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- Eriksson, Urban
(författare)
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Reading the Sky : From Starspots to Spotting Stars
- 2014
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- This thesis encompasses two research fields in astronomy: astrometry and astronomy education and they are discussed in two parts. These parts represent two sides of a coin; astrometry, which is about constructing 3D representations of the Universe, and AER, where for this thesis, the goal is to investigate university students’ and lecturers’ disciplinary discernment vis-à-vis the structure of the Universe and extrapolating three-dimensionality.Part I presents an investigation of stellar surface structures influence on ultra-high-precision astrometry. The expected effects in different regions of the HR-diagram were quantified. I also investigated the astrometric effect of exoplanets, since astrometric detection will become possible with projects such as Gaia. Stellar surface structures produce small brightness variations, influencing integrated properties such as the total flux, radial velocity and photocenter position. These properties were modelled and statistical relations between the variations of the different properties were derived. From the models it is clear that for most stellar types the astrometric jitter due to stellar surface structures is expected to be of order 10 μAU or greater. This is more than the astrometric displacement typically caused by an Earth-sized exoplanet in the habitable zone, which is about 1–4 μAU, making astrometric detection difficult.Part II presents an investigation of disciplinary discernment at the university level. Astronomy education is a particularly challenging experience for students because discernment of the ‘real’ Universe is problematic, making interpretation of the many disciplinary-specific representations used an important educational issue. The ability to ‘fluently’ discern the disciplinary affordances of these representations becomes crucial for the effective learning of astronomy. To understand the Universe I conclude that specific experiences are called. Simulations could offer these experiences, where parallax motion is a crucial component. In a qualitative study, I have analysed students’ and lecturers’ discernment while watching a simulation video, and found hierarchies that characterize the discernment in terms of three-dimensionality extrapolation and an Anatomy of Disciplinary Discernment. I combined these to define a new construct: Reading the Sky. I conclude that this is a vital competency needed for learning astronomy and suggest strategies for how to implement this in astronomy education.
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| 2. |
- Granberg, Albina, Doktorand i kostvetenskap, 1986-
(författare)
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Koka sjuda steka : ett sociokulturellt perspektiv på matlagning i hem- och konsumentkunskap på grundsärskolan
- 2018
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- In Swedish schools, the subject Home Economics (HE) is the formal setting for teaching and learning about food and how to cook. All students are obliged to learn HE, but in schools for students with mild intellectual disabilities (ID) students are offered four times as much teaching in the subject than students in regular schools. However, this learning context is underexplored. This thesis aims to create an understanding of what cooking in HE is by studying the teaching content in regard to HE cooking practices for students with mild ID through a sociocultural standpoint. Accompanying observations and qualitative semi-structured interviews were used for data collection. The observations included 16 lessons in HE in schools for students with mild ID. The interviews were conducted with 22 qualified and experienced HE teachers. Field notes from the observations and transcripts from the interviews were analyzed using a thematic analysis. A sociocultural perspective, along with the concept of cuisine, constituted the theoretical framework. The findings reveal that the teaching of cooking in HE is focused on one particular artifact, the recipe. This causes difficulties for the students concerning skills related to the design, purport and arithmetic of the recipe. The prominent role of the recipe in cooking in HE was hence captured in a novel concept, recipe literacy. The teachers also reported using a task-centered approach to teaching certain techniques and methods, such as frying, kneading and simmering. The cuisine that is represented in the data from the observations and interviews is framed within baking, primarily sweet baking. The focus on sweet baking and the students’ various difficulties when using recipes limited the possibilities for students to learn how to cook proper meals for everyday life. Thereby, a conscious choice of dishes and attention to didactics is necessary to improve the validity of the subject. By overcoming such obstacles, opportunities can therefore be created for students with mild ID to learn how to cook.
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| 3. |
- Hedov, Gerth, 1952-
(författare)
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Swedish Parents of Children with Down Syndrome : A study on the initial information and support, and the subsequent daily life
- 2002
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- In this study 165 Swedish parents of young children with Downs’s syndrome (DS) were investigated regarding their perception of the quality of the first information and support received after the birth of the child. The parents’ opinions were compared with clinical routines at the paediatric clinics regarding these issues. Strong clinical ambitions fell short, however, since 70 % of the parents felt insufficiently informed; 56 % felt unsupported, and the timing of the disclosure varied between 0 hour to >5 days. On the basis of a grounded theory analysis the parents’ written narratives regarding the quality of the first information and support were analysed to better understand the reasons underlying the parental dissatisfaction. Criticisms were raised by the parents concerning: the low communication skills by professionals; the lack of privacy; too much negative information; and an unmet desire to early meet other DS parents.The implications of being DS parents regarding their daily life were examined by measuring parental health, stress, sense of coherence, employment and sick leave rates. Results were compared with those in a randomly selected group of parents of healthy age-matched children. The similarities between the DS and control parents were more pronounced than the differences regarding divorce rates, siblings in the family, time spent on child care, employment and sick leave rates, and their self-perceived health, stress, and sense of coherence. However, self-perceived health of the DS mothers was impaired and stress was increased. A small group of DS parents (5 mothers and 1 father) had an extremely high rate of sick leave and no such group was seen in the control parents. In addition, the DS mothers stayed at home because of the child’s sickness most frequently and the DS fathers stayed at home for this reason more than control mothers.Conclusions: Existing guidelines for optimal first information and support of new parents of children with DS are not always followed in Sweden. Qualitative clinical improvements from the parents’ perspective are proposed. Most DS parents live an ordinary family life in respect to the measured parameters, but the risk for health deterioration, particularly in DS mothers, might need attention.
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