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Research aim

Teacher students are important to study as they represent the next generation of teachers. This study investigates lesson plans made by vocational teacher students. More specifically, lesson plans on the use of digital tools in the classroom. Emphasis is on digitalization and the teacher students are instructed to use the new Swedish guidelines (Skolverket, 2017). Lesson plans strongly linked to reading and writing are investigated to create knowledge about how the conditions for teaching and learning are represented.

Theoretical framework

The theoretical framework of the study is based on social semiotic multimodal legitimation analysis (van Leeuwen, 2007).

Methodological design

Data consist of 25 lesson plans, together 228 pages, in addition to interviews made with teacher students. In the task, students plan for digitization as a living element, and are given freedom to decide content as well as design. Students get two advice: to get acquainted with assessment criteriaand to study the document “Planning and implementation of teaching” from Swedish National Agency of Education.

Expected findings

Preliminary findings show teacher students are faced with a wide range of digital resources of different modalities and media. Plans are made about assessing pupils' multimodal texts. Teacher students’ digital elements are oriented towards the use of resources. It is not prominent how digital resources can contribute to development in knowledge seeking, information processing or learning.Tasks designed for pupils consist of writing shorter documentation, filling in matrices, and making evaluations. Lesson plans for classroom teaching appear to be in a strong discourse in favor of assessment and less about strengthening students' skills and competence through teaching.

Relevance to Nordic education research

The study addresses questions about of the dominant position of the assessment. Assessment is in the foreground, whereas teaching remains in the background. These are important issues because of the strong ongoing discourse of assessment in Sweden.

References

Bezemer, J. & Kress, G. (2016). Multimodality, learning and communication: a social semioticframe. London: Routledge.

Jewitt, C. & Kress, G, Ed. (2003/2008). Multimodal literacy. New York: Lang.Skolverket (2016). IT-användning och IT-kompetens i skolan. Stockholm: Skolverket.

Skolverket (2017). Få syn på digitaliseringen. Ett kommentarmaterial för gymnasieskolan,gymnasiesärskolan samt komvux och särvux på gymnasial nivå. Stockholm: Skolverket.

Van Leeuwen, T. (2007). Legitimation in discourse and communication. Discourse & Communication, 1(1), p. 91-112.