This article is intended to contribute to greater knowledge regarding the importance of flow and the time used to perform an activity, with a focus on students’ mathematical experiences of 3D bodies. Thirty-one 9th-grade students took part in the study. Flow and variation theory was used in the analysis of lesson observations, submission tasks, audio recordings, logbooks, tests and nationwide tests. The results indicate that the selected mathematics problem is characterized by seven components, which serve as the basis for identifying intended critical aspects; a variation is evident in the balance between skills and challenges that is characterized by the critical aspects that the students discern; a variation is evident in the experience of flow that is dependent upon the students’ approach to their work on various activities; the students’ mathematical experiences are based, both short- and long-term, on discerned critical aspects and on the time spent on the activity that generates flow. Theoretical contributions as well as implications for teaching are presented at the end of the article.

The aim of the present study is to contribute with knowledge about pupils’ views upon teachers’ teaching regarding the work of counteracting sexual harassment. 28 girls and 22 boys in secondary and upper secondary school were interviewed. The theoretical framework is based on an educational perspective and directed towards teachers’ work against oppression. More specifically it deals with the relationships between teacher and pupil, teacher and the knowledge content as well as the teaching process. The concept ‘teaching’ is understood as ‘teaching acts’ that are carried out both in formal teaching situations within specific lessons as well as in informal teaching situations in between the lessons. According to the pupils, a trusting climate between teachers and pupils is an essential condition for counteracting sexual harassment successfully. The result also shows that the knowledge content usually is mediated, as in traditional school practice, from the teacher to the pupils in specific lessons. The pupils find these fact-based lessons both relevant and irrelevant. Some lessons are based on the pupils’ own experiences and on limiting gender norms in society and in school. These lessons have a dialogical approach, where the teachers and pupils learn together based on a good relationship.

Syftet med studien är att klargöra hur lärares professionella utveckling stimuleras då de planerar och genomför en Learning Study (LS) kombinerad med verktyget Content Representation (CoRe). Data består av sex erfarna lärares inspelade diskussioner under åtta träffar då de planerar och analyserar en LS bestående av två lektioner i årkurs 6 inom kemi, samt tre CoRe som lärarna skriver. I början av studien talar lärarna mest om undervisning som att fakta ska förmedlas till eleverna. När de sedan planerar första lektionen övergår deras diskussioner till hur de kan stimulera eleverna till diskussion och reflektion. Lärarna planerar både lektion 1 och 2 utifrån ett variationsteoretiskt perspektiv, men lektion 1 genomförs inte i enlighet med vad de planerat. Det är först i lektion 2 som läraren behåller fokus på lärandeobjektet och dess kritiska aspekter. Resultatet av studien visar även att en Learning Study kombinerad med CoRe stimulerar lärares professionella utveckling och ämnesdidaktiska kompetens i form av lärande nätverk enligt Clarkes och Hollingsworths (2002) modell ”interconnected model of professional growth”.

The aim of the present study was to explore teachers’ professional development when using the tool Content Representations (CoRe) to plan a learning study in chemistry, which they also implemented and analysed. The work of six experienced science teachers, all teaching at the 6th to 9th year (age 13 to 16 years), was followed at eight group meetings during one year. The teachers’ discussions during the group meetings were audio and/or video recorded. Recordings were transcribed and a thematic analysis was performed. The results show that two main approaches to teaching emerged in the teachers’ discussions, a pragmatic and a reflective approach, respectively. During the investigation period, the focus of the teachers’ discussions changed, from a predominantly pragmatic approach to a predominantly reflective approach. The results indicate that the work with CoRe and learning study stimulated the teachers to express and discuss their knowledge, beliefs and attitudes towards teaching, i.e. promoted their professional development.

The Swedish preschool curriculum emphasises preschool teachers' task to stimulate children's interest in science and technology. Technology education, however, has not always had a given place in Swedish early childhood education, and this has been associated with female preschool teachers' fear of technology. This qualitative study explores how students training to be teachers in Swedish preschool view both the technology education they themselves received during their school days and their future task of teaching technology in preschool. The study's empirical material is an assignment that the students did within their Preschool Teacher Programme. Seventy-nine students, including 77 women and 2 men, described their experiences in writing. Many students describe a boring technology education which made them, as girls, feel marginalised. However, there were also those who felt quite at ease with their technology classes. Nevertheless, the students, regardless of their former experiences, have a positive attitude towards the task of teaching technology. Technology education in preschool is viewed as something quite different from the technology education they themselves had in school. The students stress that technology in early childhood education should be something that children and preschool teachers explore together.