Syftet med denna studie har varit att bidra med information om hur en mindre grupp gymnasister anser att distansundervisning har innehållit meningsfulla undervisningsmoment, som sin tur har gynnat deras möjligheter för kunskap- och färdighetsutveckling. Därtill har studien försökt avgöra om enkätens resultat kan antyda till att samma gymnasister har tagit del av gynnsam förmedling av medborgarkompetenser som anses viktiga för möjligheten till aktivt samhällsdeltagande. För att undersöka detta har studien genomfört en enkätundersökning med 147 gymnasister, varav samtliga har studerat samhällskunskap genom distansundervisning under perioden mars 2020 till april 2021. Enkätundersökningens resultat har därefter analyserats genom studiens analytiska verktyg, som i sin tur har hjälp att besvara studiens frågeställningar Resultaten visar att en majoritet av respondenterna kan ha tagit del av undervisningsaspekter som antyder till meningsfull undervisning, medan en tydlig minoritet anser motsatsen. Dock visar resultatet även på motsägande aspekter, exempelvis att distansundervisning även har bidragit till ett ökat fokus på att nå kunskapskrav istället för utvecklandet av kunskaper och färdigheter. Resultaten visar även att en majoritet av elever antyder till att de har tagit del av kunskaps- och färdighetsutvecklande undervisning som kan bidra till utvecklandet av medborgarkompetenser. Resultatet bidrar dessutom med uppfattningen om att distansundervisning i ämnet samhällskunskap har haft varierande framgångar i förmedlandet av medborgarkompetenser som kan kopplas till utvecklandet av intresse- och ökat engagemang för politiska- och samhällsrelaterade frågor. / The purpose of this study has been to contribute information about how a small group of upper secondary school students consider that distance education has included meaningful teaching moments, which in turn have favoured their opportunities for knowledge and skill development. In addition, the study has tried to determine whether the survey’s results can imply that the same students have taken part of favourable intermediation of civic competences which are considered important for the possibility of active participation in society. To investigate this, the study has conducted a survey with 147 upper secondary school students, of which all have studied social studies through distance education during the period of March 2020 to April 2021. The results of the study where then analysed through this study´s analytical instrument, which in turn has aided answering this study’s research questions.  The results show that a majority of the respondents may have taken part of teaching aspects that implies to meaningful education, while a minority consider the opposite. However, the results also show contradictory aspects, for example that distance education also has contributed to an increased focus on reaching knowledge requirements instead of the development of knowledge and skills. The results also show that a majority of students imply that they have taken part of knowledge and skills developing education that can contribute to the development of civic competences. Additionally, the results also contribute to the notion that distance education in the subject of social studies has had varying degrees of success concerning mediation of civic competences which can be connected to the development of interest and increased commitment in political and societal issues.

This thesis discusses source criticism from a critical perspective which encompasses its challenges, demands and possibilities for teaching practice. The questions guiding the core of this research are the following:1) What differentiates people’s activities in the process of evaluating sources? 2) What characterizes an effective practice in critical evaluation of sources? 3) Which criteria, factors and strategies might be important to consider in order to have a successful source critical methodology that promotes the improvement of critical thinking when analysing information and news?The studied materials include data from one survey and 54 semi-structured interviews. The interviews, analysed by using a methodology based on Grounded Theory, led to the development of a concept, critical source criticism (CSC), which define a broad perspective for the analysis of sources, and a related theoretical model (the CSC-model) aimed to be used for didactical purposes. The outcomes from this research suggest that different forms and levels of knowledge in history and social studies (in theory and practice), have a critical impact on the way we interact with information. The results also suggest that the combinations of theories and methodologies, alongside an emphasis on pluralism and multiperspectivity, can turn source criticism into an effective practice to achieve several educational goals. Subsequently, these results, are considered in the development of the proposed model in this thesis. The CSC-model developed in this study could be suitable for the analysis of information such as news, in planning of source-critical based teaching and in source critical discussions. I argue that this methodological structure, can be applied to facilitate the development of critical thinking, as well as other skills and abilities essential for democratic participation. This thesis Includes summaries in Swedish and Spanish as appendices".