In this thesis, I will discuss subject conceptions among social studies teachers who work in upper secondary schools. The aim of this study is to investigate and analyse subject conceptions among social studies teachers and their relationship to the teachers’ personal background. Subject conceptions can be expressed in both planned and realized teaching, which are analysed in this study. The questions posed are: What subject conceptions are expressed in the social studies teachers’ descriptions of their teaching? Are there any relationships between the teachers’ personal background and the subject conceptions they express? Which subject conceptions are manifested in written tests and exercises? This study consists of three empirical sub-studies. The first sub-study is based on a questionnaire with 60 social studies teachers in upper secondary schools in two counties in Sweden. The second sub-study is based on in-depth interviews with eight social studies teachers who expressed different subject conceptions in the questionnaire. The last sub-study is based on a document analysis of 28 written tests and examinations that were collected from the interviewed teachers. The theoretical framework of this study consists of structuration, class, gender and didactic theories. Some conclusions can be drawn from this study. There are different subject conceptions among the social studies teachers. I have found four typical subject conceptions, which I have called the fact-and-concept–focused, value-focused, analysis-focused and citizenship-focused subject conceptions. The study also shows that the teachers’ personal background has a relationship with their subject conceptions, to a certain degree. Gender and the combination of subjects in the teachers’ academic exams are related to the subject conceptions that the teachers express. Also, internal framing factors, like social background, political views and years in the profession, and external frame factors, like steering documents, textbooks, current news events and the students’ interests and needs, influence the teachers’ subject understanding to different extents. The study also shows that there are differences between the subject conceptions, which are shown in the teachers’ descriptions of their teachings and their assessment materials. The majority of the teachers in the study expressed the citizenship-focused subject conception in the questionnaire, while the written tests and examinations are dominated by fact-and-concept–focused and analysis-focused questions. One conclusion drawn from the empirical results is that code, classification and framing vary among the different conceptions of the subject social studies.

This thesis seeks to contribute knowledge to how professional teachers in social studies express their subject conception, and its relation to the subject manifested in teaching. The data consists of 48 hours of observed teaching and interviews. A first sub-study shows that the teachers prioritise a content dominated by political science, which reveals a strong content tradition and nuances the picture of an unclear identity seen in the review of previous research. It is also found that the use of news is prominent. The second sub-study confirms the theoretical assumption that the teachers’ conceptions are complex, seeking to harmonise both the internal academic goals and the external civil goals found in social studies. This complements previous research based on the written curriculum where the internal and external goals have been regarded as dichotomous. The results of the third sub-study reveal how news is used in two ways, news coverage and news integration, where the teachers express knowledge aligned with their individual subject conception. However, the external goals tend to be less emphasised in the subject manifested in teaching in favour for the internal interim goals. Differences between news coverage and news integration are also found as news coverage seems to be more focused on civil goals. A contribution with this study is that we now in Swedish research can talk about social studies teachers’ subject conception as a complex phenomenon. It also encourages a more precise conversation about social studies. A more precise vocabulary can enable teachers to develop their understanding of the relation between goals, content and teaching methods. Furthermore, the revelation of news and its relation to the teachers’ subject conception and teaching hopefully can inspire future explorations on news as a teaching tool. / I avhandlingen beskrivs hur samhällskunskapsläraren förstår sitt ämne och vad det är för ämne som framträder genom undervisningen. Vilken kombination av målsättningar kommer till uttryck i lärarens ämnesförståelse respektive undervisning? Hur förhåller sig synen på innehåll och metoder till synen på målsättningarna? Betonas politiska och moraliska fostransmål respektive samhällsvetenskapliga akademiska kunskapsmål olika mycket hos olika lärare? Vilken funktion har nyheter i undervisningen och hur ser kopplingen ut mellan nyhetsanvändning och lärarens ämnesförståelse? Dessa frågor har studerats via intervjuer och klassrumsobservationer. Studien visar att kunskaps- och fostransmål kombineras av läraren, vilket kompletterar läroplansgrundade beskrivningar av ämnet där kunskap respektive fostran tenderar att ses som konkurrerande mål. Nyheter har en framskjuten plats och används för att uttrycka olika typer av kunskapsmål. Studien kan bidra till att det ämnesdidaktiska samtalet om samhällskunskap, och i synnerhet nyhetsanvändning i samhällskunskap, blir mer preciserat. Relationen mellan lärares tänkande och undervisning gör studien relevant också för en bredare publik som intresserar sig för undervisning i allmänhet. / <p>Avhandlingen är ett samarbete med Örebro universitet och forskarskola Utbildningsvetenskap med inrikning mot didaktik arrangerad av Örebro universitet.   </p>

I studien undersöker jag likheter och skillnader i ämnessyner gällande litteraturundervisning på högstadiet och gymnasiet. I studien undersöks hur elever i högstadiet förbereds för gymnasiet och hur gymnasiet arbetar för att möta upp dessa elever. Syftet med studien är att belysa glapp mellan skolstadierna som kan påverka elevernas utveckling och lärande inom litteraturundervisningen. Det empiriska materialet består av åtta kvalitativa intervjuer som är av semistrukturerad karaktär. Tidigare forskning är uppdelad på tre områden: Stadiumövergångar, ämneskonceptioner och litteraturundervisning. Det teoretiska perspektivet utgår ifrån Lars-Göran Malmgrens tre ämneskonceptioner och Gunilla Molloys fjärde ämneskonception Resultatet visar att alla lärare använder sig av olika ämneskonceptioner växelvis i sin litteraturundervisning och att det är olika ämnessyner på högstadiet och gymnasiet. Detta är en konsekvens av att inget explicit samarbete finns mellan skolorna inför elevernas övergång. Både lärarna på högstadiet och på gymnasiet efterfrågar ett större samarbete i svenska och litteraturundervisningen. Utifrån lärarnas svar och forskningen drar jag slutsatsen att bristen på samsyn och samarbete mellan skolstadier är ett vanligt förekommande problem som behöver lyftas i den allmänna skoldebatten. / In this study I examine similarities and differences in subject views regarding literature education in secondary school and upper secondary school. The study shows how secondary school students are prepared for upper secondary school and how upper secondary school works to meet these students. The purpose of the study is to shed light on gaps between school stages that can affect students' development and learning in literature teaching. The empirical material consists of eight qualitative interviews that are of a semi-structured nature. Previous research is divided into three areas: Stage transitions, subject conceptions and literature teaching. The theoretical perspective is based on Lars-Göran Malmgren's three subject conceptions and Gunilla Molloy's fourth subject conception. The results show that all teachers use different subject conceptions alternately in teaching literature and that is different subject views in secondary school and upper secondary school. This is a consequence of the fact that there is no explicit cooperation between the schools before the students' transition. Both teachers in secondary school and upper secondary school demand greater collaboration in Swedish language and literature education. Based on the teachers' answers and the research, I conclude that the lack of consensus and cooperation between school stages is a common problem that needs to be raised in the general school debate.