsidership. Major motives and driving-forces for sustainability actions that emerge inthe stories are: emotional reactions initiating a desire for change and a desire to act; longingfor meaningfulness; a desire to feel comfortable with what you can contribute; and longing for belongingness. The findings are discussed in relationship to previous research and a modelof a possible way to develop aspects of action competence for sustainable development is introduced. This dissertation is part of a project supported by Formas, The Swedish Research Council for Environment, Agricultural Sciences and Spatial Planning.

Avhandlingens syfte är att beskriva och analysera arbetets betydelse i starta eget–bidragsföretagares liv. Material har samlats in dels genom en omfattande enkätstudie som omfattar hela populationen nuvarande och tidigare företagare från 1995 i Östergötlands län, dels genom en serie livsberättelseorienterade intervjuer med ett urval aktiva respektive före detta företagare med fokus på deras inställning till arbete. Resultaten visar bland annat att etableringsmotiven ofta utgår främst från strukturer och omständigheter utanför individen och att dennes handlande när det gäller att starta eget i mycket bygger på ett oreflekterat förhållningssätt. Analyserna lyfter också fram de identitetsskapande aspekterna av arbete och visar att den del av identiteten som är knuten till arbete i många fall mycket starkt påverkar eller omformar övriga identitetsaspekter. SeB-företagarna kan betraktas som ”nödvändighetsentreprenörer” då de skapar nya arbetstillfällen åt sig själva. Bland nuvarande företagare anser drygt hälften att deras liv tagit en positiv riktning. De mest negativa återfinns i gruppen tidigare SeB-företagare, av vilka drygt en tredjedel anser att deras liv tagit en negativ riktning. Bland fördelarna med företagande framhålls av de studerade personerna framför allt möjligheten till en upplevd egenkontroll i arbetet. Nackdelar som betonas är ekonomisk oro, kompetensbrist och brist på sociala relationer. / The thesis aims to describe and analyze the importance of work for those who start up in business through the active labour market programme – the start-up grant entrepreneur. The material was collected partly through an extensive questionnaire study covering the entire population of current and former entrepreneurs in subsidized enterprises from 1995 in Östergötland, Sweden, and partly by a series of life story-oriented interviews about attitudes to work with a sample of active or former entrepreneurs. The results show, inter alia, that the establishment motives are often essentially based on the structure and circumstances beyond the individual and that his/her actions in terms of starting their own business are largely based on a non reflective approach. The analysis also highlights the identity-building aspects of work and shows that in many cases the part of one’s identity that is associated with work significantly affects other identity issues. Start-up entrepreneurs can be regarded as ”necessity entrepreneurs” when they create new jobs for themselves. Among the current workers, just over half believe that their lives have taken a positive direction. The most negative is the group of former start-up entrepreneurs, in which just over one third indicate that their lives have taken a negative direction. The benefits of entrepreneurship highlighted by the studied subjects include the possibility of a perceived self-monitoring at work. Disadvantages indicated by the same people include economic concerns, skills shortages and lack of social relationships.

The aim of this study has been to investigate, through the narratives of ex-perienced teachers, insights and strategies in the teaching of history in upper secondary school. Based on a flexible grounded theory, life history and theories of pedagogical content knowledge, seven experienced history teachers have been interviewed about their conceptions of history teaching. Development of insights into history teaching and the formation of knowledge can be described as involving both a refinement of practice and more revolutionary turning points. These insights emphasize that good knowledge of the subject is central for legitimacy and creativity. History teaching in Sweden is described as increasingly international and contem-porary, and focussed on students’ learning from various points of view. Varied teaching is stressed with the teacher in centre and also being able to take the role of arranger. Of importance is also the handling of teaching in history as a foundation course as well as an advanced or specialized course. Influences from other subjects have had a diverse impact at the same time as personal interests and experiences, as well as external influences, have been important for the development of strategies. History teachers’ teaching strategies may be described in terms of 1) multiperspectivity, where different points of view and interpretations of history are central; 2) narrative history, where through both major and minor stories, a chronological structure and animation of the subject of history are strived after; 3) social scientific history, which uses history to explain contemporary society through making comparisons and seeking general patterns; and 4) an eclectic strategy, which strives after varieties of an individualised teaching of history by allowing students to make their ways into history in diverse ways. The experienced history teachers’ narratives make evident how the subject of history can be transformed, they demonstrate different conceivable ways of teaching history and reveal its complexity. The teachers’ narratives show how, through their strategies in interaction with their insights in history teaching, they have created an overview and structure in the complex reality of teaching history. The teachers’ insights and strategies constitute a practice based contribution to a more experience informed practice and research on the teaching of history.