I den här uppsatsen presenteras en mindre intervjustudie om hur elever på Barn och fritidsprogrammet i en medelstor kommun i mellersta Sverige upplever utvecklingssamtalen sedan de själva börjat ansvara och leda dem i så kallade elevledda utvecklingssamtal. Det övergripande syftet med undersökningen är att få mer kunskap om elevernas uppfattning över hur de upplever att själva ansvara för utvecklingssamtalets genomförande och hur detta tillvägagångssätt påverkat deras studiemotivation och studieresultat. I resultatet kan vi även ta del av förslag från eleverna hur samtalen kan förbättras i framtiden. I studien har totalt tolv elever från gymnasiets årskurs 1, 2 och 3 deltagit.  Grupperna som intervjuats har haft en jämn könsfördelning och bestått av både studiemotiverade elever och elever med mindre studiemotivation. Detta för att i största möjliga mån spegla utbildningens målgrupp. Majoriteten av de intervjuade är över 18 år. Resultaten visar att majoriteten av de intervjuade eleverna är väldigt positiva till att själv ansvara för och leda sitt utvecklingssamtal med sina vårdnadshavare. Flertalet av de intervjuade tycker även att de blivit mer medvetna om vad som förväntades av dem i skolan för att uppnå ett visst resultat. Utvecklingssamtalet uppfattas nu även som mer avslappnat där de berörda parterna kan koncentrera sig på att diskutera positiv utveckling och inte problem vilket de upplever att tidigare lärarledda utvecklingssamtal många gånger handlat om. Jag tolkar det som att elevledda utvecklingssamtal är något som kommit för att stanna på våra skolor oavsett stadium, både utifrån de elevintervjuer som jag genomfört och de lärare jag samtalat med. Min tolkning styrks även av de styrdokument som vi arbetar utifrån i svenska skolor och i den litteratur, både svensk och amerikansk, som jag tagit del av när studien genomfördes. / This study presents an analysis from interviews with students at the Barn och fritidsprogrammet (Children/Extra-curricular Activities Programme) in a medium-sized municipality in Sweden. The interviews were aimed at identifying how the students perceive developmental talks in school after the students themselves have begun to be responsible for these talks and also manage how the talks are conducted. This concept for development talks is called Student led Conferences. The main purpose of the study was to acquire information about how the students perceive the fact that they are themselves responsible for how the development talks are conducted and how this new method has influenced their motivation to study and their results. The results also present some proposals from the students on how the talks can be further improved in future. Twelve students from high school years 1, 2 and 3 have participated. The groups of students interviewed have been of mixed gender and both students motivated to study and those not so motivated were included. This was done to reflect the current mix of the target population of students for this particular educational programme. The majority of the students interviewed were more than 18 years of age. The results show that the majority of the students interviewed are very positive to be responsible for the development talks and to be in charge of how these talks are conducted together with their custodians. Most of the students interviewed also think that they have become more aware of what is expected from them in school in order to achieve a specific study result. The development talk is now also perceived as more relaxed where the affected parties can concentrate on discussing positive development rather than discussing problems. Before the introduction of student managed development talks the general perception among students was that these development talks tended to focus on problems to a greater extent. My interpretation of the results of this study is that student led conferences is a concept which will continue to be incorporated into our school programmes. My belief is based on conversations with both students and teachers. Furthermore, also the governing documentation that regulates the work in schools in Sweden and the literature, both Swedish and American, that I utilized for this study support the idea of student led conferences.

This study is an interpretive form of qualitative research that is founded in educational connoisseurship and criticism, which uses the author’s personal experiences as a holistic educator in a public school to connect theory and practice. Key research questions include: How do I, as a teacher, work with the Ontario curriculum to make it more holistic? What strategies have I developed in order to teach a more holistic curriculum? What kinds of difficulties interfere with my practice as I attempt to implement my holistic philosophy of education? This dissertation seeks to articulate a methodology for developing holistic curriculum that is in conformity with Ontario Ministry guidelines and is also responsive to the multifaceted needs of the whole student. The research findings will serve to inform teachers who wish to engage in holistic education in public schools and adopt a curriculum that is transformative while still being adaptable within mainstream education.

This study is an interpretive form of qualitative research that is founded in educational connoisseurship and criticism, which uses the author’s personal experiences as a holistic educator in a public school to connect theory and practice. Key research questions include: How do I, as a teacher, work with the Ontario curriculum to make it more holistic? What strategies have I developed in order to teach a more holistic curriculum? What kinds of difficulties interfere with my practice as I attempt to implement my holistic philosophy of education? This dissertation seeks to articulate a methodology for developing holistic curriculum that is in conformity with Ontario Ministry guidelines and is also responsive to the multifaceted needs of the whole student. The research findings will serve to inform teachers who wish to engage in holistic education in public schools and adopt a curriculum that is transformative while still being adaptable within mainstream education.