Didactics in school-age educare centres – An unexplored field but with distinctive views

Abstract

The background for this study is the lack of well-defined and distinct theories on didactics in school-age educare centres (SAECs). Therefore, in this study, we investigated and compared perceptions among nine professional groups employed in the field. The participants included 390 females and 102 males in Sweden, and their beliefs about didactics in SAECs were measured through a questionnaire consisting of 24 items on a 4-point Likert scale, which researchers and those related to the didactics in SAECs proposed. Descriptive statistics presented an overall picture of the various claims on a group level. The Mann–Whitney test investigated the distinctions between occupational categories. The results indicated that most of the items were relevant. Furthermore, the pupils' orientation was not taken into account enough. Didactics should be translated into SAEC practices but the transfer into practice remains unclear. Many respondents appeared to agree with all of the items to varying degrees, but least that SAEC didactics should not be related to school activities. An important result was that principals' perceptions diverged largely from those of other groups, especially regarding the relationship of didactics to the school's activities. The results partly explain that different professions the SAECs affect see the role of didactics differently.