This study aims to create knowledge about relational aspects in teachers’ descriptions of school-ageeducare teaching. With the support of the concept of pedagogical pace, the interpersonal aspectsthat emerge in the descriptions of the pedagogical meeting and the interaction between teachersand pupils are made visible. The empirical material consists of individually written reflectionswhere the teachers describe their teaching based on the didactic questions when, where, how andwhat. Based on a qualitative content analysis, three themes emerge that illustrate teachers’ pedagogicalpace in the school-age educare teaching; To lead the teaching, To follow and capture the teachingand To take joint responsibility of the teaching. The study shows that pedagogical pace is situational and immediate, and it creates different teaching situations. The descriptions illustrate how theteacher can choose to stop and respond to the pupil or ignore what happens in the joint meeting.When the pedagogical gaze is forward-looking and open towards the pupils, the school age educareteaching is described as a well-directed dance where teachers and pupils alternately lead and followand where a shared responsibility is taken through the openness and trust of those involved.

This thesis aims to make a contribution to our current understanding regarding leisure-time pedagogues’ work with children’s relationships. Here focus is placed on the collective action repertoire as expressed by two different groups of leisure-time pedagogues. The research questions addressed are:  

How do leisure-time pedagogues work with children’s relationships and how do they view such relationships? What communities do they identify? What qualities in children’s relationships do they regard as desirable?

 The theoretical framework of this study is based on Wenger’s (1998) social theory regarding learning in communities of practice, as well as Gergen’s theory of relationships as an inevitable part of human existence. Consequently, within this thesis relationships are viewed as mainly negotiated and are therefore dynamic in character. The methodological approach is ethnographic, focusing on leisure-time pedagogues’ work with and talk about children’s relationships. The study is based on data derived from eight leisure-time pedagogues divided into two different work teams of four pedagogues, covering two different leisure-time centres and involving 60 children of 6-11 years of age.  

Final analysis is based on concepts derived from both Wenger’s and Gergen’s theories, for example; action repertoire, relational qualities, communities of practice and shared interests. Results suggest that the communities of practice and the alliances that pedagogues identify are often gender-related and built on common interests. The pedagogues’ action repertoire illustrates a desire to facilitate encounters between children and promote harmonious relationships. Leisure-time pedagogues support relationships characterized by consensus, respect, confidence and adaptation to rules, whereas those marked by conflict, disharmony, breaking rules or aggressions are counteracted. Various notions emerge in pedagogues’ action repertoire based on normative thinking, where different relational competences are ascribed to children. Some children are described as relationally competent while other children, who do not adapt themselves in a desirable manner, are described as having difficulties adjusting their relational competence. The results also reveal a lack of guidelines for handling the variety of differences in children’s relationships and display the lack of a common professional language for verbalizing children’s relational work.

The aim of this study is to describe and analyze how leisure time teachers with over 30 years of experience reason about their work and professional developmentover time. Moreover, to investigate what kind of qualities that may promote a long and sustainable career in the profession.

 The theoretical framework is informed by profession theories where knowledge base and professional development are used asanalyticalconcepts (Brante, 2014). Data consists of interviews with 12 leisure time teachers. The methodological design also includes a meeting between the informants and 6 students at the end of theirteacher education.

The results show that the profession has no clear career paths which may be a reason to stay in the profession. Another reason to remain in the profession is a number of success factors identified by the informants; children, challenges, after-school pedagogy and work in teams are considered important qualities for a sustainable career in the profession. The professionals emphasize that cooperation with the school have helped to increase confidence in their own skills and professional knowledge. On the other hand, the students describe the dual task of working at both schools and leisure time centres as problematic.  Students also emphasizes that teachers' interaction with children are a part of the professional knowledge base which is based on proven experience

 Few studies so far have highlighted the leisure time teachers` work and professional development over time which can be an important question to discuss among Nordic researchers. Therefore this study is of interest and also to raise further issues that needs to be explored.

How do leisure-time pedagogues work with children's relationships and how do they view such relationships? What qualities in children's relationships do they regard as desirable? The licentiate thesis Children's social Life in leisure-time centres'. The theoretical framework is based on Wenger's (1998) social theory regarding learning in communities of practice, as well as Gergen's theory of relationships as an inevitable part of human existence. Consequently, within this thesis relationships are viewed as mainly negotiated and are therefore dynamic in character. The methodological approach is ethnographic, focusing on leisure-time pedagogues' work with and talk about children's relationships. The study is based on data derived from eight leisure-time pedagogues divided into two different work teams of four pedagogues, covering two different leisure-time centres and involving 60 children of 6-11 years of age. Ethical considerations have been made. The pedagogues' action repertoire illustrates a desire to facilitate encounters between children and promote harmonious relationships. Leisure-time pedagogues support relationships characterized by consensus, respect, confidence and adaptation to rules, whereas those marked by conflict, disharmony, breaking rules or aggressions are counteracted. Various notions emerge in pedagogues' action repertoire based on normative thinking, where different relational competences are ascribed to children. The results reveal a lack of guidelines for handling the variety of differences in children's relationships and display the lack of a common professional language for verbalizing children's relational work.

Research topic/aim This thesis aims to make a contribution to our current understanding regarding leisure-time pedagogues’ work with children’s relationships. Here focus is placed on the collective action repertoire as expressed by two different groups of leisure-time pedagogues. The research questions addressed are: How do leisure-time pedagogues work with children’s relationships and how do they view such relationships? What communities do they identify? What qualities in children’s relationships do they regard as desirable? Theoretical and methodology framework The theoretical framework of this study is based on Wenger’s (1998) social theory regarding learning in communities of practice, as well as Gergen’s theory of relationships as an inevitable part of human existence. Consequently, within this thesis relationships are viewed as mainly negotiated and are therefore dynamic in character. The methodological approach is ethnographic, focusing on leisure-time pedagogues’ work with and talk about children’s relationships. The study is based on data derived from eight leisure-time pedagogues divided into two different work teams of four pedagogues, covering two different leisure-time centres and involving 60 children of 6-11 years of age. Conclusions /findings The pedagogues’ action repertoire illustrates a desire to facilitate encounters between children and promote harmonious relationships. Leisure-time pedagogues support relationships characterized by consensus, respect, confidence and adaptation to rules, whereas those marked by conflict, disharmony, breaking rules or aggressions are counteracted. Various notions emerge in pedagogues’ action repertoire based on normative thinking, where different relational competences are ascribed to children. Some children are described as relationally competent while other children, who do not adapt themselves in a desirable manner, are described as having difficulties adjusting their relational competence. The results also reveal a lack of guidelines for handling the variety of differences in children’s relationships and display the lack of a common professional language for verbalizing children’s relational work. Relevance to Nordic educational research In Sweden more than 80% of the children between 6 and - 9 years old are enrolled in the leisure time centre. It is worth to raise questions about the leisure-time centres in a Nordic perspective and exchange experiences.

Syftet med föreliggande studie är att undersöka handledningssamtalet utifrån ett lärande perspektiv i två utvalda handledningsgrupper på en förskola. Frågeställningarna behandlar vilka förutsättningar som finns för ett lärande samtal med dialog och symetri, på vilket sätt samtalet växlar mellan egna erfarenheter, teoretiska kunskaper och värderingar, vilken kunskap som utvecklas i samtalet, vilken form av reflektion som förekommer i samtalet, samt på vilket sätt handledaren blir en medskapare till det lärande samtalet. Data består av observation med bandupptagning, enkät och loggboksanteckningar. Studiens reslutat visar att en rad grundförutsättningar, som krävs för att ett lärande samtal ska bli möjligt är tillgodosedda, på den arbetsplats som ingår i undersökningen. Handledningssamtalet tar sin utgångspunkt i en praktisk handling, man kopplar i en del fall till läroplan, men det förekommer ingen hänvisning till vedertagna teorier. Handledningsdeltagarna framhåller att de använder "egna teorier". Kunskap utvecklas i samtalet och ger förutsättningar för ett kollektivt lärande då man lyssnar på varandras berättelser och gemensamma idéer skapas. Den form av reflektion som förekommer i samtalet är när deltagarna uttrycker sig språkligt om erfarenheter och i vissa fall sker även systematiska reflektioner. Någon fördjupad form av reflektion eller självreflektion förekommer inte i samtalet. Handledaren blir en medskapare till det lärande samtalet genom att utgå ifrån ett barnperspektiv och skapa en trygg atmosfär och ett tillåtande samtalsklimat. Huruvida handledaren utmanar, ger motstånd, och konfronterar i samtalet är mer tveksamt.

The study is aimed at how teaching within school-age educare can be made visible through a LEGO project. Based on Bernstein’s socio-linguistic theory, a re-analysis is carried out. Field notes from a previously conducted study have been processed again, now with a focus on how the teachers teach and what roles they play in the project. The analysis shows that teaching within school-age educare is based on a visible pedagogy of both strong classification and framing, in line with a traditional image of instruction. At certain times, the school-age educare becomes invisible, primarily from the children’s perspective, partly because of admonitions along with maintaining the rules of the project, and partly because of the children’s sense of control whether events in the project are real or pretend. The play-oriented features in the project can be seen as a way of working, demonstrating the opportunities with school-age educare in creating behavior that explores different possibilities of knowledge. One conclusion of the study highlights the teachers’ sense of intonation, an art of teaching that requires teachers both to lead and participate in order to provide the conditions for learning. The teaching can complement the school as well as provide the conditions for pupils to obtain national goals in the long term as according to the mission of the school-age educare center.

Det självständiga arbetet har en lång tradition inom svensk lärarutbildning. I boken Att skapa en professionell identitet ges exempel på praktiknära utvecklingsarbeten som både kan komplettera och utmana en rådande uppsatstradition på landets lärosäten.

Utbildningsverksamheten står inför nya utmaningar och lärare måste få inflytande över vad den egna kunskapsbildningen ska omfatta samt kunskap om utvecklings- och förändringsarbete. Att inom ramen för de självständiga arbetena utveckla detta kunnande, främst bland studerande men även yrkesverksamma, i ett praktiknära samarbete kan vara en framgångsrik väg till ökad kvalitet.

Bokens första del återger dels en historisk tillbakablick av den praktiknära forskningens framväxt, dels en diskussion om det ökade intresset för praktiknära frågor. Även aktionsforskning som metod och inspiration i utvecklingsinriktade arbeten behandlas.

Del två skildrar ett försöksprojekt som bedrivits på Linnéuniversitet där studenter som går sista terminen på lärarutbildningen skriver utvecklingsinriktade självständiga arbeten och tillägnar sig redskap för processtänkande som ett led i systematiskt kvalitetsarbete.

Den tredje delen låter studenternas röster komma till tals. Denna del innehåller exempel på ett utvecklingsinriktat arbete samt reflektioner från studenter som genomfört sådana arbeten.

Boken vänder sig både till lärarstudenter och verksamma lärare samt till rektorer inom utbildningssektorn.

I kapitlet behandlas delaktighet och samverkan, två aspekter som med vetenskaplig grund och beprövad erfarenhet är centrala i utbildningsinriktade arbeten. Vidare diskuteras kunskapsutveckling genom dokumentation som ett led i systematiskt kvalitetsarbete samt hur studenternas professionella identitet stärks genom reflektion. 

The aim is to contribute knowledge partly about teachers views about their work with children’s belonging and inclusion in after-school educare (SAEC) partly about how the teachers approached a development work within the framework of ULF. The following research question guides the study: What do teachers emphasize and prioritize regarding their work with children’s belonging and inclusion in educational practice?

Theoretical framework

Theoretically, the study is based on Nira Yuval-Davies' (2011) theory of the politics of belonging and her analytical framework including the three inter-related dimensions: categorization, identification, and valuation.

Methodological design

Methodologically, the study is based on a participant-oriented approach based on an interactive research model (HELIX, 2009). Two groups of teachers from different after-school settings as well as their assistant principals participated in the project, all together 14 participants. The data consists of recorded conversations from a total of six group discussions in seminars, as well as two group interviews.

Expected conclusions / findings

The findings show that the teachers prioritize and highlight an activity-based work through councils to support children's participation and inclusion in educational practice. Furthermore, the group is used as a tool in the teachers’ work for children's belonging. The teachers appear to be active and present when supporting belonging and they believed in a scientific basis for their work. The two groups of teachers handled the development project in different ways, which is described in terms of inductive and deductive approach.

Relevance to Nordic educational research

Research on education provides the opportunity for exchanges of knowledge and experience between Nordic researchers. This in turn leads to exchanging experiences in developing environments to develop and test sustainable collaboration models between academia and the school or school system regarding research, school activities and teacher education.

This exploratory research focus on teaching and learning on the basis of Swedish leisure-time teachers with more than thirty years of experience. The purpose of this research was to bring to light the role of the Leisure time teachers, both in the past up to the present day and into the future. Based on important concepts for professional development, the qualities decisive for a long and sustainable career as a leisure-time teacher are sought. 

In interviews ten leisure-time teachers describe their professional careers on the following question areas: teachers, children, parents, leisure-time centers and mission. The outcomes are discussed in relation to the professional concepts of knowledge, autonomy, responsibility, collegial decision-making, confidence and trust, closing off and professional development. The results show that there are a number of success factors for why the interviewees stayed in a profession that has undergone and is subject to significant changes. Children, challenges, leisure-time pedagogy, flexibility and teamwork are considered to be important qualities. One factor that in certain cases meant that one did not change profession is that there are no clear career paths within the profession. Change that has occurred regarding the focus of the work is perceived mainly as positive. Leisure-time teachers emphasize that the collaboration with the school has resulted in greater confidence in their own mission and competence. From this research some critical research areas are revealed, such as, children’s possible perceptions of learning requirements at the leisure-time center. 

Den här studien handlar om praktiknära utvecklingsinriktade examensarbeten på programmet Grundlärare med inriktning mot arbete i fritidshem vid Linnéuniversitetet, campus Kalmar. Studiens syfte var att undersöka om, och i så fall hur, utvecklingsinriktade arbeten, efter aktionens genomförande följdes upp och utvecklades till en del i fritidshemmets vardagliga verksamhet. Den teoretiska utgångspunkten hämtades från Biesta. Studien genomfördes med 13 fritidshemslärare från sju fritidshem. Datakonstruktionen genomfördes i fyra fokusgruppsintervjuer. Resultatets fyra kategorier visar bland annat: att verksamhetsfältet upplever studenterna och deras utvecklingsinriktade arbeten stimulerande och berikande; att personalens delaktighet i de utvecklingsinriktade arbetena relaterar till hur studenterna bjuder in till deltagande; att de studenter vars utvecklingsinriktade arbeten blir integrerade i den ordinarie verksamheten visar en tydlig begynnande yrkesskicklighet, och att inre och yttre ramfaktorer som bland annat upplevelser av utvecklingsklimat och tid inverkar både på studentens och personalens möjligheter till delaktighet och genomförande av utvecklingsinriktade arbeten. Resultatet visar att fortsatta studier om ökad samverkan mellan akademi och verksamhetsfält som stöd för studenters praktiknära examensarbeten är nödvändiga.

The present study examines how teachers in school-age educare view their profession in terms of job tasks and work situation as well as their need for and attitude towards teaching assistants. The study was conducted in two stages. The first part consisted of an online survey answered by 61 school-age educare teachers. Based on the results of the survey, eight employment advertisements were constructed with different job descriptions. During a staff development day, 44 school-age educare teachers prioritized the various announcements based on their needs for an additional resource. The priorities were then discussed in seminar form. The results show that there is large variation in all the tasks performed within the framework of the school-age educare teachers professional practice which is reflected and discussed from a professional theoretical perspective. The profession’s area of responsibility is extensive, ranging from certified teaching duties to simple practical tasks that are often time-consuming. The work is, therefore, often experienced as stressful and fragmented. Clearly there are different directions of will in regards to the professional development and positioning. From the data, three types of school-age educare teachers were formed. Common to the three types that have been presented is that the task as a substitute in the school is not desirable.

This research scrutinises the question whether an education profile with development-oriented thesis projects in teacher education programs can provide an increased professional relevance without losing scientific quality. The methodology used in the survey can be defined as a participatory approach in which field work, document studies and interviews form the basis for data collection. The suggested activities that students used were development-oriented methods. Before the project's implementation, instructional texts and supplementary examination criteria were written with a view to guaranteeing scientific excellence, with the main aim of improving professional relevance. The results show that the course tutor initially had some trouble communicating disposition and structure, which meant that some of the students at first had doubts. Despite this, the summary assessment is that the development-oriented approach implemented with scientific quality enhanced the students` readiness for future professions.

Syftet med denna studie är att belysa hur ökad samverkan mellan akademi och verksamhetsfält kan bidra till ökad kvalitet när det gäller hur utvecklingsinriktade arbeten integreras i ordinarie verksamhet, deras hållbarhet över tid och deras koppling till vetenskaplig metod. Analysen utgår från teorier om organisationskultur med fokus på kulturuttrycken språk, handlingar och materialitet. Sammanlagt ingick fem olika arbetslag i studien tillsammans med de studenter som genomförde utvecklingsarbeten i fritidshemmet. Studiens fokussamtal genomfördes på skolorna. Av analysen framträder fyra framgångsfaktorer: dialog, delaktighet, förankring och vetenskaplig grund. Dessa framstår som särskilt viktiga i universitetets och kommunernas/skolornas samverkan för att man tillsammans ska kunna ge fungerade stöd till studenterna, som resulterar i ökad kvalitet i deras utvecklingsinriktade arbeten. Studenter som med rätt stöd genomför utvecklingsinriktade självständiga arbeten tränas i att omsätta innebörden av begreppen vetenskaplig grund och beprövad erfarenhet inför sin kommande yrkesutövning. 

Sedan våren 2014 har studenter på Grundlärarprogrammet med inriktning mot arbete fritidshem vid Linnéuniversitetet haft möjlighet att genomföra sina självständiga arbeten i form av utvecklingsarbeten. Bakgrunden till att erbjuda denna form av självständiga arbeten var att ge studenterna en chans att använda praktiknära och deltagarorienterade arbetssätt som även utvecklar studenternas yrkeskunnande i utvecklings- och förändringsarbete som i förlängningen gynnar elevers lärande och utveckling (se även Karlsudd, Dahl & Willén-Lundgren, 2017). Denna inriktning på det självständiga arbetet ryms inom utbildningsuppdraget, att svara upp mot kraven för en professionell yrkesutbildning där vetenskaplig grund och beprövad erfarenhet är centrala byggstenar. Det utvecklingsinriktade arbetet synliggör fritidshemmets såväl brister som utvecklingsmöjligheter och visar på värdet av arbete för en meningsfull fritidshemsverksamhet för elever med fokus på såväl rekreation som undervisning. I föreliggande studie är det övergripande syftet att studera hur ökad samverkan mellan akademi och verksamhetsfält, Linnéuniversitetet (LNU) och skolhuvudmän, kan bidra till ökad kvalitet på lärarstudenters utvecklingsinriktade arbeten. Målet är att utveckla former för hur dessa arbeten kan integreras i fritidshemmets ordinarie verksamhet och bli hållbara över tid. Studien syftar också till att undersöka hur samverkan mellan utbildningen och fritidshemmet kan stödja studenterna i deras utvecklingsarbeten. Genom praktiknära forskning, eller så kallad följeforskning, har vi tidigare följt upp hur studenternas utvecklingsarbeten har uppfattats och tagits emot i fritidshemmen (Dahl & Perselli, 2019). I Regeringens satsning på praktiknära forskning (Dir. 2017:27; SOU 2018:19) är målet främst att stärka samverkan mellan universiteten och skolväsendet, men det handlar i slutänden om att utveckla och förbättra skolans undervisning och möjliggöra elevers måluppfyllelse.

Development work as a way into the profession

Research aim

The overall purpose of the presentation is to contribute knowledge of development work as a variant of student final thesis at the programme for leasure-time teachers at Linnaeus University, Sweden. Students perform their final thesis as a development work, inspired by an action research model chosen by themselves. In this presentation, we account three qualitative studies of these student development work. The studies analyse: 1) what the students see as meaningful to change in the leasure-time centre and 2) their motives for the choice of development. The subjects discussed in these three studies are social relations, digital tools, and participation and influence. These three subjects are priority areas in both the recreation home's governing document and in current research.

Theoretical framework

Theoretical perspectives and theories are related to the subjects that are analyzed. The studies on social relations is based both on a sociocultural perspective (Wenger, 1989, Vygotsky, 2005) and a value perspective (Noddings, 2002). The studies of digital tools takes its starting point in multimodal teaching and learning (Selander & Kerr, 2017), and the studies on participation and influence is based on Thomas (2009). The three studies relate to a theory model for students' development work, prepared by Karlsudd (2017). Karlsudds theory model shows how theory and method can be an academic foundation in students’ development work.

Methodological design

Initially, we made searches in the archive Diva looking for development work in various subject areas. Twelve works in three subject areas (see above) were selected for their clear arguments for their decisions and approaches in the choice of development area. Then, qualitative content analyzes were conducted, a method described as flexible and appropriate when you seek for in-depth understanding of oral, text-based and also visual communication according to Elo and Kyngäs (2007), and Finfgeld-Connett (2014).

Expected conclusions / findings

The results of our analysis show that the students, through their actions, have formulated, solved problems and changed their activities within a designated area, independently and in cooperation with pedagogical practice. The student has opened the opportunity to practice systematic quality work by acquiring tools and developing process thinking. Some conclusions: 1) A success factor is that pedagogical practice sees the student as an asset that can contribute to a quality increase in the leisure-time center. 2) A conscious multimodal perspective could further develop students' development work. 3) The students' awareness of working life in the leisure-time center increases. For example, the possibility of working with relationships in large student groups and the possibility of all pupils for participation, security and care of peers and teachers is questioned. New issues raised: Who owns the "problem" that is the basis for the project work. Is it the practice and its teacher, only the student or both parties?

Relevance to Nordic educational research

Research on education provides the opportunity for exchanges of knowledge and experience between Nordic researchers. This will also lead to the development of environments for education and learning where students provide opportunities for development and preparation for the mission to transform and develop an internship