| 1. |
- Elfström Pettersson, Katarina, 1959-
(författare)
-
Production and Products of Preschool Documentation : Entanglements of children, things, and templates
- 2017
-
Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- The objective of the present study is to produce knowledge about how children, things, documents, computers, teachers, templates and other entities take part in and produce documentation in preschool systematic quality development work. The thesis asks questions about how and what is produced as quality in preschool documentation. Through a posthumanist agential realist approach, the study engages empirically in video recordings of preschool documentation practices from one Swedish preschool, and in documentation from four other Swedish preschools.The results, presented in four articles, show that documentation practice is complex and entangled with a variety of entities, human and non-human, and spaces and time. The study shows how children’s participation in production of documentation does not depend on which documentation method is used. In the study, objects such as computers, images and coloured labels, together with teachers’ attitudes and agendas, have an impact on the way that children are involved in producing documentation. The results also show that the products of documentation, intra-acting with a local template, with past and present preschool traditions and policies, produce rather than represent certain elements of quality such as teachers’ actions, children’s interests and thematic work. The thesis produces knowledge about how the focus of preschool documentation shifts away from individual children and towards teachers’ activities, and creates possibilities for what preschool practices and quality may become.
|
|
| 2. |
- Klaar, Susanne, 1964-
(författare)
-
Naturorienterad utbildning i förskolan : pragmatiska undersökningar av meningsskapandets individuella, sociala och kulturella dimensioner
- 2013
-
Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- The overall purpose of this thesis is to investigate, illuminate and clarify meaning making processes and content when children between the ages of 1-3 encounter nature in a preschool practice. Further, the aim is to develop and illustrate action-centred methodological approaches that facilitate investigations of individual, social and cultural dimensions of preschool children’s meaning making of nature. The results are presented in four substudies that all take their starting points in John Dewey’s pragmatic philosophy, with a specific focus on Dewey’s concept of transactions, his theory of action and educative experience as meaning making. In the first substudy, a Practical Epistemology Analysis (PEA) is developed and used to investigate physical meaning making by studying actions and the consequences of these actions. In the second sub-study, a Custom Analysis is developed to facilitate investigations of how the preschool culture contributes to children’s meaning making of nature. An Epistemological Move Analysis (EMA) is used in the third sub-study for investigations relating to teachers’ guiding processes. Here, a Substantive Learning Quality Analysis (SLQA) is also developed and used for investigations of multi-dimensional learning qualities in children’s learning about nature. In the fourth substudy, the analysis methods above are refined to form a tool that can be used by teachers in their reflective work with pedagogical documentation in preschool practice. The results illuminate a multifaceted perspective of meaning making about nature. In this context, meaning making includes cognitive, physical, moral and aesthetical qualities, and nature content includes caring for nature, health and well being in nature and knowledge about natural phenomena and processes. The results contribute to a critical discussion about preschool science education that concerns how preschool practices can highlight nature learning and the multifaceted aspects that are of importance for making meaning of the environment and of life.
|
|
| 3. |
- Olsson, Åsa, 1962-
(författare)
-
Barns levda medborgarskap : en studie av barns vardagskunskaper om olycksrisker och säkerhet
- 2013
-
Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Child safety is a well investigated field of research, as is the field of children’s citizenship. This study explores the intersection between these two areas. The aim of the study is to explore children’s lived citizenship from their everyday knowledge about injury risks and safety. The idea of "lived citizenship" refers to how children understand and negotiate rights and responsibilities, and to how they actually practice their citizenship in their daily lives. In the study, a concept of citizenship is used, defining it as composed of the following dimensions: rights, responsibilities, participation, identity, membership, equal status, respect, and recognition.In the study children in grades 2, 5 and 8 participated in focus group interviews. The results of the study suggest that, although the children had good awareness of risk and safety, they regarded risk as something largely positive, connecting it with opportunities for challenges and exciting adventures. School rules and also traffic rules were frequently called into question by the children, even though they were very well aware of the potential physical or legal consequences. The rules at the children’s sports clubs, in contrast, were not challenged.Talk of injury risks and safety may be understood as individual and collective identity work. When children told stories about injuries and accidents, they were also telling stories about themselves, who they were, and where they belonged. Being adventurous and daring gave status in the groups for both girls and boys. Drawing on the results an “action zone,” as an analytical concept is suggested. The action zone is about the physical and symbolic dynamic space where children can move and act independently. Some features of the action zone are proposed in terms of boundaries, boundary guards, (rules, norms and authorities), negotiation, boundary crossing, identity, self-management and situated agency. I argue that the concept puts focus on children’s lived citizenship as a whole and that the physical aspect of citizenship is emphasized.
|
|
| 4. |
- Thelin, Katina, 1971-
(författare)
-
Mellan varumärke och gemensamt raster : Skilda sätt att se verksamhetsidéer för pedagogisk verksamhet
- 2013
-
Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- The aim of this study is to explore the ways in which verksamhetsidé is seen within the Swedish educational context.In Sweden, the concept verksamhetsidé is used for an idea or a set of ideas related to the practice of an organization, for instance a school or a school district. Although the importance of such shared ideas is often pointed out by practitioners as well as researchers within the field of school development, there is little consensus about their meaning. When it comes to questions about the actual function and character of such an idea, or set of ideas, little guidance is found in the literature. This thesis seeks to contribute to such knowledge.In order to describe variations in the ways such ideas are seen as well as in the ways working with such ideas are seen, a phenomenographic study was carried out. The empirical data consist of deep interviews with 14 school directors of education in one larger city in Sweden; each responsible for several schools and preschools in one district. As directors they were all involved in the process of developing a verksamhetsidé, to guide all educational activities in the area.Results suggest that verksamhetsidé can be seen as a trademark, as putty, as a compass, as a map, or as a shared perspective. Each of these conceptions is used as a label for a category of description, and together they constitute one of the study’s outcome spaces. When it comes to working with such ideas, another variation is found. This variation is described through the concepts of top-down implementation and bottom-up sensemaking. Moreover, the data suggest no correlation between a certain way of seeing a verksamhetsidé and a certain way of seeing how to work with it.
|
|
| 5. |
- Wagnsson, Stefan, 1969-
(författare)
-
Föreningsidrott som socialisationsmiljö : En studie av idrottens betydelse för barns och ungdomars psykosociala utveckling
- 2009
-
Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- The overall purpose of this study was to examine organized youth sports in Sweden and the possible influences over time (2 years) on some of the intended socialisation effects in terms of children’s and adolescent’s self-esteem, perceived physical and social competence, self reported pro- and antisocial behaviours, self reported psychosomatic health, and use of alcohol and tobacco. In an attempt to capture some of the complex social interactions in sports, which undoubtedly leads to different socialisation experiences, an additional purpose of this study was to examine possible relations between children and adolescent athletes’ dispositional goal orientations (task and ego), perceived motivational climate in sports, perceived sport-specific competence, perceived prosocial coaching and presumptive psychosocial effect variables. This study’s theoretical framework was primarily based on previous works by Bronfenbrenner (1979, 1992, 1995, 2001), Bronfenbrenner and Morris (1998), Nicholls (1984, 1989) and Patriksson (1995). The design of the study was a three-occasion longitudinal multiple cohort design including elements of retrospective questions. Data was collected from pupils residing in schools situated in Western and Middle parts of Sweden. The sample was based on a randomly stratified sampling procedure and comprised of 1378 pupils in total (10-18 years) distributed in primary school, lower secondary school and upper secondary school. The answering rate was high (T1=85%; T2=80%; T3=80%), but wave non-response made it necessary to impute missing data values. In total 1212 respondents were included in the final analyses. The main results showed that sport socialisation effects on youth’s prosocial development in general were rather small, with some minor exception for perceived physical competence and smoking tobacco. Consequently the results challenge the public notion that participating in organized sport “builds character.” Results related to the specific sport environment, though showed that organized sports have the potential to act as a more positive socialisation arena. It is proposed that creating a mainly task-oriented motivational climate, and helping the individual to foster a balance between task- and ego-oriented goal orientations, will increase the probability that young athletes will perceive higher levels of competence. This will, in turn, enhance the chance that participation in organized sports will have a positive effect on youths’ psychosocial development.
|
|
| 6. |
- Arnesen, Trine, 1969-
(författare)
-
Are they ready for this? : Experiences on implementing educational behavior-analytic interventions in Norwegian kindergartens
- 2014
-
Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- This thesis describes an investigation into experiences connected to the implementation of educational behavior-analytic interventions (ABA) for children with autism in kindergartens. The research questions and the methodological choices in this investigation evolved based on new experiences over the course of the research project. Three sub-studies were conducted: a single case study on the implementation of ABA teaching programs specifically targeting joint attention skills for children with autism in kindergartens (Study 1); a questionnaire survey on the experiences of ABA supervisors in implementing ABA in kindergartens (Study 2); and an interview study on the experiences of ABA teachers in implementing ABA in kindergartens (Study 3). During Study 1, it appeared that the teaching intensity of the targeted ABA teaching programs varied largely from what was initially planned for all four of the participating children. Under those conditions, the learning outcomes of the children also varied. With regard to Study 2, the survey data obtained from 29 ABA supervisors indicated that many children with autism who receive ABA in Norwegian kindergartens do not receive the number of teaching hours being planned for them. There also seems to be quite a large number of kindergartens that lack teaching teams and who receive supervision less than what is generally recommended to obtain the optimal outcome from ABA. With regard to Study 3, the interview data obtained from 10 ABA teachers illustrated how implementation factors such as compatibility, complexity, client responsiveness, and supervision can be manifested when ABA is implemented in the kindergarten. A main finding was that in some cases there seem to be conflicting opinions within the kindergarten about whether ABA is right for the child, something that was interpreted to reflect a conflict between the categorical and the relational perspectives of special education.
|
|
| 7. |
- Hildén, Ebba, 1976-
(författare)
-
Uppdrag undervisning : Bland ärtpåsar och lagtexter i förskolan
- 2021
-
Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- The focus of this doctoral dissertation is the teaching preschool teacher and how the teaching mission is transformed and shaped by different actors. The perspectives of three actors are addressed in empirical studies; 1-2 year old preschool children, the preschool principal and the preschool teacher. The overarching aim is to generate knowledge about how these actors contribute to teaching.The preschool children contribute to teaching by participating and showing initiatives by using a vast variety of different non-verbal expressions and gestures. Principals contribute to teaching by creating conditions. These conditions consist of inviting preschool teachers to take active part in a meaning-making process that involves shaping and transforming of the understandings of teaching. These transformed understandings then influence preschool teachers’ teaching. Preschool teachers handle and manage teaching as a concept and as a new part of their mission during collegial discussions over time. By using professional core values, preschool teachers transform and adjust the concept of teaching in coherence to preschool practice and tradition. One of these professional core values consists of being sensitive to the initiative of children and building on the interests and needs of children when teaching.The two main results are (a) the importance of non-verbal communication when teaching, and (b) preschoolification as a strategy for preschool professionals when handling policy. Preschoolification is a strategy used by preschool principals as well as preschool teachers in order to transform the concept of teaching by using professional core values. By adding or changing the definition of the concept of teaching found in the School Act, the concept is transformed to fit preschool practice rather than letting preschool practice be a victim of schoolification.
|
|
| 8. |
- Ribaeus, Katarina, 1970-
(författare)
-
Demokratiuppdrag i förskolan
- 2014
-
Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- The aim of the study was to explore the democratic mission of the preschool as expressed in the preschool teachers’ talk and practical work and also through the children’s actions. The goal was to acquire new knowledge about how the democratic mission is carried out in preschool practice and what democratic subjects are supported and developed by the preschool teachers.Field studies were carried out between 2008 and 2010, with a concentration in spring 2009. The study included 5 preschool teachers and 20 children aged 3-6. Observations were made during the teachers’ planning meetings, when they worked with the children and when the children were playing or acting on their own. Two focus group interviews with the preschool teachers were also carried out, and local documents, for example work plans and evaluations, were analyzed.The results indicate that there has been a shift in view from group orientation in the preschool to greater focus on the individual child. In the analysis of the democratic subjects it was clear that much of what happens in the preschool is focused on individual children rather than the children as a group.In summary, preschool teachers speak of the democratic mandate as important but difficult to implement in their daily work. Children’s influence and participation are set up as goals in the work plan, but the preschool teachers do not feel they come to fruition in the pedagogical practice. Still, they define and condition children’s influence and they do work at the task, seemingly unconsciously, in practice.For their part, the children often seize opportunities when they arise but they also create their own. They take initiative and present ideas about what they want to do in preschool. It even turned out they had influence far beyond the preschool walls.
|
|
| 9. |
- Skånfors, Lovisa, 1978-
(författare)
-
Barns sociala vardagsliv i förskolan
- 2013
-
Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- The overarching aim of the studies in this dissertation is to contribute knowledge about children’s shared social knowledge in their preschool peer cultures, regarding both content and how it is established and maintained.An ethnographic approach has been used to study the shared activities of children, aged 3-5, in the preschool. During 1 ½ years, one preschool setting was visited on a regular basis. One hundred hours of observation have been made and documented through video camera recordings and field notes. The theory of children’s peer cultures (Corsaro, 2005), positioning theory (Harré & Langenhove, 1999a) and social representation theory (Moscovici, 2001) have been used as theoretical tools in the analyses.The empirical results are presented in four articles (articles I-IV) and are all illustrations of the children’s shared social knowledge. The findings are that children’s shared social knowledge involves two main aspects of knowledge about relations; how to establish and maintain relations vis-à-vis various tokens or social resources (articles III and IV), and how to create distance to relations (articles I and II). Another find is that there seems to be a tension between the children’s social knowledge and the social norms explicitly formulated in the studied preschool context.
|
|
| 10. |
- Augustsson, Christian, 1966-
(författare)
-
Unga idrottares upplevelser av föräldrapress
- 2007
-
Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Over the last decades intense debates have taken place, in the mass media, regarding the child-parent relation within sport. Questions have been raised if parent’s involvement can be a source of pressure for children and youth. In Sweden relatively little research have been undertaken to study this problem.Therefore the aim of this thesis is:- to describe and analyse children’s and youth’s experiences of parental involvement within the sport milieu, focusing on parental pressure.The purpose has also led to the following formulated problems:- How do children and youth experience parent’s presence, actions and open reactions toward young athletes in the sport milieu?- What does it mean for young athletes to experience parental pressure?Parents can unintentionally impose pressure on children just by trying too hard to be a good sport parent. Earlier research has proposed that young athletes experience pressure from parents when there is an imbalance between the experienced intensity in the parental involvement and what they desire. Given this background parental pressure was defined as: young athlete’s experiences of feelings of insufficiency in sport, which is emanated from parent’s, both hidden and outspoken, demands and expectations to achieve within the sport milieu”. For this thesis a critical factor in the theoretical framework is young athlete’s subjective experiences of parents, and especially parental pressure, in the public sport milieu.The data collection consisted of both questionnaires and interviews. The respondents (n=601, age 8 to 16) were selected from twelve of the most popular sports for children and youth (football, handball, swimming, equestrian sport, tennis, floor hockey, athletics, golf, ice hockey, gymnastics, figure skating and table tennis. The data from the interviews was collected from a sample of twelve young athletes (age 10 to14).The results showed support for how children in general are happy and satisfied with their parent’s involvement (81%). However it was also found that there was a minority group of 19% that indicated experiences of high parental pressure. In the results there were also tendencies that showed how certain sports (tennis, swimming, golf and equestrian sport) scored higher on the parental pressure scale than others. The respondents who scored low (under the mean) on the self-perception scale showed tendencies to score high on the parental pressure scale (Rho= -.38, p<.01). The factors connected to parental pressure, highlighted in the interviews, were also emphasized in an open-ended question.Stronger guiding principles, reinforced motivation and designed education dealing with these subjects in organised sport are inevitable. Otherwise organised youth sport will never succeed in oppressing the primary sources of children’s experiences of parental pressure.
|
|
