Utbildning & Demokrati – tidskrift för didaktik och utbildningspolitk

Diskursiv institutionalism och dess bidrag till läroplansteoretisk forskning

Andreas Nordin — Wed, 14 May 2025 00:00:00 +0200

Discursive institutionalism and its contribution to curriculum research. This article develops the argument that discursive institutionalism is a constructive contribution to curriculum research. Starting from the linguistic turn in curriculum theory, it is argued that discursive institutionalism contributes to curriculum research in at least two ways: First, it contributes to the understanding of the institutionalisation of curriculum discourses, and second, it contributes to the analyses of the interactions within and between curriculum arenas and institutional levels. The article concludes that in combining an interest for discursive interaction, discursive content and the actors involved in interactions, discursive institutionalism enables dynamic analyses of both curriculum change and continuity.

Educational Encounters as Emancipatory

Kristine Hultberg Ingridz — Wed, 14 May 2025 00:00:00 +0200

This article explores how teaching and play are conceptualised in Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC). It draws upon previous research to highlight a linguistic challenge related to “the talk of” and the prevalent logic of distinction. Specifically, it addresses how play and teaching, as fundamental concepts in ECEC, tend to create a division between children and educators, known as a logical distinction. To address this concern, the article uses relational theory and the concepts of being and becoming to provide an alternative way of discussing play and teaching in ECEC that transcends this logic of distinction. This alternative language emphasises freedom in the educational interactions between children and educators, thus moving away from the conventional dichotomy observed in the conceptualisation of play and teaching in ECEC.

Democratic education online

Pia Mikander, Katarina Rejman, Jenny Högström, Anna Slotte — Wed, 14 May 2025 00:00:00 +0200

Education plays a key role in democracy. Nonetheless, while Finnish teachers are positive about educating for democracy, they feel that they lack the right resources to achieve this and tend to exhibit a passive approach to participation. The study contributes to the discussion on democratic education through teachers’ reflections on remote education. Through an analysis of teacher interviews conducted in Swedish-medium schools in Finland during 2021, we asked how teachers framed questions of democracy in the context of remote teaching. Our thematic analysis discusses teachers’ views of democracy in the remote classroom and presents three themes: changed roles and power relations, safety and digital sabotage, and digital dystopia. Teachers displayed varied understandings of democracy in education. We welcome further discussion within the field of democratic education on the meaning of developing democracy in a digital age and the role of schools and teachers in this development.

Möjligheter till kunskap om och förståelse för de svenska nationella minoritetsspråken

Yvonne Hallesson, Pia Raattamaa Visén — Wed, 14 May 2025 00:00:00 +0200

Opportunities for developing knowledge and understanding of Swedish national minority languages. An analysis of tasks and linguistic examples in upper secondary school textbooks in Swedish. The aim of this article is to examine how tasks and linguistic examples in upper secondary school textbooks in Swedish may contribute to students’ knowledge about, understanding of and empathy towards the Swedish national minority languages and the minority language situation. The study adopts a postcolonial perspective and regards tasks and linguistic examples as paratexts that may influence how content is understood. The results show that various types of tasks are present, which may contribute to students’ knowledge, understanding and empathy in different ways. Another finding is that the minority languages are primarily represented through everyday phrases and loanwords from them used in Swedish. However, differences in representations are noticeable, both between textbooks and between languages. The results have pedagogical implications, as different opportunities for developing knowledge and understanding of the national minority languages and the language situation are offered.

Praktiknära forskning och lärarutbildningens forskningsbas

Annaliina Gynne, Max Jakobsson — Wed, 14 May 2025 00:00:00 +0200

Practice-oriented research and research base in teacher education. A discourse analytical case study. The aim of the article is to analyse how a discourse focusing on practice-oriented research as a tool to develop the research base in teacher education emerges in Swedish national educational policy and is transformed at a local university level. We focus on the discourse as connected to university-internal calls for related to practice-oriented educational research. The empirical materials analysed comprise local policy documents and interviews with decisionmakers at the university. The study is inspired by Foucault’s discourse theory, in particular the notions of knowledge, truth and power. The results highlight a discursive movement of taken-for-granted ideas about what practical research should be and how it should contribute to teacher education. Moreover, the discursive construction of power relations on the local level is analysed. Finally, we argue that the seemingly positivist discourse on practice-oriented research as a solution for strengthening research base holds several ideological and practical challenges for universities.

Förskolesektorn, FoU-program och ULF-projekt utifrån den didaktiska vem-frågan

Ingegerd Tallberg Broman , Ann-Christine Vallberg Roth — Tue, 22 Apr 2025 00:00:00 +0200

The Swedish preschool sector, R&D programmes and ULF projects based on the didaktik ‘who’ question. The study examines the Swedish preschool sector and its governing school authorities in relation to participation in R&D programmes and ULF projects, using the didaktik ‘who’ question. ULF stands for Education-Learning-Research. The material is based partly on Statistics Sweden’s figures and partly on information from final reports and websites of R&D programmes and ULF projects. An abductive analysis was conducted, where an extended didaktik model is proven, with school authorities included in the didaktik ‘who’ question, as well as the concept of pedagogical-didaktik segregation. The results show that: 1) Of the 2,262 school authorities (290 municipal, 1,972 independent), only seven independent authorities participate in R&D programmes and ULF projects. 2) Municipalities with higher education levels are more engaged in these initiatives. 3) Collaboration in R&D programmes and ULF projects appears to reinforce pedagogical-didaktik segregation. The study highlights a distinctly segregated ‘who’ question regarding participation in these programmes and projects.

Inkludering, demokratins kärna

Peter Karlsudd — Wed, 14 May 2025 00:00:00 +0200

Inclusion: The Core of Democracy. This essay discusses the relationship between democracy and inclusion within the Swedish education system. By reflecting on Dewey’s views on democracy, arguments are made for inclusion as a central component in creating a democratic school environment and, ultimately, a democratic society. The essay highlights the challenges facing the Swedish education system, such as segregation and inequality resulting from reforms and school choice policies. Furthermore, the weakening and dilution of the concept of inclusion over time are explored, with the suggestion that defining and discussing its various forms can help clarify its primary meaning. Additionally, different special pedagogical perspectives are presented, focusing on the importance of an inclusive environment that benefits all students, regardless of their needs or backgrounds. When the concept of inclusion is valued and interpreted so differently, it becomes crucial to critically examine its use and consequences. Are the various interpretations of inclusion aligned with the vision of a democratic society, or does the weakening of the concept risk undermining its potential to create equitable and inclusive school environments?

Redaktionellt

Redaktionen — Wed, 14 May 2025 00:00:00 +0200