This study is based on a qualitative content analysis that problematizes views on controversial issues in teaching. The purpose of this study is to analyze the pedagogical strategies proposed by research in the teaching of controversial issues. The qualitative method gives me the opportunity to describe and examine the content of the text. This study is based on eight scientific articles and the information on these articles are not meant to be generalize controversial issues in teaching, since the articles do not represent all researchers' opinions on which strategies are most suitable in a classroom. This study problematizes the articles in relation to terms of prejudice, multiculturalism and diversity. These terms will help to explain why controversial issues occur and why it is important to have an open and inclusive environment in the classroom. The result shows that some teachers, in the research in question, discuss controversial issues from an ethnocentric perspective and conflicts are explained by ethnic diversity. The result also shows that some teachers embrace different strategies to meet the controversial questions that occurs in the classroom. One strategy that the articles highlight is the teacher’s willingness to raise different perspectives for nuancing the image of Islam and Judaism. Another strategy that the articles highlight is to tone down the conflict perspective by highlighting similarities between the Abrahamic religions. Furthermore, the results show that there is a controversial perception among the students in the research that Muslims are portrayed as terrorists, religious fanatics in the media. For this reason, students need to be taught controversial issues to balance the one-sided picture of religions that the media provides, where the teachers uphold an intersectional perspective in their teaching.

Studiens syfte är att utifrån forskning undersöka hur lärare kan arbeta för att inkludera nyan- lända elever i samhällskunskapsundervisningen för årskurs 4–6. För att få svar på frågeställ- ningarna i studiens syfte har en litteraturöversikt av forskning genomförts. Relevant forskning har varit antologier och vetenskapliga artiklar. Likvärdigheten är bristande i den svenska skolan och många nyanlända elever är varken delaktiga eller inkluderade i skolans alla ämnen. Sam- hällskunskap är ett komplext ämne och för många lärare uppstår svårigheter i att bedriva under- visning. Lärare kan därför få svårt att avgränsa sig på grund av ämnets breda innehåll. Vidare väljer många lärare att antingen fokusera på kunskapsuppdraget eller fostransuppdraget, vilket blir problematiskt då båda har en betydelsefull roll. Människor rör sig över nationsgränser vilket påverkar samhället men även den svenska skolan. Resultatet i genomförd litteraturstudie har visat att det finns många faktorer som påverkar inkluderingen av nyanlända elever i samhälls- kunskapsundervisningen. De påverkande faktorerna är nyanlända elevers erfarenheter men även deras språk-och ämneskunskaper. Resultatet tar också upp vikten av ett holistiskt synsätt i undervisningen.

The development of database systems is moving more and more towards handling large quantities of data, also known as Big Data. New database systems have been developed both within NoSQL and the newer system architecture called NewSQL used to tackle the problems that arise with Big Data. NewSQL is becoming more popular due to its ability to handle the security behind data transactions and simultaneously offer scalability. This has led to database systems constantly being optimized. This report goes into detail on how the handling of datatypes affect how database systems are built based on their architecture and code base. 

An experiment was conducted on two NewSQL databases, VoltDB and CockroachDB. The purpose of the experiment was to find out how datatypes can be optimized based on time differences in datatypes and then present causes to those time differences. There were clear time differences which showed what datatypes were fastest. When analyzing the codebase and architecture it became clear that VoltDB handles datatypes when compiling while CockroachDB does so during execution.  Another potential reason is that the time differences have to do with their differences in architecture. 

This report has, with the available resources, started to build the foundation for a better standard in how datatypes can be implemented in code to increase the performances of database systems. More research is required due to time constraints that can strengthen and expand the results reached in this paper.

Background: Self-efficacy predicts school achievement. Participation is important for life outcomes. Functioning affects to what degree you can participate in everyday life situations. Participation-related constructs such as self-efficacy and functioning work both as a means of participation and as an end outcome. Learning takes place in this interrelationship. How relationships between participation and these constructs vary, depending on whether impacted by disability or not, how they develop over time and outcomes of these processes need to be explored.

Method: In this three-year longitudinal study developmental processes of student self-efficacy (PE specific and general), aptitude to participate and functioning were explored. The context is school-based Physical Education (PE) in mainstream inclusive secondary school in Sweden. Data was collected from student and teacher questionnaires and observations of PE lessons. Students self-rated their perceived self-efficacy, aptitude to participate and functioning in school years seven and nine. Teachers self-rated their teaching skills. Student engagement, teaching behaviors, interactions and activities in Swedish school-based PE were observed in year eight. Relationships between the constructs and how they develop over time were studied in a total sample of 450 students (aged 12,5-15,5). Specifically focusing on three student groups, students with diagnosed disabilities (n=30), students with low grades in PE (n=36), and students with high grades (n=53) in PE.

Results: Adapted instruments to measure self-efficacy (PE specific and general), aptitude to participate in PE, and functional skills (physical and socio-cognitive were developed and validated. PE specific self-efficacy is closely related to the aptitude to participate and has effects on student engagement and general self-efficacy. Over time PE specific self-efficacy increase in adolescents, but students with disabilities initially responded negatively if their PE teachers rated their teaching skills high. They were also more sensitive to the social environment, which was associated with PE grades over time. During this time the relationship between perceived physical functional skills and PE specific self-efficacy accelerated for students with disabilities. They were observed to be equally highly engaged in PE lessons as their peers. However, students with disabilities were observed to be closer to their teacher and tended to be less social and alone than their peers. Observed teaching skills as measured by level of alignment with syllabus, and affective tone when giving instructions showed differences in complexity and efficiency. Students in the study sample were more engaged in high-level teaching and were more frequently in communicative proximity to their teacher. In conditions of high-level teaching, teachers gave more instructions and used more materials for teaching purposes. Lessons were more often structured into whole group activities and lessons were more focused.

Conclusion: PE specific self-efficacy measures students’ perceived knowledge and skills in PE and is related to students’ aptitude to participate, general self-efficacy and functioning. The overall findings imply that the developmental processes of perceived self-efficacy (PE specific and general), aptitude to participate and functioning differ between the student groups. PE specific self-efficacy and socio-cognitive functioning improve over time in all groups. Stronger associations of PE specific self-efficacy with aptitude to participate and functional skills, and weaker with general self-efficacy were found in students with disabilities compared to their typically functioning peers. Individual factors are vital to learning, but students with disabilities seem to be more sensitive to environmental factors than their peers. The aptitude to participate declines in students with disabilities, probably due to their experience of having physical restrictions. However, while participating in PE, they were similarly relatively highly engaged as their typically functioning peers. Instructions in PE indicate differences in complexity and efficiency of PE teaching. More complex lesson content requires more  instructions and more purposeful materials. Time was used more efficiently in high-level teaching conditions. Lessons were more focused and had more flow, leaving students with less time to socialize. Space was also used more efficiently, and teachers were closer to their students. Indicating that more individual support, feed-back and feedforward was provided. Students with disabilities were more frequently close to their teacher than their typically functioning peers. The use of more whole group formats indicate that teaching is more differentiated in high-level teaching. When activating students physically, teachers may choose simpler self-sustaining activities, i.e. sports games. Small group formats may be used for individual development of motor skills or drills.

Boken vänder sig till alla som önskar en introduktion till inkaimperiets historia och Francisco Pizarro. Det här en populärhistorisk berättelse och historiedidaktisk betraktelse om Francisco Pizarros dramatiska liv. I boken redogörs också för en medicinsk undersökning av hans kvarlevor. Kanske tillhör händelserna kring Pizarros liv de mest märkliga i historien. Inte minst mot det som utspelade sig den 16 november 1532. Oddsen den dagen var statistiskt och militärt sett rena dårskapen för Pizarro och hans män, då det gick en spanjor på 200 inkakrigare i den uppgörelse som väntade.

Bokens syfte är dels att du som läsare ska få en uppsatsidé, dels att den ska ge en intressant läsning. Den vanligaste frågan som jag får av studenter på ämneslärarprogammet i historia inför uppsatsskrivandet är - Vad ska jag skriva om? Frågan är inte dum, irrelevant eller obefogad, tvärtom. Många gånger kan man som student få känslan av att det mesta är utrett i historien. Inget kan dock vara mer felaktigt! Det finns mängder med händelser kopplade till det mest skiftande material som ligger och väntar och som det inte har skrivits om. Det gäller bara att ha sinnena öppna för idéer. Samtliga berättelser är författade av mig och framsprungna ur min nyfikenhet över att ta reda på vad som egentligen hände. Det var inte textproduktionen primärt som stod i fokus, utan intresset och vetgirigheten över en outforskad händelse. Det är den bästa drivkraften i skrivprocessen när du står inför frågan - Vad ska jag skriva om?

Seminariepass 1b 1:

Forskningscirkeln som kollaborativ ansats för lärares kompetensutveckling

I den här studien presenteras samlad kunskap från ett projekt där lärare, genom forskningscirkeln som kollaborativ ansats, har genomfört undersökningar i praktiken. Forskningscirkeln som ansats har sin tradition i folkbildningen och bygger på emancipatoriska ideal, vilket innebär att lärare och pedagoger driver och utvecklar kunskap om frågor som de själva är intresserade av att undersöka. Ansatsens teoretiska hemvist är aktionsforskning och i synnerhet den inriktning som benämns som deltagarbaserad aktionsforskning (Participatory Action Research, PAR). PAR är ett samlingsbegrepp för de forskningsmetoder där människor som ingår i ett specifikt sammanhang, såsom skola, observerar, studerar och utvecklar praktiken tillsammans. Utforskandet av praktiken sker kollaborativt vilket innebär att forskningscirkeln sker i skärningspunkten mellan högskolan och skola och där kunskap samproduceras mellan lärare och forskare (Persson, 2008), (Lahdenperä, 2014). Handledarens roll är att vara gruppens facilitator och att bidra med att teori och praktik möts.

Syftet med presentationen är att visa vad det kan innebära att utveckla systematisk kunskap med forskningscirkeln som ansats men också att diskutera forskningscirkelns potential som möjlig kompetensutvecklingsmodell för lärare och pedagoger. Detta görs utifrån presentatörernas erfarenheter från att vara handledare i forskningscirklar. Att delta i en forskningscirkel innebär att ständig bli utmanad av andras erfarenheter för att få syn på för-givet-tagna tankar om pedagogiska frågor. Detta sker i dialogisk form där både deltagare och handledare lär av varandra. Frågan som adresseras är:

vilken funktion fyller forskningscirkeln som potentiell ansats för lärares kompetensutveckling på vetenskaplig grund och beprövad erfarenhet?

Miljöpartiet de Gröna är ett parti som på relativt kort tid etablerat sig i svensk politik. Mellan 1982 och 2013 har de antagit nio program som var och ett definierar vilken politik de velat föra vid respektive antagningstillfälle. Den här studien avser att undersöka på vilka sätt historia brukas i dessa program samt hur bruket förändras över tid. Studien är en kvalitativ textanalys som utgår från Karlssons typologi för historiebruk. Resultatet av undersökningen visar på ett utbrett pedagogisk-politiskt bruk och ett fåtal exempel på ideologiskt- existentiellt- och moraliskt bruk. Historia brukas framförallt i inledningen av stycken men även när den egna rörelsen ska beskrivas. Programmen bär spår av sin samtid och det finns trender i hur vissa historiebruk till- och avtar där det tydligaste är en ökning av ideologiskt historiebruk i de två yngsta programmen.

Ever since the foundation of the European Union, the idea of a common European identity has existed. Both the EU and Sweden have tried to make this idea come into fruition – however, previous research indicate the difficulty in defining this concept. In the Swedish curriculum for upper-secondary school, there is a formulation regarding developing the students’ European identity. Due to its difficulty to define, it raises the question regarding how teachers themselves conceptualize a European identity, which explains the main purpose of this study. Another objective was to investigate teachers reasoning regarding the potential possibilities and challenges when teaching about a European identity.

Therefore, a qualitative interview study was conducted where seven active civics teachers were interviewed and analyzed using a social identity theory. The results of the study pointed to a lack of consensus among the teachers regarding what aspects to include in a European identity. Secularism, multiculturalism and the continent’s history emerged as the most prevalent aspects; however, each aspect was continually disputed by every teacher. There was also a lack of possibilities presented. EU and identity were the most obvious in terms of core content, but it requires a certain interest from the teacher. The interviewed teachers brought up several challenges, including its difficulty to define, its uncomfortable nature and, above all, its absence from the course curriculum. This effectively sidelines the European identity from making any significant appearance. The national and global identity are present in the course curriculum and are therefore given a higher priority.

I denna kvalitativa intervjustudie har syftet varit att undersöka hur fem gymnasielärare i samhälls­kunskap förhåller sig till de egna åsikterna i undervisningen om politik och politiska frågor. Huruvida lärare bör vara transparenta eller förtegna med sina personliga politiska åsikter i under­visning förefaller vara en fråga i vilken meningarna går isär. Studien har syftat till att genom empirin explicitgöra de olika hållningar som lärarna intar i undervisningen och hur dessa motiveras av lärar­na. Vidare har lärarnas uppfattningar om hur de olika hållningarna påverkar undervisningen och elevernas politiska uppfattningar undersökts. Ásgeir Tryggvasons använder begreppen objektivitet och neutralitet för att beskriva hur lärare kan förhålla sig till de personliga åsikterna i under­visningen. Dessa begrepp graderas i stark och svag. Neutral är den lärare som är förtegen med de egna åsikterna i undervisningen. En objektiv hållning är liktydigt med en lärare som är transparent med vad denne tycker men som bedriver en allsidig undervisning. Dessa hållningar har fungerat som det teoretiska ramverket för uppsatsen och har använts som ett verktyg för kodning och tema­tisering av det empiriska materialet. De hållningar som explicitgjorts hos de enskilda lärarna visar på en mångtydighet och komplexitet. Samtliga lärare, förutom en, diskuterade för- och nackdelar med både en starkt neutral och en svagt neutral hållning. De undersökta lärarna har utifrån sina övergripande hållningar sorterats in i tre olika grupper. Två av lärarna föredrog en starkt neutral hållning i kombination med en starkt objektiv hållning. Den andra gruppen består också av två lärare, vars hållningar kan etiketteras som starkt objektiva men svagt neutrala. En av de undersökta lärarna har fått utgöra en egen kategori. Denne har en svagt neutral hållning och den objektiva hållningen kan beskrivas som kluven mellan både stark och svag objektivitet.

Denna studie är baserad på vetenskaplig litteratur. Studien syftar till att sammanställa hur didaktisk forskning framhåller användandet av skönlitteratur i de samhällsorienterande ämnena i årskurs 4 – 6. Studien är baserad på fyra frågeställningar. De är utformade utifrån de didaktiska frågorna vad, hur, varför skönlitteratur bör användas och för vem. All forskningslitteratur till denna litteraturstudie har samlats genom olika databaser. Resultatet av forskningen visade att användandet av skönlitteratur i de samhällsorienterande ämnena kan ha en positiv inverkan på eleverna. Detta främst för att de utvecklar förståelse för sig själva men även för andra. Dock kan fel val av litteratur leda till motsatt effekt.   

This study intends to examine on how teachers relate to digital games as a teaching method in the subject of history. In the study, five history teachers were interviewed with the aim of getting answers on the extent to which history teachers use digital games, what opportunities and difficulties they see with digital games in history teaching and whether one can benefit from digital games to increase students' history awareness. According to the results, there are many similarities with the previous research, especially when it comes to disadvantages. The respondents mainly mention the lack of time and knowledge about digital games. Just like research, they mention that larger commercial games are not adapted to be implemented in history teaching but are created as leisure activities and for entertainment. Smaller digital games such as Kahoot are used today with the argument that they are easier and do not need very long planning time. However, there are exceptions in the informants' answers, where a history teacher has used the commercial game Assasins´s Creed, but not for the purpose of the students playing the game. Instead, the teacher has used the game because of its richness of detail, as the teacher believes that this story game is in many cases a better contrast to reality than most documentaries and feature films. It also, according to this respondent, creates a clearer historical awareness among the students. The interviewees all agreed that if a history game is to be applied in today's history teaching, a certified material is required, as well as game-developers who create history games linked to the national curriculum.

The term Special school [särskola] was established in 1955 in Sweden and has been registered in the Education Act since 1985. The special school is a form of education in addition to the regular schools and is intended for students with intellectual disabilities who are not considered to be able to follow the regular teaching. The teaching in the special school shall to the greatest extent correspond to that which is conducted within the regular school. The purpose of this study is to research active special teachers' subjective perceptions and experiences in different parts of their work within the special school. The purpose is also to answer the questions that form the basis of this study, which covers how teachers in their teaching relate to the curriculum, how they work to encourage the students’ knowledge development and how the Social Studies subject [samhällskunskap] is expressed within the special school. The study assumes a theoretical starting point from phenomenological theory as it examines active special teachers' subjective experiences and perceptions of different situations related to learning within the special school. The method adopted for conducting the survey is a qualitative interview study with an inductive methodical approach. What emerges from the interviews is a shared positive attitude towards the prevailing curriculum and its focus on knowledge. The respondents also have the opinion that the social studies subject is very important for the students but that it can be problematic due to abstract content that must be broken down to an appropriate level. Furthermore, there is a general perception that teachers to a large extent use the curriculum as an anchor for their teaching. This is also sometimes perceived as problematic as the curriculum and its evaluation criteria are perceived as diffuse. The knowledge development work is perceived as a great challenge, but still an important part of the work. Challenges lie in motivating individual students, finding a balance in the teaching that is suitable for all students and formulating achievable, assessable and time-limited goals. The teachers also emphasize that it is also important to involve the students in the development through constant communication in the form of formative assessment, feedback and positive reinforcement in the process of their development.

Ingress: Vad säger kontaktannonserna om olika generationers drömmän respektive drömkvinnor? En ny avhandling i ämnet visar intressanta mönster, skriver Carl-Johan Svensson, lektor i didaktik med inriktning på historia vid Högskolan i Jönköping.

Conspiracy theories are common in both local and international contexts. These theories offer simple explanations to complex problems and events, and they can have negative consequences for individuals and society. This study examines the experiences and perceptions of six high school teachers regarding conspiracy theories within social studies education through semi-structured interviews. The purpose of the study is to shed light on the teachers' experiences of conspiracy theories in their professional roles, the strategies they perceive as useful in handling conspiratorial beliefs, how they respond to students expressing such beliefs, and the conditions they perceive to have in dealing with conspiracy theories in their teaching. The results of the study indicate that teachers perceive conspiracy theories as a growing problem in upper-secondary school and they address this issue by attempting to strengthen students' familiarity with authoritative and trustworthy sources. The results also showcase that active inclusion of conspiracy theories in the classroom can attract students to these theories, but it can also provide an opportunity to spark interest and equip students with knowledge and skills if the theories are approached correctly. Furthermore, the teachers recognized the importance of developing students' critical thinking skills and suggested non-confrontational approaches when responding to students expressing conspiracy theories. They also noted that the response to a student would vary depending on whether the student expresses controversial conspiratorial content. Regarding the teachers' conditions to handle conspiracy theories, they identified the need to broaden and deepen the area of source criticism, as well as the necessity for more time, space, collegial collaboration, as well as professional development to enhance their understanding of effective strategies.

This study aims to examine upper-secondary school students' experience of music and song lyrics as a didactic tool within the social studies subject. Furthermore, the study aims to increase the understanding of factors that affect students' experience of the aesthetic learning process. The theoretical framework is based on two conflicting theories about how teaching and teachers should relate to the students' life worlds. Eight interviews form the basis of this study's results. The interviews were preceded by a lesson where music was integrated as a part of the teaching. The results indicate that the students' experience of music and lyrics in social studies teaching, were to a large extent linked to a multitude of factors. Aspects such as the student's learning preferences, life world, personality, interests and motivation appeared to be significant factors that affected their experience. The method seemed to make the largest difference for students with both low internal and external motivation. On one hand the study highlights the differences in the students' experience and opinions on teaching in general. On the other hand, the students unanimously described good teaching to be characterized by varied and student-active methods in combination with lucidity and structure.