The Swedish debate regarding the reform of the third person pronoun plural has been examined with the NLS theory and with the perspective of literacy as not only a mental process but also as a social practice. The debate was initiated in autumn of 2016 by an article written by the teacher Henrik Birkebo in which he argued for a reform. To examine the legitimacy of the main arguments in the debate in relation to pupils’ actual use of the Swedish alternatives for the third person pronoun plural de/dem and dom in secondary school, 307 answers to the National Tests in Swedish and Swedish as a Second Language from 2015 has been quantified in a corpus. The result shows that the argument for a reform due to the hardship for pupils to make out the difference between de and dem sees literacy mainly as a mental process. This is not shown in the corpus. A minority cannot use de and dem as the norm requires, and this minority consists of pupils with high and low grades. The argument to not too hastily make a reform sees literacy as a social practice and as a performance in a social context. This is more likely to be true according to the results of the analysis of the corpus. 82 % of the pupils want to use de/dem which shows that this is seen as a more respected literacy than the use of dom, which only 6 % of the pupils use in the corpus.

Bakgrund Människor behöver dagligen använda sitt spatiala (rumsliga) tänkande. Allt från att hitta saker hemma till att upptäcka saker i världen, för att navigera och att kommunicera. På liknande sätt används denna förmåga för att föreställa sig nya saker och skapa relationer mellan begrepp. Studien i detta arbete har visat att det finns bevis för att personer som studerar teknik och naturvetenskapliga ämnen har mycket att vinna på att förbättra sina spatiala förmågor. Den hittar bevis i tidigare forskning för att personer med bra spatiala förmågor också presterar bra i tekniska- och naturvetenskapliga yrken. Det visar sig också att förmågan går att öva upp och därför kan man diskutera vidare kring frågan om det skulle vara till gagn för svenska elever att öva upp förmågan för att de skall bli duktigare i skolan? Syfte Frågan ovan täcker ett stort område och kräver mycket forskning. I denna studie begränsas frågeställningen till att undersöka om det föreligger en korrelation mellan spatiala förmågor och resultat i matematik. Litteraturen talar också om att det är skillnad på mäns och kvinnors spatiala förmågor varför den kort också tittar på genusskillnader. Metod Undersökningen i denna studie har använt en kvantitativ metod och är en observation av resultat av ett spatialt test samt matematikbetyg. Studien består av en litteraturgenomgång och en empirisk studie i form av ett spatial test. 67 elever i årskurs ett, två och tre på gymnasiet utfört en webbaserad spatialt test för att bedöma deras spatiala förmågor. Resultat Litteraturgenomgången visar på att det finns en korrelation mellan en persons spatiala förmågor och bra resultat i olika tekniska och naturvetenskapliga ämnen. Analysen i den empiriska studien gav lite olika resultat. Till exempel kan man se att det sammanslagna resultatet av alla tre klasser ger en svag korrelation men är inte statistiskt signifikant. Uppdelat per klass kan man finna att det, i klass tre, finns en ganska svag korrelation som är statistiskt signifikant. Studien visar således inte på något generell korrelation, förutom en lite svagare korrelation i två undergrupper. Slutsatsen man bland annat kan dra av denna studie är att underlaget är för litet, 67 elever, och begränsad till endast en skola. Den tidigare forskningen är också begränsad till studier gjorda i USA och till största del på studenter på högskola eller universitet. Ytterligare forskning borde göras i en svensk kontext. / Background People need to use their spatial thinking daily. Everything from finding things at home to discovering things in the world, to navigate and to communicate. Similarly, this ability is used to imagine new things and to create relationships between concepts. This study will show that there is evidence that people studying engineering and science subjects have a lot to gain from improving their spatial abilities. It finds evidence in previous research that people with good spatial abilities also perform well in engineering and science. It also turns out that this ability can be trained and it is therefore interesting to discuss the question whether it would be beneficial for Swedish students to practice the ability to improve their performance in school. Purpose The topic and the question above requires a lot of research, in order to provide a good answer. In this study, the question is limited to if there is a connection between spatial abilities and mathematical results. The literature also tells us that there is a difference in the spatial ability of men and women, why there is a brief discussion at gender differences. Method The study has been carried out using mainly a quantitative method and is an observation of the results of a spatial test and mathematical grade. The study consists of a literature review and an empirical study in the form of a spatial test. 67 students in grade one, two and three in high school have undergone a web-based spatial test to assess their spatial abilities. Results Literature review shows that there is a correlation between a person's spatial abilities and good results in various technical and natural sciences. The analysis here gave a little different result. For example, the combined result of all three classes gives a weak correlation, which is not statistically significant. Dividing the students into subgroups based on grade, a fairly weak correlation was found for grade three that was statistically significant.

Studiens syfte är att undersöka elevtexter som bedömts olika av undervisande lärare ochexterna bedömare i relation till delar av bedömningsanvisningarna för nationella provet isvenska årskurs 9 år 2003. Materialet i studien består av åtta elevtexter,bedömningsanvisningarna de undervisande lärarna och de externa bedömarna hafttillgång till samt de betyg som respektive bedömare har gett. Eleverna skrev uppgiften”Mina skolår”, vilket faller inom genren krönika. Metoden för denna studie är engranskning av elevtexterna utifrån tolkningsbara element i bedömningsanvisningarnasamt att diskutera de potentiella anledningarna till de olika bedömningarna gjorda avundervisande lärare, externa bedömare och en tredje analys genomförd i denna studie.Analysen är gjord ur ett top-down-perspektiv då analysen utgår ifrån givna parametrarbestämda av bedömningskriterierna. Det viktigaste resultatet i studien är att elevernalyckas visa konkretion och exempel i sina texter, medan de lyckas mindre väl med attanpassa sig till språkliga regler och konventioner. Utifrån detta resultat dras slutsatsen attspråkliga fel ofta är något som stör läsningen av texterna, vilket kan ha påverkat densammanlagda bedömningen.

The aim of this study was to investigate the interrelation between teaching, testing and assessment of English as a foreign language in the Swedish school system. The focus is on the Swedish National test of English, and teaching and assessment of English in Swedish schools. A comparison with the Cambridge testing system is part of the study which has given rise to questions regarding the validity and reliability of the Swedish National test of English. The study was carried out through qualitative questionnaires and interviews aimed at 5 English teachers working within the Swedish School system. The findings of the primary data suggest that the test is, with the exception of its marking procedures, regarded highly by the interviewees. The results of the interviews and questionnaires also suggest that the common factor between teaching, testing and assessment of EFL (English as a Foreign Language) in the Swedish school system appears to be the syllabus and, thus, indirectly, the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR).

The aim of this essay is to investigate which of the goals in the syllabus, and with that what knowledge of Swedish, four students taking the SFI (Swedish for Immigrants) level 3 course believed themselves to have attained and to compare their self-assessments with their results on the National Test of Swedish for adult immigrants. The method used for the investigation is the individual interview. In addition to taking the National Test, the participants in the investigation were asked to mark the goals they believe themselves to have attained. The results show that the informants who best demonstrated awareness of their own knowledge are able to talk freely about their knowledge and difficulties, and when they mark the goals they believe they have attained, these correspond, on the whole, to how they responded in the interviews. One of the informants finds it more difficult than the others to assess her knowledge. A comparison between her experiences and the National Test results revealed several inconsistencies. For example, she claims that she can communicate in Swedish, but still she didn’t pass the test.

Previous research shows that English teachers in Sweden struggle with the assessment of oral proficiency. The reasons for this are several but most of them have occurred in the gap between the intended and perceived curriculum. English teachers interpret the knowledge requirements within oral proficiency differently because of their pedagogical background and experience. This study investigates teachers’ interpretations of the intended presentation of interaction and fluency in the oral proficiency knowledge requirements. The study also investigates what methods and procedures the teachers use when assessing the two abilities and what views the teachers have on the syllabus and assessment support. Semi-structured interviews were organized with four different English teachers with extensive experience in teaching and assessing English in Sweden. The data from the interviews were analyzed through the use of qualitative content analysis in order to find potential links between results and earlier conducted research. The results suggest that the English teachers interpreted, valued, and assessed interaction and fluency differently in relation to the knowledge requirements. The teachers also promoted the knowledge requirements from the Oral National Test since these simplified the interpretation of aspects such as interaction and fluency. The teachers did not present the syllabus as poor or complex, but their exclusive use of Oral National Test knowledge requirements and assessment material suggested something else. Along with this result, all teachers criticized the assessment support that comes with the knowledge requirements in the syllabus. The assessment support was thus something several of the teachers mentioned as key along with the implementation of co-assessment for future reliability within oral proficiency assessment.

Matematik har ett unikt ämnesspråk som elever behöver behärska både skriftligt som muntligt. Brister i den muntliga matematiska kommunikationsförmågan bidrar till att elever med matematiksvårigheter inte får godkänt betyg i matematik för årskurs 9. Dessa elever behöver hjälp och stöd från sin omgivning för att inte riskera att bli underkända. Denna studie har genomförts med syftet att skildra och analysera matematiklärares syn på stödjande faktorer för elever med matematiksvårigheter med fokus på den muntliga matematiska kommunikationsförmågan. Som metod har en innehållsanalytisk forskningsansats med induktiv tematiseringsmetodik använts och studien baseras på fem semistrukturerade intervjuer. Matematiklärares synsätt har bedömts vara möjliga att skildras och analyseras genom följande sex teman: 1. Balansen mellan muntlig och skriftlig kommunikation 2. Den muntliga kommunikationsförmågans beståndsdelar 3. Aktiviteter baserade på elevernas behov 4. Stödjande lärandemiljö för eleven 5. Elevens deltagande i matematiska diskussioner 6. Samarbete med föräldrar De intervjuade lärarna är eniga om att elever med matematiksvårigheter behöver anpassningar av innehåll och kunskapsmål för den muntliga matematiska förmågan. Det råder dock ingen enighet i lärares syn på adekvata mål och innehåll, utan detta anses vara ett resultat av en mängd faktorer såsom elevernas förkunskaper, lärares tolkning av läroplanen, den skriftliga tyngdpunkten i matematik, få bedömningsmoment för den muntliga förmågan, stress och tidsbrist samt den mindre bra tillgången på specialpedagoger. Elever med matematik‐svårigheter behöver även få stöd i det sammanhang som de befinner sig i. Detta anser lärare kan hanteras genom att antingen blanda sammanhanget med olikheter i kunskap hos elever eller se till att elever med matematiksvårigheter får samarbeta med elever de känner sig trygga med. Lärare försöker även stödja eleverna med styrning, kontroll och ordning, vilket kan förklaras av att dessa elever upplevs gå igenom tonåren. Läraren gör en subjektiv bedömning av elevernas behov av styrning och detta slår då igenom på elevernas möjligheter att få vara med och påverka i olika grad. Lärare har vidare olika förväntningar på elevernas prestationer i ett deltagande, där vissa lärare anser att eleverna ska prestera varmed vissa nöjer sig med ett deltagande. Lärare har således olika fokus för dessa elever – antingen kunskapsmål eller värdemål. Det sista temat berör lärares syn på samarbetet med föräldrarna. Vissa lärare upplevs tro att denna kontakt bidrar positivt varmed andra inte har tolkats riktigt ha samma övertygelse. / Mathematics has a unique subject language that students need to master in writing as well as verbally. Shortcomings in the oral mathematical communication capacity contribute to the fact that students with mathematical difficulties do not receive an approved grade in mathematics for grade 9. These students need help and support from their environment in order not to risk being disapproved. This study has been conducted with the purpose of portraying and analyzing mathematics teachers' views on supportive factors for students with mathematical difficulties focusing on oral mathematical communication skills. As a method, a content analytical research approach with inductive thematic methodology has been used and the study is based on five semi structured interviews. Mathematics teachers' views have been judged to be possible to be depicted and analyzed by the following six themes: 1. The balance between oral and written communication 2. The oral mathematical communications skills components 3. Activities based on the students' needs 4. Supporting learning environment for the student 5. The student's participation in mathematical discussions 6. Cooperation with the parents Teachers agree that students with mathematical difficulties need adaptations of content and knowledge objectives for oral mathematical ability. However, there is no unanimity in the teacher's view of adequate goals and content, but this is considered being the result of a variety of factors such as the student's knowledge, teacher's interpretation of the curriculum, the written focus in mathematics, the lack of adequate situations to assess oral capacity, stress and time shortages and the less good availability of special educators. Students with mathematical difficulties also need support in the context they are in. This believes teachers can be managed by either blending the context of differences in student knowledge or ensuring that students with mathematical difficulties interact with friends who they feel safe interacting with. Teachers also try to support the students with control, control and order, which can be explained by the fact that these students experience through their teens. The teacher makes a subjective assessment of the students' need for governance, and this then paves the way for the students to participate and influence in different ways. Teachers also have different expectations of student performance in a participation, where some teachers believe that the students are performing, with which some people are content with a participation. Teachers thus have different focus on these students ‐ either knowledge or value goals. The last theme concerns teachers' views on cooperation with the parents. Some teachers are interpreted believing that this contact contributes positively whereas others have not been interpreted having the same beliefs.

Nationella och internationella kunskapsmätningar i matematik visar likartade resultat för flickor och pojkar. Trots det visar statistiken att flickor erhåller systematiskt högre slutbetyg. Denna studie undersöker huruvida betyg tjänar som likvärdigt mått på kunskap hos flickor och pojkar i gymnasiets matematikämne. Detta görs dels utifrån en kvantitativ ansats och dels utifrån en enkätstudie. Med utgångspunkt i nationell registerdata (SCB) för slutbetyg och resultat på nationella provet undersöks, medelst fyra olika analysmetoder, könsskillnader med avseende på kurs, skolform och län. Studien visar att flickor generellt erhåller högre slutbetyg än pojkar i relation till resultatet på nationella provet, vilket bekräftar tidigare forskning. Vidare påvisar analysen särskilt stora diskrepanser på betygsnivå C och högre; i matematikkurser på yrkesförberedande program; i senare kurser inom samtliga program; i Västernorrlands, Västmanlands, Gotlands och Kalmar län; liksom i fristående skolor. Korrelationsanalys tydliggör hur nationella provet utgör en mindre del av betygsunderlaget för flickor jämfört med pojkar. Dessutom avslöjar analysen ett omvänt samband mellan könsbetingad relativ prestation på nationella provet och avvikelse i slutbetyget. Enkätstudien undersöker bedömningspraktiken hos matematiklärare. Filtrering på lärarens kön, ålder, program och skolform, har tillämpats. Resultatet tyder på systematiska skillnader i bedömningspraktik mellan olika lärarkategorier, vilket innebär att betygssättningen kan brista i likvärdighet. Skillnader har påvisats mellan, i första hand, lärare på yrkesprogram och naturvetenskapliga program, såväl som mellan lärare i kommunala och fristående skolor. Också lärarens kön och ålder tycks ha viss betydelse. Studien avslutas med en diskussion kring möjliga lösningar. / National and international assessments in mathematics show similar results for girls and boys. Despite this, statistics show that girls receive systematically higher final grades. This study examines whether grades serve as an equivalent measure of knowledge of girls and boys in high school mathematics. This is done partly on the basis of a quantitative approach and partly on the basis of a survey. Based on national register data (Statistics Sweden) for final grades and results of national tests, using four different methods of analysis, gender differences with respect to course, school form and county, are examined. The study shows that girls generally get a higher final grade than boys in relation to their results on the national test, confirming previous research. Furthermore, the analysis shows particularly large discrepancies at grade C and higher; in mathematics courses on vocational programs; in later courses within all programs; in V¨asternorrland, V¨astmanland, Gotland and Kalmar County; as well as in independent schools. Correlation analysis clarifies how the national test constitutes a smaller part of the assessment basis for girls compared to boys. The analysis also reveals an inverse relationship between gender dependent relative performance on the national test and the final grade deviation. The survey examines the assessment practice among mathematics teachers. Filtering on the teacher’s gender, age, program and school form has been applied. The result suggests systematic differences in assessment practice between different teacher categories, implying that grades can break in equality. Differences have been shown between, primarily, teachers in vocational programs and science programs, as well as between teachers in municipal and independent schools. Also the teacher’s gender and age seems to be of some importance. The study concludes with a discussion about possible solutions.

This study offers insight into washback processes via interactions between the national test, teachers and students as well as raises questions about contemporary educational politics and standardized testing in EFL classrooms. Washback is a term for the effects a test has on teaching and learning. Standardized tests are given increased weight in Sweden and globally, risking an increase of washback. This development puts various properties of education at risk of being undermined. In Sweden, the national tests in ninth grade can be considered high-stake standardized tests since they should be particularly considered in grading. The oral subtest in English may involve specific issues due to socio-affective aspects and challenges of assessing foreign language speech. Through qualitative interviews with six English teachers in Sweden, this study explored their perceptions of washback effects of the oral subtest of English in the national tests in ninth grade. The results indicate substantial washback on teaching practices and learning behaviors, and that socio-affective aspects play a major role in teachers’ choices. Also, some teachers exhibit ambivalence to the content of the test and whether the test results should impact the grades.

International Telemetering Conference Proceedings / October 17-20, 1994 / Town & Country Hotel and Conference Center, San Diego, California / Since the Gulf War, there has been significant interest in Theater Missile Defense (TMD) resulting in funding growth from tens of millions of dollars at the time of the Gulf War to $1.7 Billion in 1994. The Ballistic Missile Defense Organization (BMDO) has developed a Theater Missile Defense test and evaluation program that will assess technological feasibility and the degree to which system functionality and performance meet technical and operational requirements. The complexity of the TMD program necessitates a comprehensive test program which includes flight testing, ground testing, and modeling and simulation. This article will provide and overview the requirements and capabilities needed to satisfy these requirements. The data processing, and telemetry communities will play a major role in providing the expertise to support the development of the nation’s future Theater Missile Defense capabilities.