In this study I have, from a phenomenographic research approach, investigated how teachers perceive they adapt the teaching for students with reading difficulties and teachers' perceptions about how their students are affected by their teachers. The study's empirical evidence consists of previous research and six recorded qualitative interviews with six different teachers that share their experiences and perceptions of how they percieve their role as teachers. In the phenomenographic qualitative analysis a compilation of the social phenomena of how the teachers' perceptions about how they adapt the teaching for students with reading difficulties is presented, and how they perceive the importance of their role as teachers has. The result in this study shows that teachers adapt the teaching for students with reading difficulties based on the student's needs and prerequisites. / I den här studien har jag, utifrån en fenomenografisk forskningsansats, undersökt hur lärare uppfattar att de anpassar undervisningen för elever med lässvårigheter samt lärares uppfatt-ningar om hur deras elever påverkas av sina lärare. Studiens empiriska underlag består av tidigare forskning och sex inspelade kvalitativa intervjuer med sex olika lärarna som berättar om sina erfarenheter och uppfattningar som de upplever i sin roll som lärare.  I den fenomenografiska kvalitativa analysen presenteras en sammanställning av de sociala fenomen om lärarnas uppfattningar om hur de anpassar undervisningen för elever med lässvå-righeter samt hur de uppfattar vilken betydelse deras roll som lärare har. Resultatet i denna studie visar att lärare anpassar undervisningen för elever med lässvårigheter utifrån elevens behov och förutsättningar.

O contexto de aprendizagem de sistemas estruturais tal como acontece também nas demais disciplinas ao centrar-se no conhecimento do professor (teacher-centred education), costuma predispor os alunos a uma resposta caracterizadamente reprodutivista. Esta tese tem como objetivo investigar o processo perceptivo de alunos de arquitetura diante do fenômeno estrutural e identificar como esses estudantes se tornam aptos a conceber e conceituar o mecanismo essencial de cada sistema estrutural ao associá-lo aos cinco parâmetros básicos (três vetores-força e dois braços-alavanca). A pesquisa consiste em uma experiência de aprendizagem em que puderam ser observadas as diferentes maneiras pelas quais os alunos identificam e descrevem os parâmetros estruturais e como interpretam o fenômeno estrutural. Com isso, evidencia-se a aptidão que obtiveram para definir e descrever estruturas a partir do seu próprio entendimento, numa atitude de maior autonomia, com habilidade para corrigir suas percepções e competência para construir a própria compreensão. A coleta de dados foi realizada numa experiência real de sala de aula, conduzida ao longo de um semestre letivo, com alunos da disciplina de Sistemas Estruturais do 2° ano do Curso de Arquitetura e Urbanismo da Universidade Estadual de Londrina (UEL). A metodologia tem por base a experiência realizada por Prosser et al. (1989; 1994; 1996; 2000; 2008) e está fundamentada nas abordagens da Fenomenografia. O procedimento se desenvolve a partir da observação do nível de adequação (alto, médio, baixo) das relações que o aluno estabelece (o quê e como) entre os elementos estruturais básicos mencionados. Tendo em vista a reconhecida dificuldade (de alunos em aprender e de professores em ensinar a aprender) com os sistemas estruturais em cursos de graduação em arquitetura e urbanismo, a tese que aqui se defende é de que, à medida que essa consciência é adquirida na interação e retroalimentada pelo docente pesquisador ao aluno, é possível a constituição de uma conduta pedagógica de maior efeito. / The learning context concerning structural systems - as also happens in other disciplines - if focused exclusively on the teacher\'s knowledge (teacher-centered education), often predispose students to offer answers of a predictably \"reproducible\" type. This thesis aims to investigate the perceptive process of the structural phenomenon by architecture undergraduates, and identify how these students become able to conceive and conceptualize the essential mechanism of each structural system, while linking them to the five basic parameters (three force vectors and two lever arms). The research consists of a learning experience to observe the different ways students identify and describe the structural parameters and how they interpret the structural phenomenon. Evidence shows the students ability to define and describe structures out of their own understanding, in an expanded attitude of autonomy, with ability to correct their own perceptions and skills to build their particular understanding. Data come from a live classroom activity, conducted all along a semester, with the participation of students in the discipline of structural systems of the 2nd year of the Architecture and Urbanism Course at the State University of Londrina (UEL). The methodology is based on the experiment conducted by Prosser et al. (1989; 1994; 1996; 2000; 2008), and grounded in the approaches of Phenomenography. The procedure is developed in the basis of the observation of adequacy levels (high, medium, low) in the relations each student establishes (what and how) between the aforementioned basic structural elements. Considering the recognized difficulty (of students to learn and teachers to \"teach how to learn\") with the structural systems in Architecture and Urbanism, the thesis is that as long as such consciousness is gained in the interaction and fueled to student by the teaching \"researcher\", it is possible to reach a more effective pedagogical conduct.

Katarakt eller i vardagligt tal även kallat gråstarr innebär en grumling av ögats lins och är den vanligaste anledningen till synhandikapp i världen. Medellivslängden stiger vilket betyder att denna typ av operationer troligtvis kommer att öka i framtiden. En kataraktoperation tar relativt kort tid att utföra och personalen arbetar med många patienter varje dag vilket innebär att arbetet behöver löpa på så smidigt som möjligt. Syftet med studien var att beskriva ögonsjuksköterskors erfarenheter av kataraktoperationer. Till studien användes fenomenografisk ansats med semistrukturerade intervjuer. Resultatet visade hur ögonsjuksköterskorna uppfattade kataraktoperationer. Tre beskrivningskategorier identifierades; ”Att kunna uppfatta patientens behov av information”, att ”ha förmågan att läsa av patientens kroppsspråk” samt ”att skapa trygghet och därigenom minska oro hos patienten”. Slutsatsen är att en kataraktoperation kan utifrån ögonsjuksköterskors erfarenheter medföra oro för en patient. Förmågan hos patienten att kommunicera och uttrycka oro är olika och patienter förmedlar sig på varierande sätt. Oro kan förutom genom ord därför ta sig andra skepnader och uttryck. Dessa kan erfaras genom uppmärksamhet på synbara och hörbara uttryck hos patienten. Det är genom dessa uttryck som en uppmärksam ögonsjuksköterska kan identifiera och få en uppfattning om patientens behov av information och behov av trygghet inför en operation.

The aim of this study is to examine civic teacher’s perception of the twofold purpose of the Swedish education system. The duality consists of supplying subject knowledge to the pupils and at the same time mediate norms and values specified in the regulatory documents for Swedish upper secondary school. Furthermore, this study aims to contribute to the already existing body of work detailing how teachers view norm-breaking behavior in education. The study is based on a phenomenographic analysis of semi structured interviews conducted with nine civics teachers in upper secondary school. The study revolves around three fundamental questions: 1) how do teachers view the twofold purpose within the regulatory documents, 2) how do they handle pupils that exhibit norm-breaking behavior and 3) how do teachers contribute to the making of good citizens. The material retrieved from the interviews was arranged using a seven step phenomenographic method which resulted in the creation of three general themes based on the aim of the study. The results show there is a wide range of perceptions among civic teachers on the twofold purpose of the Swedish educational system. No unified view on norm-breaking behavior could be found and neither a unified way of dealing with such. The results show us that teachers use a plethora of ways to deal with normbreaking behavior depending on what type of behavior is at hand. The two overarching ways of viewing the norms and values presented in the regulatory documents was either an integrated part of the educational system or as a strain on the profession. The results present four main methods teachers use to deal with pupils exhibiting a norm-breaking behavior. 1) A method of disarming, 2) A method of conversing, 3) A inquisitive method and 4) a method of delegation. Lastly the results show that the teachers operate on three levels in their work against norm-breaking behavior, 1) On a state level in which they interpret the regulatory documents. 2) On a peer level in which they interact with other teachers and their expectations on one another. 3) On a personal level in which the teacher navigates their own norms and values. No definitive answers could be found in this study, but it can contribute to past and future research to give a wider understanding of how teachers handle students exhibit norm-breaking behavior.

The dynamic information context is challenging school communities to calibrate their ways of understanding information literacy. However empirical research reports a lack of shared understanding and vision around information literacy that is negatively impacting its development. The solution it is argued is to increase the level of multi stakeholder dialogue about the information literacy phenomenon. The purpose of this study was to create a platform for dialogue within an international school community by identifying and comparing conceptions of information literacy across multiple stakeholder groups to proactively inform information literacy practice. Working within the qualitative paradigm and invoking a phenomenographic methodological approach the research drew from a trans-disciplinary theoretical background in the information, management and education sciences. Using recorded focus group discussions stakeholders including students, parents, teachers, library staff, IT personnel, administration and leadership shared their perceptions of the information context as a stepping stone to sharing their conceptions of information literacy. The findings show that stakeholder groups perceived the information context to be characterised by environmental, social human and affective dimensions; that stakeholders did not hold one singular conception of information literacy but rather they shared a series of conceptions of information literacy to varying degrees, and that the variation in the ways information literacy was conceptualised prevailed across three continuums namely the individual-collective, affective-cognitive and competency–personal mastery continuums. Furthermore, the comparative analysis of the series of conceptions of information literacy created the opportunity to develop a model of the common ground of conceptual understanding of information literacy thereby making an original contribution to knowledge. The study provides compelling insights for information literacy practitioners recommending that a shared conceptual understanding of information literacy requires accommodating its complex socio-contextual nature and anchoring that understanding in the philosophical, pedagogical and strategic thinking of the learning community.

Made available in DSpace on 2016-03-15T19:25:34Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Silvia Bertossi Heidrich.pdf: 1255516 bytes, checksum: 7959c9fbe9de5258bf8504345ebe7cb9 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2011-08-11 / Fundo Mackenzie de Pesquisa / This is a phenomenographic study that aimed to map and understand the variations in the conception of Fair Play of a group of managers working in an organization that has a Fair Play policy as a general guideline. The intention was to identify and analyze the associated competences with each conception, considering the managers´experiences. The research was conducted in a Swedish multinational company, founded in 1862. According to its history since that date, the business is conducted through a close relationship with customers, which was sustained over the years by the sense of Fair Play. Theories and main authors that have underpinned this research were: Marton, to address Phenomenography; Sandberg, to study competences in the interpretive/ phenomenographic view; Commans, Macauley and Lawton to discuss Fair Play in organizations. Thus, it was adopted a qualitative / interpretive perspective which was developed according to the premisses of Phenomenography method. The strategy to build up the data was based in document analysis and interviews with managers in depth, all managers working in leadership position for at least one year. As main results, the survey revealed that there are four central ways of conceiving Fair Play: as rules,transparency, justice and principles. Each of these conceptions still have sub-variations that give different meanings to the conceive of rules, transparency, justice and principle. The managers competences represent the materialization of these conceptions. Finally, the study reinforces the idea that understanding the differences in the conceptions can be a way to contribute and advance the initiatives and practices for developing competences in Fair Play. And if, like the managers said, unanimously, that competence in Fair Play, above all, is developed by example, the same thinking lies with the organization as a whole. Superficial conceptions will generate role models that can be more or less superficial, and organizations more or less competent to operate toward Fair Play logic. / Trata-se de um estudo fenomenográfico que teve por objetivo mapear e compreender as variações na concepção de Fair Play (FP) de um grupo de gestores que trabalham em uma organização que estabelece como diretriz geral uma política de jogo limpo. A intenção foi identificar e analisar as competências associadas a cada concepção, considerando as experiências vivenciadas pelos gestores. A pesquisa foi conduzida em uma empresa multinacional de origem sueca, fundada em 1862. De acordo com sua história, desde essa data, os negócios são realizados por meio de um relacionamento próximo com os clientes, que se sustentou ao longo dos anos graças ao sentido de Fair Play. As teorias e principais teóricos que embasaram essa pesquisa foram: Marton, para tratar de fenomenografia; Sandberg, para estudar competências na ótica interpretativista/fenomenográfica; Commans, Macauley e Lawton para discutir Fair Play nas organizações. Desta forma, adotou-se uma perspectiva qualitativa/ interpretativa que se desenvolveu segundo as premissas metodológicas da fenomenografia. A estratégia de construção dos dados recorreu à análise de documentos da organização e entrevistas em profundidade com gestores, ocupando cargo de liderança há pelo menos um ano. Como principais resultados, a pesquisa revelou que há quatro formas centrais de se conceber Fair Play: como regra, transparência, justiça e princípios. Cada uma dessas concepções apresentam ainda sub-variações que dão sentidos diversos a noção de regra, transparência, justiça e princípio. As competências dos gestores representam a materialização dessas concepções. Ao final, o estudo reforça a idéia de que conhecer as diferenças de concepções pode ser um caminho que contribua para que iniciativas e práticas de desenvolvimento de competências em Fair Play avancem. E se, tal qual os gestores afirmaram, por unanimidade, que a competência em Fair Play se desenvolve, sobretudo, por meio do exemplo, o mesmo raciocínio cabe à organização como um todo. Concepções mais superficiais gerarão modelos de atuação mais ou menos superficiais, e organizações mais ou menos competentes em operar em direção a uma lógica de jogo limpo.

This qualitative study focused on retired school principals’ involvement in special education. More specifically, it explored various ways former principals conceived of their leadership identity and accounted for their level of involvement in special education and with students identified or identifying as disabled. The following research question guided this study: How do former principals account for their involvement with special education and/or disability? The study’s subquestions were: What are principals’ accounts of being, becoming, and remaining involved with special education and/or with disability?; In what ways do principals attend to special education and/or disability?; and How do principals conceive of their leadership identity given their accounts of involvement with special education and/or disability? Narratives shared by former principals regarding what it means to be involved with special education and/or disability and relationships between conceptions of involvement and identities served as the primary source of data. These conceptions included, but were not limited to, perceived ways principals’ viewed their attentiveness and commitment to special education. In this study leadership identity was understood as a professional identity in relationship to one’s identities and in response to others’ identities. Employing a phenomenographic approach, findings were grouped into pools of meanings, labeled as categories of description, and presented in an outcome space—a visual representation of results illustrating how participants experienced and attributed variation in meaning to the research phenomenon. Findings revealed former principals accounted for their involvement with special education and/or disability through professional responses, risk-taking, and working toward the social transformation of their schools. Participants experienced involvement as active presence, critical reflection, advocacy, and resistance. Findings suggested principal involvement in special education is influenced by their experiences with disability and relationships with individuals with disabilities. Furthermore, participants experienced identity through compassion, learning, spirituality, and dis/abled-ness. This study also revealed a nexus between participants’ confidence and involvement, suggesting the greater participants’ confidence to lead in special education, the more directly involved they were with and among students with disabilities; the less confident, the more they assumed a “supportive” role leading in this area. Personal experiences with disability—that was, participants having a child with a disability and/or having a disability themselves—facilitated increased leadership involvement. Participants who conceived leadership identity through a sense of spirituality and dis/abled-ness were more inclined to take risks and work toward socially transforming their schools. Discussion of how leadership preparation programs can recruit and prepare school leaders by focusing conversations around role expectations associated with leadership in special education is provided. Future research should consider how a leader’s identity affects leadership of students with disabilities and address the unique positionality of principals who are also parents of children with disabilities.

In December 2004, at the SoDIS® (Software Development Impact Statements) symposium in Auckland, an industry certification as a method of credentialing teachers and analysis of SoDIS was mooted. SoDIS, a process of ethics-based risk assessment and analysis of downstream risk to project and software stakeholders, including the public, is currently in the process of progressing from prototype to commercial product. Certification was proposed to ensure the integrity of the process and the quality of service to stakeholders.Certification sponsored by industry, commercial organisation, or professional association (collectively referred to as industry certification, or certification) has been a form of credentialing for over half a century. Industry certification was adopted by the IT industry when Novell, Inc. began testing and certifying IT industry and IT network professionals in 1986 (Cosgrove, 2004; Novell, 1996). Global certification testing centres were established in 1990 by Drake International (now Thomson Prometric) (Foster, 2005).During the 1990s, industry certification became a veritable juggernaut: a "multi-billion dollar business" (Cosgrove, 2004, p. 486), an industry that has arisen in its own right (Adelman, 2000) and driven by several dynamics (Hitchcock, 2005). In 2000 there were over 300 discrete IT certifications with approximately 1.6 million individuals holding approximately 2.4 million IT certifications (Aldelman, 2000). The total number of available certifications is impossible to quantify (Knapp & Gallery, 2003). Many academic institutions both at tertiary and secondary level are integrating industry certification, especially IT certification, into their curricula.Is industry certification, however, a pedagogically robust form of credentialing? Does it have value to its stakeholders? Is it an appropriate form of credentialing for the SoDIS process? This research, using both Phenomenography and Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) as a joint methodology, focuses on the experiences of actors with the phenomenon of industry certification and extracts both the essence of the understanding and perceptions of the value and validity of industry certification, and the essence of industry certification itself.Due to the vast amount of literature found describing industry actors' perceptions of and experiences within the phenomenon, the research is predominantly literature-based. Further data was collected from interviews with a small, purposive sample of industry certification holders and employers, with the research further informed by my own experiences within the domain which is the focus of the research. The methodology paradigm is interpretive: the research aims to interpret the social construction that is the phenomenon of industry certification.While this research does not attempt to single out specific industry certifications to determine their value or pedagogical robustness, the findings suggest that, in general, well designed and well administered certifications with integrity and rigour of assessment processes, are indeed pedagogically sound, with significant value. The research identifies both benefit and criticism elements of typical certifications, along with elements of the various certification programmes categorised into standard (typical), and more rigorous (less typical) certification programmes.The research develops and presents a paradigm for building an appropriate vendor specific or vendor neutral certification programme that is pedagogically sound with value for its stakeholders. The contrasts and complementary aspects of industry certification and academic qualifications are highlighted. It is therefore concluded, and supported by data from the interviews, that such a credential is indeed appropriate for teachers and analysts of SoDIS.

<p>Kat är en buske vars blad tuggas och saliven som bildas sväljs, för att uppnå stimulans. Den växer i Yemen, Etiopien och Kenya och smugglas till Sverige från Storbritannien via flyg samt bil. Kat-användandet är utbrett bland somalier i västvärlden och har medfört både hälsomässiga och socioekonomiska konsekvenser. För att förstå hur somalier i Sverige har anpassat sina uppfattningar gällande kat-bruk är syftet i denna uppsats att beskriva varierande uppfattningar om användande av kat hos några somaliska män och kvinnor boende i Sverige. Information samlades och analyserades utifrån en fenomenografisk studie design. Data samlades genom intervjuer.</p><p> </p><p>Resultatet visar att kat-tuggande uppfattas både som en föda och som en drog. Största skälet till att kat brukas uppfattas som att den skapar gemenskap och sysselsättning. Den kat som används i Sverige smugglas vilket uppfattas problematiskt för somalier. Som implikation ska</p><p>hälsofrämjande arbete genomföras utifrån det ekologiska perspektivet. Hälsofrämjande aktiviteter ska riktas på både individ- och familjnivå genom att ge information om kat, skapa sysselsättning samt stödja familjen. På samhälls- och organisations/policynivå är det viktigt</p><p>att öka samarbetet mellan de somaliska föreningar och myndigheten samt att problemet kring kat sätts på agendan och diskuteras på nationell- och internationellnivå.</p><p> </p> / <p>Kat is a plant whose leaves are chewed to produce juice and to be swallowed for its stimulating effect. Kat plant grows in Yemen, Ethiopia and Kenya. It is smuggled from Great Britain to Sweden by plane or car. The use of kat is widely spread among Somalis in western countries. This has led to both health and socioeconomic consequences for the users and their families. In order to understand Somalis’ attitudes regarding kat - the aim of this study was to describe variations of perceptions of the use of kat among Somalian men and women living in Sweden. A phenomenographic design was used to collect and analyze data. Data collected through interviews.</p><p> </p><p>The findings show that chewing kat is perceived both as food and as a drug. The biggest reason for chewing kat is to create a feeling of belonging to a social group and to create activity. Kat being chewed in Sweden is smuggled here, which creates problems for Somalis.</p><p>As an implication of this study health promotion activities, based on the theory of the ecological system, should focus on individual and family level for example by supporting and giving information to families on the issues of kat. Health promoting activities should also focus on community and organization/policy level to increase the cooperation between the</p><p>Somali society and the public authority. Finally, the problem regarding kat should be on the agenda to be discussed both on national and international level.</p> / Har redan gått upp med min uppsats. Vill bara att den blir tillgänglig för de som vill läsa.

<p><strong>Bakgrund</strong>: i Sverige har ungefär fyra procent av befolkningen diabetes. Vid behandling av diabetes (typ-2) är målet att minska risken för komplikationer. Detta kan göras med hjälp av livsstilsförändringar (kost, motion) eller/och farmakologisk behandling. Riskfaktorer för komplikationer är högt blodtryck och höga blodfetter. Komplikationer kan ge mikro- och makrovaskulära förändringar i till exempel ögon, njurar respektive hjärta och blodkärl. Patientutbildning är en central del i behandlingen av typ 2 diabetes.</p><p><strong>Syfte</strong>: vårt syfte med denna studie var att belysa deltagarnas uppfattning av att delta i en grupputbildning om deras diabetessjukdom.</p><p><strong>Metod</strong>: I studien intervjuades sex kvinnor och fyra män (i åldern 65-78 år) som alla deltagit i grupputbildning om diabetes. Intervjuerna analyserades med hjälp av analysmetoden fenomenografi.</p><p><strong>Resultat</strong>: utifrån deltagarnas uppfattningar bildades tre beskrivningskategorier: <em>att lära sig mer</em>, <em>att kommunicera på rätt nivå</em> och <em>livsstilsförändringar.</em><strong></strong></p><p><strong>Konklusion</strong>:<strong> </strong>Vi anser att grupputbildning kan vara både tidsbesparande och kostnadseffektivt. Det kan vara betydelsefullt att informanterna använder ett språk som även icke sjukvårdsutbildade förstår. Vi anser att det vore värdefullt med någon slags uppföljning, vilket skulle kunna ha en motivationshöjande effekt för deltagarna.  För vidare forskning och utveckling i ämnet skulle det vara av intresse att göra intervjuer med ett större urval.</p> / <p><strong>Background</strong>: in Sweden about four percent of the population has diabetes disease. The goal of treatment is to minimize the risk of complications. It can be done with the help of lifestyle changes (diet, exercises) or/and pharmacological treatment. The risk factors for complications are high blood pressures and high blood lipids. The complications can lead to micro- and macro vascular changes, for example in eyes, kidneys, heart and vascular. Patient education plays a central role in type 2 diabetes treatment.</p><p><strong>Aim</strong>: our aim with this study was to elucidate how persons with diabetes considered of attending a group education about their disease.</p><p><strong>Method: </strong>In the study interviewed six women and four men (in the age 65-78 years) that everyone participated in group education about diabetes. The interviews were analyzed with the aid of analysis method phenomenography. <strong></strong></p><p><strong>Results</strong>: on the basis of the participants’ views refined three description categories: to learn more, to communicate on correct level and lifestyle changes.<strong></strong></p><p><strong>Conclusion</strong>: We consider that group education can to be both time-saving and cost-effectively. It can be important to use a language that also non healthcare trained understands. We consider it would be important with some kinds of follow-up, it would to have a motivation increasing effect. For further research and development in the matter would the last of interests to do interviews with a broader selection.</p>