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Syftet med studien är att fördjupa kunskapen om studenters svårigheter som är förknippade med teorianvändning i samband med skrivandet av examensarbete inom ett lärarprogram och vilket förklaringspotential en systemteoretisk ansats har för att förstå dessa problem. För detta ändamål analyseras ett material som har samlats in genom fokussamtal. I en planeringsfas har ett 70-tal syftesformuleringar från den studentgrupp, ur vilken medverkande till studien värvades, samlats in och utvärderats och en intervjuguide utarbetats. Sedan har nio studenter utvalts som deltagare i tre fokusgrupper. I en tidigare studie har materialet analyserats utifrån induktivt utvecklade kategorier med syftet att fördjupa kunskapen om den akademiska skrivprocessen i förhållande till formuleringsprocessen i en situativ skrivprocess. Där förstår vi skrivandet som ett operationellt slutet, självreferentiellt system, stabiliserat genom systemets interna logik som visar sig i studenternas beskrivna kommunikation och handlingar. Inom ramen av en examensarbetskurs hanterar skrivprocessen komplexitet och effekter av element som är sammankopplade i ett nätverk av relationer.

In Swedish teacher education, school-based courses (VFU) play a central role in the development of pre-service teachers' professional competence and professional identities. However, while it is often claimed that school-based courses contribute to the development of the school itself, this aspect is seldom explored. Therefore, this study examines how mentor teachers influence and are offered to influence their own professional development and school development in Swedish teacher education, with a focus on the role they play.

The present study aims to deepen the knowledge of how pre-school teachers and elementary school teachers perceive their own supervisor role in relation to professional and school development as part of teacher education. This study also explores how these mentor teachers’ principals experience the contributions of inviting pre-service teachers to their workplace.

As a theoretical model, we have used Scherp's (2013)[1] VISKA model in the study, where a holistic perspective on everyday problems and dilemmas can form starting points for both profession and school development. Mentor teachers and pre-service teachers find themselves in precisely such situations during school-based courses.

The data collection methods included individual interviews and focus group interviews with experienced mentors for preschool and elementary school pre-service teachers. Focus and individual interviews were also conducted with the mentor teachers' principals. The study is ongoing, and we have conducted interviews with three preschool teachers, three elementary teachers, and six principals thus far.

Preliminary results indicate that all participants, including both preschool and primary school educators, emphasize that supervision provides teachers with the opportunity to reflect on their teaching roles. This process helps in strengthening their professional teacher identity by articulating intuitive, unexamined knowledge within a theoretical framework. However, there is a lack of supportive structures to effectively utilize this acquired knowledge for school development. In conclusion, there is a genuine desire to support pre-service teachers in becoming future professional educators, with the goal of educating and guiding children and students toward a democratic society

Keywords: lärarutbildning, VFU-handledare, aktivt lärande, framtidsförmågor, driva förändring

[1] Scherp, H.-Å. (2013) Lärandebaserad skolutveckling. Lärarglädjens förutsättningar, förverkligande och resultat. Lund: Studentlitteratur.

Teaching about biodiversity is seen today as significant by several researchers because human survival depends on biodiversity. The study aims to describe and understand student teachers' experiences of biodiversity and what student teachers identify as central to teaching about biodiversity. In the present study, student teachers have been seen as particularly important because they will meet many young students as future preschool and primary class teachers. The data collection was carried out through semi-structured interviews with three focus groups. The preliminary results show that the students express feelings concerning the loss of biodiversity related to their future, present, and past, as well as feelings directed toward a universal future. The preliminary results also show ideas about what they consider central to teaching. The student teachers, for example, describe the importance of young students experiencing nature, facing different resource dilemmas, discussing different values, and doing something practical that positively affects biodiversity. They put more emphasis on students developing awareness of the consequences of biodiversity loss than on developing knowledge of the concept of biodiversity.

Syftet med studien är att fördjupa kunskapen om studenters svårigheter med teorianvändning i samband med skrivandet av examensarbete inom ett lärarprogram och vilket förklaringspotential en systemteoretisk ansats har för att förstå dessa problem. För detta ändamål analyseras ett material som har samlats in genom fokussamtal. I en planeringsfas har ett 70-tal syftesformuleringar från den studentgrupp, ur vilken medverkande till studien värvades, samlats in, utvärderats och en intervjuguide utarbetats. Ur gruppen har nio studenter utvalts som deltagare i tre fokusgrupper. Materialet har analyserats utifrån induktivt utvecklade kategorier för att analysera den akademiska skrivprocessen i förhållande till studenternas formuleringssträvan i en situativ skrivprocess. I denna tidigare studie förstår vi skrivandet som ett operationellt slutet, självreferentiellt system, stabiliserat genom systemets interna logik som visar sig i studenternas beskrivna kommunikation och handlingar. Vi noterar att skrivprocessen inom ramen av en examensarbetskurs hanterar komplexitet och effekter av element som är sammankopplade i ett nätverk av relationer. Vår första studie visar att de två övergripande kategorier, Meningen med kursens uppgift och Odynamiska, linjära tankeaspekter, styr även de andra kategorierna och bildar en struktur inom systemet med relationer till varandra. Materialet illustrerar också hur odynamiska, linjära tankeaspekter präglar studenternas tankar om teorin i relation till examensarbetets syftesformulering. Vi kan se att det inte är ett direkt teoretiskt intresse eller kunnande som man ger uttryck för, utan att teorianvändningen upplevs som ett problem som studenterna försöker att hantera genom att man hittar en teori till det man förväntas undersöka. Centralt i vår ansats för att förstå studenternas tankar om teori är den systemteoretiska idén om att varje iakttagelse tvingande sker utifrån en ståndpunkt. Som Luhmann formulerar: ”Allt, inklusive ontologin i sig, beror på vilken distinktion en observation bygger på. Differentiering och beteckning förstås som en observatörs operationer.” (N. Luhmann, Soziologische Aufklärung V, s. 29). Föreliggande studie illustrerar på vilket sätt studenternas odynamiska, linjära tankeaspekter står i vägen för att kunna hantera den i begreppen iakttagelse och distinktion liggande självreferentialitet.  Slutsatsen är att samma sak gäller för teorianvändning inom ramen för ett examensarbete. Centralt är alltså förmågan att se att teori i sig, och det om vilket det teoretiseras, betingar varandra, vilket dock förutsätter en förmåga till ett mera icke-linjärt, komplext tänkande.

I lärarutbildningar beskrivs ofta såväl nationellt som internationellt den klyfta som finns mellan de verksamhetsförlagda och de högskoleförlagda delarna av utbildningarna. Det görs i flera lärarutbildningar ansträngningar att minska denna klyfta genom en närmare integration av dessa delar och inte minst fokuseras handledningens betydelse. Den arbetsintegrerade lärarutbildning som undersöks i föreliggande studie är ett resultat av ett sådant samarbete mellan en högskola och skolhuvudmän i en region med 15 kommuner. Studien syftar till att belysa arbetsintegrerade utbildningarnas attraktivitet och hur de arbetsintegrerade utbildningarna stödjer lärarstudenters möjlighet att utvecklas i läraryrket under sin utbildning. Ett huvudsakligt avstamp tas i Lave & Wengers teori ”situated learning” som bl.a. berör yrkesutbildningar. Det empiriska dataunderlaget utgörs av enkäter som analyserats utifrån såväl kvantitativa som kvalitativa aspekter. Sammanfattningsvis är slutsatserna att arbetsintegrerad lärarutbildning är attraktiv och ger lärarstudenterna möjlighet att utvecklas i läraryrket, men det finns flera områden som behöver utvecklas. De arbetsintegrerade utbildningarna är kvalificerade utbildningar, som för lärarstudenterna inte bara handlar om vad en lärare bör göra utan i huvudsak handlar om en möjlighet att befinna sig i något. Detta kan ses som ett unikt fokus vad gäller lärarutbildningar vilket kräver ett kontinuerligt utvecklingsarbete av personal i såväl högskola som i skolverksamhet i samverkan med lärarstudenter. Slutsatsen är att den arbetsintegrerade utbildningen utgöra en möjlighet att minska den klyfta som finnas mellan akademi och skolverksamhet.

Within teacher education supervision of teacher students is a central and appreciated element. It is also witnessed as a dilemma when the academy meets supervisors in schools with different perspectives and expectations. The area of interest of the present study is to identify different perspectives on supervision roles among supervisors and teacher students in relation to expectation, power and influence. The question is how we can describe and understand the roles of teacher students from different supervision perspectives during work integrated learning activities at schools. A conceptual starting point has been taken from Foucault’s power perspective and empirical data is related to analysis of interviews and documents. The results from the study shows that the roles of teacher students can be understood on the basis of subordinated management and a lower degree of scientific approach and are referred to roles as assistants and apprentices. Secondly, the roles can be understood as equal management based on a higher degree of scientific approach and be referred to as colleagues and co-researchers. One conclusion is that the four ways of understanding the different roles of teacher students are something that should be understood over time and that the roles can vary from situation to situation.

Dalarna University

Susanne Antell - Jörgen Dimenäs - Annie-Maj Johansson - Johanne Maad - Lena Skoglund

Eco-anxiety in the global classroom - educational strategies about biodiversity in a sustainable perspective

From all over the world it has been reported that children are increasingly suffering anxiety and grief about climate change, what has been termed “eco-anxiety”. The anxiety is partly built up by concerns for species survival. One million animal species are threatened by extinction, and fundamental system changes are needed to save the quality of life worldwide, according to the IPBES (2019) report.Swedish preschools and elementary schools have long traditions of education for sustainable development, primarily by visiting nature and recycling materials. However, young people´s concerns about climate change force schools to reorient education towards a more global world where sustainable and ethical values include all forms of life.The aim of this study is to investigate what can affect the way students, teachers and whole schools do or do not engage with the challenging issues in a global learning agenda with a special focus on biodiversity loss.Theoretical frameworkThe study takes its theoretical point of departure regarding learning and teaching from Deweys (1934/1980) aesthetic theory that makes it possible to study pupil´s engagement and their meaning making as a holistic process. Important for the study is also Roberts (2007) argument that studies in science education not purely should be related to pupils’ natural scientific general knowledges and their opportunity to work with inquiry but also to values related to their attitudes and engagement.Action researchThe study will be conducted in three steps related to action research. Firstly, a questionnaire will be sent to preschool teachers and teachers to investigate to what extent and in what areas are they teaching about biodiversity. Secondly, preschool teachers and teachers, will participate in focus groups to discuss how we can reach beyond their present teaching. Thirdly, will we together with preschool teachers and teachers finally develop holistic educational models where discussions about sustainable and ethical values are given a significant role in science education.Expected findingsAn expected result is to achieve models for education, together with teachers, where sustainable and ethical discussions embracing different life forms in both local and global contexts will contribute to meaning making and a holistic approach in the classroom.Relevance to Nordic educational researchThe study is relevant for the Nordic educational research since it will identify how Nordic schools may use eco-anxiety as a catalyst for developing interest, knowledge and engagementabout complex issues related to climate change, such as sustainable and ethical dimensions of anthropogenic biodiversity loss.In this symposium participants are invited to share reflections on how schools may transform eco-anxiety to action competence.

Dewey, J. (1934/1980). Art as experience. New York: Touchstone.IPBES (2019). Summary for policymakers of the global assessment report on biodiversity and ecosystem services of the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services.

IPBES secretariat, Bonn, Germany.Roberts, D. A. (2007). Scientific Literacy/science literacy. In S. K. Abell & N. G. Lederman (Eds)

Handbook of research on science education. 729-780. Mahwah, New Jersy, USA: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.

From vision to reality-

A model for developing a visionary democratic Teacher Education 

Annette Mitiche1, Centre for School Development, City of Gothenburg and University of Gothenburg

Tommy Gustafsson, Department of Mathematical Sciences, University of Gothenburg and Chalmers University of Technology

Jörgen Dimenäs, School of Education, Dalarna University

Abstract 

Both teacher education and the school system have in Sweden the last decades undergone several major reforms, based on policymakers’ ideas more than on research about good teaching and learning, designed to support a democratic society.

Teacher training programs still often focuses on academic theories about teaching profession. Only a minor part concerns student teacher meeting with the professional activity and the outcome of democratic values. 

This study claims that closing the gap between coursework and clinical work in teacher training programs by creating a common vision will give student teachers the opportunity to achieve valuable goals and create equity for a democratic society.

The purpose of the paper is based on an empiric model in teacher education and argue for a renewed teacher training model for developing a visionary democratic teacher education, which clearly supports students to develop a qualitative high level of expertise and an interest in the teaching profession.

As a result of the research we argue that teacher educations should have a more integrative structure to make visible which knowledge is needed in the schools of the future. We are also arguing for integrative pedagogical content knowledge to develop ideas to capture a subject integrated education perspective on issues related to sustainable development.

The paper focus on items as literacy and knowledge of interculturality in relation to democratic values and a more refined assessment basis for the observation of student teachers' teaching.

There is a strong case for a clearer integration of the university content of the education with an equal and simultaneous content during the practical part. Our conclusion is that there are clear research-based arguments and actions that can lead to a development of Swedish teacher education with a focus to stimulate and support teachers to be a part of creating an equal society. 

Annette Mitiche, University of Gothenburg, Sweden Doctoral student

Jörgen Dimenäs, Dalarna University, Sweden Professor 

Tommy Gustafsson, Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden Senior Lecturer

Preservice teachers as promoters for democratic responsibility in classroom and society

For the last decades both teacher education and the school system in Sweden have undergone several major reforms, based on policymakers ideas more than on research about good teaching and learning, designed to support a democratic society. It is also notified that teachers' assignments have shifted from being aimed to make professional decisions on for instance, how to teach diverse, multicultural and multilingual classrooms, to instead perform different external assignments. 

In this paper we argue for creating a teacher education program that challenge and support preservice teachers actions and reflections about teaching in relation to democratic outcomes. Creating a common vision and linking university courses and school practice courses in coherence and progression, will give preservice teachers opportunities to achieve valuable goals and create equity for a democratic society. We present a model for teacher education that focuses on the key concepts of equity, literacy, interculturality, sustainability and democratic responsibility. 

Research shows that becoming a teacher is not to follow a specific pathway, instead it is reflections on values, content and teaching and learning actions. Our conclusion is that there are clear research-based arguments for the development of teacher education programs with a focus to challenge and support teachers to be a part of developing a democratic society. The model aim to stimulate and support preserve teachers to reflect and relate the models key concepts to their own teaching. This model also supports a coherence between acquired knowledge in university courses and school practice courses.

annette.mitiche@gu.se

jdm@du.se

tommy.gustafsson@chalmers.se

Föreliggande rapport av resultat, slutsatser och rekommendationer för de arbetsintegrerade programmen vid Högskolan Dalarna har som huvudsakligt syfte varit att utvärdera om den arbetsintegrerade utbildningen stärker attraktiviteten i form av högre söktryck och fler studenter med goda förutsättningar att fullfölja utbildningen med goda resultat. Vidare att utvärdera om utbildningen möjliggör för huvudmännen i regionen att rekrytera och behålla lärare som kombinerar arbete med studier. Slutligen har syftet varit att utvärdera om utbildningen kan skapa goda förutsättningar för de lärarstuderande att utveckla sådan kunskap/förståelse, färdighet/förmåga och värderingsförmåga/förhållningssätt som krävs för yrkesutövningen, genom att integrera teori och praktik på ett mer genomgripande sätt än i de ordinarie utbildningarna. Utvärderingen ramas in mot en bakgrund i nationella och internationella studier kring framgångsrik lärarutbildning och med en teoretisk ram bl.a. beskriven som situerat lärande. Slutsatsen efter knappt två års pågående utbildningsprogram är att utbildningen utgör ett attraktivt sökalternativ och att den bedöms utgöra ett positivt rekryteringsunderlag av lärare för huvudmännen i regionen. Vidare indikerar resultatet att innehåll och struktur genom kommuners och högskolans samarbete ger stora möjligheter att utbilda skickliga lärare. Slutligen ger studiens resultat en insikt i vad som kan utgöra en vidare utveckling av de arbetsintegrerade programmen.

The article highlights professional teachers' understandingsof what they see as the mostimportant contentin science education. The study is based on conversations with professional teachers andexplorehow they understand what isthe most central contentin science education. Their understandingsare related to the importance of science in the society and to the language's importance to students' learning opportunities. The resultsof the study's interviews are analyzed usingBasil Bernstein's concept of the horizontal and vertical discourseas a framework, which demonstrates the opportunities for pupils toapproachscientific content based on a contextual understanding. How science is taught is an important question in the aspect of students comingfrom different socioeconomic conditions and withdifferent conceptions of the outside world and the science schooldiscourse. In the present study professional teachersstressthe importance of a holistic understanding of the content in science, the methodical aspects in science educationandtheconsequencesof science and technology developmentin particular. Tobe science literatein a classroomcontext means that the students will get the capacity to use scientific knowledge, to identifyquestions and to draw evidencebased conclusions in order to understand and help make decisions about the natural world and the changes made to it through human activity.

This study aims to investigate the concept of proven experience, which is being increasingly used and emphasised in documents relating to the education of student teachers and nurses as well as in the training of these two professions. The study is aimed at academic vocational training (AVT) and is based upon interviews with the tutors of student teachers and nurses during their periods of AVT. The purpose of this study is to understand what constitutes the essence of proven experience, arising from the verbal statements given by AVT tutors in the field. The conclusion of this study is that the concept of proven experience should be considered at three levels: experience, tested experience and proven experience. Furthermore, those who use it without further consideration should understand the complexity of the concept. From a critical perspective it seems that government agencies use a concept that we assume is more characterised by ideological rhetoric than by conceptual preciseness.