Education on sustainable development and environmental awareness is becoming increasingly important with the current climate emergency. This type of education extends across all school subjects and texts of various kinds are shown to be able to help students gain new insights about the world and themselves. This essay analyzes the eco-theological and ecocritical themes found in Sheila Heti’s novel Pure Color, which was published in 2022. Furthermore, this essay illustrates how to use the novel and the ecological theories in the EFL classroom. The results show that there are noticeable spiritual and ecocritical themes in the novel as it depicts existential thoughts about the universe, God, and man’s relationship to nature.

Den här litteraturstudien undersöker utmaningar vid användning av digitala verktyg i matematikundervisning på gymnasiet i Sverige, i ljuset av den senaste läroplanen för ämnet matematik. Studien undersöker balansen mellan skolans krav, samhällets behov av digital kompetens och den faktiska undervisningen. Syftet med studien är att få ökad kunskap om användningen av digitala verktyg i matematikundervisning och belyser de utmaningar och möjligheter som denna situation medför. Frågeställningen är: vilka är lärarnas utmaningar vid användning av digitala verktyg i matematikundervisning på gymnasiet? Metoden består av en tematisk analys av tio vetenskapligt granskade artiklar som sökts på databasen OneSearch med sökorden: “matematikundervisning, digitala verktyg, utmaningar och gymnasiet”. Utvalda material till analysen är artiklar som genomfördes i Sverige eller andra länder som följer upp västerländska skolsystem, liksom Tyskland, Nederländerna och USA. Tematisk analys resulterade i att identifiera fyra teman, det vill säga förkunskaper, användning av digitala verktyg, val av digitala verktyg och anpassning av uppgifter. Studien belyser också de potentiella fördelarna med digitala verktyg i matematikundervisningen, såsom förbättrade kommunikation av elev till elev samt elev till lärare, effektivare återkoppling och formativ bedömning, högre intresse till matematikinlärning och elevinflytande, respektive nackdelarna såsom försämrade kommunikation, förvirring och vilseledning av elever, förvärrade likvärdigheten i skolan och förhindrade kunskapsutveckling. En slutsats som kan dras här, är användning av digitala verktyg liksom andra icke digitala verktyg, kan ha fördelar, när användaren behärskar verktyget och använder det målinriktade, annars medför motsatta effekter. Studien är relevant för lärare inom matematikundervisning, eftersom den belyser dessa utmaningar på ett objektivt sätt. Det kan gynna lärare till att möta och hantera dessa utmaningar.

The purpose of this study was to analyze how textbooks for the Swedish upper secondary school have depicted the rise of the Nazis and the Nazi takeover of power from the 1960s to the 2010s.With the focus on both the content and the use of pictures in the depictions. The purpose also was to analyze the structure of the depictions. Following questions were formulated to answer the purpose: How has the textbooks depicted the events leading up to the rise of Nazis and thetakeover of power? , How does the textbooks present the history and which images are used in the depictions? , What similarities and differences can be found in the textbooks depictions overtime? The results showed that the textbooks depictions of the rise of Nazis and the takeover of power have increased in size during the entire research period. The results showed that the textbooks depictions of the rise of the Nazis was relatively homogenous throughout the research period, except for the first textbook from the 1950s. The textbooks depicted the following events: the turbulence in the young Weimar republic, the inflation crisis, Hitlers coup attemptand the big depression. All the textbooks linked these events to the Nazis rise to power. The depictions of the Nazi takeover of power are not as homogenous. The results showed both differences between the length and the content of the depictions. These differences did not occurin a pattern that could indicate a change in the climate of the society. The results showed disagreement between the authors about which events that should be included in the depictions.The authors also interpreted events in different ways, for example which groups that helped Hitler to power. The result also showed that the textbooks use of pictures has increased during the entire researchperiod. The use of pictures in the textbooks consists exclusively of graphs, charts, andphotographs. Graphs and charts in the textbooks all relate to the same phenomena: Nazis popularity grew in times of crisis. A common use of photographs in the textbooks was to show Hitler during speeches and military parades. From the 1980s and onward the textbooks started including photographs that visualize and concretize the inflation. The results also clearly shows that the textbooks started to invite the students to reflections in the text by asking questions from the 1990s and onward. Not a single book before the 1990s invites the students to reflection through questions in the texts, while it is a well-used feature in all textbooks after the 1990s.

Based on the extensive goals and mission in the Swedish curriculum regarding literature and analysis, this study examines how said curriculum and two textbooks, for the third course in Swedish in upper secondary school, suggests learning activities for literary analysis. Using content analysis and an adapted model of paradigms as a framework, themes are reviewed for how literary analysis is described and literature teaching is prescribed. The results show that the dominating paradigms in the subject purpose-text is mainly learner oriented and cultural, while the course content text and evaluation text is dominantly focused on the formal aspects of literature. The evaluation text is also notably void of learner-oriented focus. The textbooks show a priority of the content-oriented paradigms and are shown to differ greatly from the paradigms of the curriculum. The results of the textbooks are noticeably similar and suggest congruency in priorities between textbook authors, while the differences between curriculum documents are major. The results are discussed in relation to the Swedish political discourse of measurability in learning, and in relation to the textbook making process and its influences.

This study, conducted in an English 6 course at a Swedish upper secondary school, employed a unique educational research design by integrating manga adaptations with their typological source texts to explore the pedagogical potential of a comparative approach to teaching classics in line with pupils’ experiences. The investigation focused on three key questions: pupils’ initial attitudes towards literature, the effects of the comparative approach, and its impact on understanding the source text. Data were collected through a series of questionnaires as well as three group interviews before being examined thematically. The findings were then analysed and discussed using the theoretical frameworks of transmedia storytelling, Langer’s theory of envisionment, and affordance. The findings indicate that the pupils initially had negative attitudes towards English literature, viewing it as difficult and unengaging. However, including manga significantly improved their engagement and comprehension, foremost due to its visual elements. The pupils also reported that manga made reading more motivating because of its different modes, compared to the source text. However, the pupils regarded the manga as less effective in promoting vocabulary expansion compared to the source texts, thus highlighting the importance of a balanced approach. Furthermore, the comparative approach, engaging with both versions, allowed the pupils to view the story from multiple perspectives, thereby enriching their understanding and deepening their comprehension. This approach also promoted pupils’ exploration of genres.  Overall, the study suggests that incorporating a manga adaptation alongside its source text can address the diverse needs of pupils, thus making literature more accessible and engaging. This particular comparative approach could promote a multifaceted learning experience by encouraging the inclusion of varied pedagogical materials. Its pedagogical potential lies in its alignment with contemporary pupils’ cognitive patterns, which may contribute to enhancing the teaching of classic literature without excluding the benefits of typological texts.

In this qualitative study, the experiences of high school students enrolled in the course Social Studies 2 regarding the European Union (EU) as a subject matter in social studies education were examined. The research questions guiding the study are: In what ways do students describe how the EU has been addressed as a content area in social studies education? And, how do students describe their expectations for teaching about the EU? To answer the research questions, six focus group interviews were conducted, involving a total of 28 students. The data was analysed using a hermeneutic approach. The results indicate that students had a somewhat basic understanding o the European Union, characterized by a focus on its institutions and the four freedoms within the union. Furthermore, the study’s findings reveal that students wish to learn more about the EU to participate in the European Parliament elections, specifically how they can influence the union and how it affects them. Suggested teaching methods include engaging with the EU through study visits, external lecturers, or simulation exercises. / I föreliggande kvalitativa studie undersöktes vilka erfarenheter gymnasieelever som läser kursen Samhällskunskap 2 har om EU som ämnesinnehåll i samhällskunskapsundervisningen. Frågorna som studien utgår från är: På vilka sätt beskriver elever att EU har behandlats som ett undervisningsinnehåll i samhällskunskapsämnet, och, hur beskriver eleverna sina förväntningar på undervisningen om EU kopplat till ett aktivt valdeltagande i valet till Europaparlamentet.? För att erhålla svar på forskningsfrågorna genomfördes sex stycken fokusgruppsintervjuer, totalt 28 elever medverkade i studien. Genom att utgå från en hermeneutisk teori analyserades datamaterialet. Resultatet visar att eleverna hade en översiktlig kunskap om den Europeiska unionen som präglas av ett fokus på dess institutioner och de fyra friheterna. Vidare framkommer det i studiens resultat att eleverna önskar lära sig mer om EU för att kunna delta i valet till Europaparlamentet, då främst hur de kan påverka unionen samt hur den påverkar dem. Förslag på undervisningsmetoder riktar in sig på att komma i kontakt med EU genom studiebesök, externa föreläsare eller simuleringsövningar.

Fredriksson, Louise & Mårtensson, Kristina (2024). Social marginalisering - en retrospektiv studie av unga vuxnas upplevelser av utanförskap Specialpedagogprogrammet, Institutionen för skolutveckling och ledarskap, Lärande och samhälle, Malmö universitet, 90 hp. Studien undersökte sociala och känslomässiga hinder för elever som gått ut gymnasiet och till följd av det fick med sig ett studieresultat de inte var nöjda med. Trots att läroplanen betonar människolivets okränkbarhet, visade intervjuer att många elever hade en ogynnsam gymnasietid – på grund av brist i skolans rutiner, anpassningar, samverkan, övergångar och individualisering. Studien visar att genom att utveckla samverkan stärks möjligheterna för all skolpersonal att upptäcka det som elever i svårighet påtalade var tuffast att hantera i gymnasiet. Det som blir viktigt i arbetet som specialpedagog blir att därför att skapa förutsättningar för att öka samverkan och därigenom få en holistisk syn på eleven, för att hjälpa denne både med pedagogiska utmaningar och att förebygga social marginalisering. Metoden som användes, för att undersöka elevers svårigheter och hur specialpedagoger tillsammans med elevhälsoteamet arbetar med att förebygga och åtgärda dessa svårigheter, var semistrukturerade intervjuer. Fenomenologisk ansats användes som analysmetod för att bättre förstå och tolka informanternas upplevelser. Undersökningen visade att det finns ett flertal utvecklingsmöjligheter inom områdena överlämningar och samverkan mellan olika skolor, men även mellan olika kommuner. Slutligen gav studien en bättre förståelse för hur känslomässiga upplevelser och relationer i skolmiljön påverkar elevers motivation och studieresultat och den betonade behovet av bättre samarbeteoch stödstrukturer i utbildningssystemet. / The study examines students who have graduated from high school with, from their own perspective, unsatisfactory results, stemming from social and emotional obstacles. Although the curriculum emphasizes inviolability of human life, interviews shows that many students had disadvantageous high school experiences due to deficiencies in school routines, adaptations, collaborations, changes, and individualization. By cooperation between academic supportive resources in school, we would like to see that more pedagogues in school could have the opportunity to discover what students in difficulties expressed were the most challenging things to deal with in high school and the hardest way to find motivation to attend school. What becomes important in the work as a special education teacher is to create the conditions to increase collaboration and thereby gain a holistic view of the student in order to help the student with both educational challenges and at the same time avoid social marginalization. The method used to explore students´ difficulties and how special education teachers together with the student health team work to prevent and to fix these difficulties were semi structured interviews. A phenomenological approach was used as the analysis method to better understand and interpret the informant's experiences. The study showed that there are several development opportunities in the areas of handovers and collaboration between different schools but also between different municipalities. Finally, the study provided a better understanding of how emotional experiences and relationships in the school environment affect students´ motivation and study results, and it emphasized the need for better collaboration and support structures in the education system.

Inom den svenska matematikundervisningen på gymnasiet möter eleverna många olika matematiska uppgifter. Uppgifterna skiljer sig i att de testar olika förmågor men även hur uppgifterna är formulerade skiljer sig. Det kan bland annat röra sig om uppgifter som är textbaserade, grafiskt utformade eller som har en algebraisk representationsform. Denna studie avser att undersöka om representationsformen på matematiska uppgifter kan ha någon påverkan på i vilken utsträckning elever kan lösa uppgifterna samt redogöra för vilka de vanligaste misstagen kan vara inom de olika representationsformerna. Studien syftar även till att se om det är någon skillnad på svarsfrekvensen beroende på om uppgifterna testar elevernas förmåga att genomföra beräkningar (procedurell kunskap) eller förmågan att uppfatta begrepp och principer (konceptuell kunskap). Teorin som används vid framtagandet av uppgifter är Hallidayan-modellen om olika sätt att presentera matematik samt principen om procedurell- och konceptuell kunskap. Metoden som används inom studien är insamling av elevlösningar på tre olika prov som tar sin grund i var sin av de olika representationsformerna: textbaserat, grafiskt och algebraiskt samt att alla tre innehåller uppgifter som testar deras procedurella samt konceptuella kunskap. Resultatet visar att representationsformen på uppgifterna har betydelse för i vilken utsträckning eleverna kan lösa dem och att eleverna har speciellt svårt för grafiskt formulerade uppgifter. Resultatet visar även att eleverna är bättre på att genomföra beräkningar än att förstå matematiska principer. I diskussionen presenteras olika tankar och idéer till hur det kan komma sig att resultatet ser ut som det gör samt vad resultatet kan ha för påverkan på matematikundervisningen framöver. / In the Swedish mathematical education on upper secondary school level, the students face many different mathematical tasks. The tasks are being separated by testing different abilities and in how they are designed. They could differ in how they are presented, and they could for example be text based, graphical and algebraic. These are three different ways of form of representation. This study intends to examine if the form of representation could have an impact on to which extent the student can solve the tasks and elucidate the most common mistakes within the different form of representation. The study also aims to determine if there are any difference in the frequency of the response depending on if the task assess student’s ability to perform calculations (procedural knowledge) or the ability to recognize concepts and principles (conceptual knowledge). The theory used in developing the tasks is the Halliday’s model of different ways to present mathematics and the principles of procedural and conceptual knowledge. The method that is used in this study is collection of student’s answer in three different tests, each based on one of the three forms of representation: text based, graphical and algebraic. Additionally, all three tests contain two tasks which will test the students procedural and conceptual knowledge. The results show that the form of representation have an impact on the extent to which students can solve the tasks and that students particularly struggle with graphically formulated tasks. The results also reveal that students are better at performing calculations than understanding mathematical principles. The discussion presents various thoughts and ideas on why the results appear as they do and what impact the results may have on mathematical education in the future.

The following study aims to explore pupils’ attitudes toward fan fiction in a Swedish upper secondary ELT classroom in order to discuss the potential of fan fiction as a pedagogical resource. The aim is investigated through research questions concerning attitudes toward fan fiction as well as possible challenges and benefits in connection to how fan fiction could be included from a pupil perspective. The study was conducted through semi-structured interviews with 11 pupils attending English 5 or 6 in Swedish upper secondary schools. The collected data was processed through thematic analysis and examined with self-determination theory as a theoretical framework.  The results of the study reveal that the interviewed pupils exhibit positive attitudes toward including fan fiction as pedagogical material. In addition, the study indicates that fan fiction, according to the pupils, can be utilized to develop several language skills, such as grammar, vocabulary, and reading comprehension. With these learning outcomes in mind, the pupils mentioned that fan fiction could be incorporated into the classroom through productive and receptive tasks. Such tasks involve creating endings to narratives, providing and receiving feedback on creative writing projects, or reading fan fiction to complement and enhance the experience of a novel or film. Despite the positive learning outcomes, the pupils noted that possible challenges could regard finding appropriate content, assessing and grading creative assignments, and navigating creative demands. In conclusion, fan fiction may function as a potential pedagogical resource and therefore it is relevant to continue exploring the pedagogical potential of fan fiction in the Swedish ELT classroom.

This thesis reports case studies of students working with context rich problems (CRP) and mini projects (MP) in physics in an upper secondary school class and in a physics teacher education class at university. The students report a big shift from physics in secondary school as fun and easy, to physics in upper secondary school as boring, difficult and with lack of time for reflections and physics talking, but they also found physics as interesting in itself. In order to study how group discussions in physics influence the students learning and to study the phenomena of students’ ownership of learning (SOL) we introduced CRP and MP. We video recorded five groups with 14 teacher students at university in the end of 2002, and five group with 15 students at upper secondary school during the beginning of their second physics course in the spring term in 2003. MP and CRP in physics were used as instructional settings in order to give students possibility to strengthen their holistic understanding and their possibilities to ownership. When students get the opportunity to manage their own learning and studying by open-ended tasks in physics, without the teacher determining all details of the performance, this gives more ownership of learning. The advantage of MPs and CRPs from the student’s point of view is more freedom to act, think and discuss and from the teacher’s view, to get insights of the students’ ability and how they really think in physics. The ownership is found to be crucial for motivation and development of competence. Students’ ownership of learning (SOL) is the students’ influence/impact to affect tasks and the learning environment in such a way that the students have a real opportunity to achieve learning of physics. Students’ ownership of learning (SOL) is found at two levels: Group level: At the start of a task the SOL is determined by the design of the task. The choice of task, the performance (when, how, where), the level of result and presentatio n and report have to be determined by the students themselves. Individual level: A person’s experiences and anomalies of understanding have created unique questions that can create certain aspects of the task that drive this person to be very active and highly motivated. This gives the person a high individual ownership. We developed hypotheses concerning the relation between ownership, motivation and competence and we see some evidence in the cases reported in this thesis. The importance of exploratory talks to enhance learning, and to see aspects of communication as part of the motivation are discussed in the model of ownership, motivation and competence that is proposed.