Swedish Student Teachers Research Articles

Swedish student teachers’ perceptions of consequences of the teacher shortage for their future profession

The current teacher shortage is a global phenomenon, and it has spurred research from various perspectives. However, there is limited research on student teachers' perceptions, in particular in the Nordic countries. This study, therefore, is based on 75 student teachers' perceptions of the teacher shortage and its consequences for their future profession, their students, and society at large. Empirical data was analysed with reflexive thematic analysis and following Bronfenbrenner's ecological systems theory. The answers show great concern from all three perspectives. The conclusions are that the teacher shortage must be understood and addressed on a broad front that includes student teachers.

Motives for becoming a teacher, coping strategies and teacher efficacy among Swedish student teachers

ABSTRACT The current study examined whether different motives for entering teacher education and different coping strategies in distressful situations during teacher training were associated with teacher efficacy among student teachers. A sample of 517 Swedish student teachers completed a questionnaire. According to the findings from multivariate regression analysis, student teachers who scored higher in intrinsic and altruistic motives and cognitive restructuring, and lower in self-criticism, tended to show greater teacher efficacy.

Online Surveillance and Education for Digital Competence

Digital competence has become increasingly important in modern societies and is today central to the possibility of participating on equal terms as a citizen in a contemporary democracy. Thus, it is now stressed as a crucial learning objective, nationally as well as internationally. One pervasive consequence of the digitalization of society is the facilitation of intrusive online surveillance: when we are online, we leave traces that provide useful information to companies, organizations, and individuals, who can collect, process, use, and share this information. The purpose of this article is to reveal the need for an increased awareness of the surveillance aspect of digitalization in teacher education and schools. The argument is partly based on a questionnaire survey with 560 current and former Swedish student teachers, about online behavior and privacy. The results indicate that Swedish teachers in general need to further their digital competence in order to be able to appropriately aid their pupils in developing digital literacy. Given that Swedish student teachers can be expected to possess a comparatively very high level of digital competence, we think it is safe to generalize this point to comprise teachers in many other countries as well. We argue that an awareness of the surveillance aspect of digitalization is crucial to being a cognizant citizen in a democratic society, and that it should therefore constitute a natural part of education for digital competence. Keywords: education for digital competence, digital competence, education for digital literacy, digital literacy, digitalization, online surveillance, soft surveillance, surveillance, surveillance culture, privacy

Student teachers’ common content knowledge for solving routine fraction tasks

This study focuses on the knowledge base that Swedish elementary student teachers demonstrate in their solutions for six routine fraction tasks. The paper investigates the student teachers’ common content knowledge of fractions and discusses the implications of the findings. Fraction knowledge that student teachers bring to teacher education has been rarely investigated in the Swedish context. Thus, this study broadens the international view in the field and gives an opportunity to see some worldwide similarities as well as national challenges in student teachers’ fraction knowledge. The findings in this study reveal uncertainty and wide differences between the student teachers when solving fraction tasks that they were already familiar with; two of the 59 participants solved correctly all tasks, whereas some of them gave only one or not any correct answer. Moreover, the data indicate general limitations in the participants’ basic knowledge in mathematics. For example, many of them make errors in using mathematical symbol writing and different representation forms, and they do not recognize unreasonable answers and incorrect statements. Some participants also seemed to guess at an algorithm to use when they did not remember or understand the correct solution method.

Differences in Norwegian and Swedish student teachers’ explanations of solutions of linear equations

This study draws on data from 146 Norwegian and 161 Swedish student teachers. They were given a correct but short and unannotated solution to the linear equation x + 5 = 4x – 1. The student teachers were invited to explain the solution provided for a fictive friend, who was absent when the teacher introduced this topic. An accurate solution of this equation contains two additive and one multiplicative operation.
 There are two main strategies for solving a linear equation, ‘swap sides swap signs’ (SSSS) and ‘do the same to both sides’ (DSBS). Of the Norwegian student teachers, 2/3 explained the additive steps in the solution by SSSS, while only 1/3 of the Swedish student teachers applied SSSS. Consequently, DSBS was more frequent among the Swedish student teachers regarding the additive steps. However, in the final, multiplicative step, 3/4 of the Norwegian student teachers chose to explain by DSBS. On the contrary, among the Swedish student teachers the proportion applying DSBS for the multiplicative step of the solution decreased, and almost as many provided a deficient explanation of the final operation.
 We discuss possible reasons for differences between the nations. We also suggest how teacher educators in both countries can use the results of this study to improve student teachers’ explanations of how to solve linear equations.

Interactional role shift as communicative project in student teachers’ oral presentations

Abstract Focusing on Swedish student teachers’ oral presentations in a rhetoric class, this article studies interactional role shift as a multimodal practice. The role shifts under scrutiny concern shifting from student teacher to teacher, thus anticipating the students’ future profession. A central feature of the article is a discussion of how role shift may be conceptualised as a communicative project, thus highlighting the different modes of communication used by the students, and consequently to examine its potential as a facilitator of students’ professional and academic development. The data was collected using an ethnographical approach, resulting in a collection of 21 video-recorded oral presentations, together with other relevant semiotic resources. The data is analysed by the employment of concepts from nexus analysis and the notion of communicative projects. Through a discourse analytical approach to social action in interaction, the analysis shows how role shifts are constructed of patterns of smaller actions that add up to three primary actions: setting the scene, changing perspective, and performing the new role. These primary actions are multimodally chained together, and the results demonstrate how social actors use instructional texts in combination with multimodal recourses in order to perform their role shifts.

Beauty, memories and symbolic meaning: Swedish student teachers´ views of their favourite plant and animal

ABSTRACT In the twenty years since the first theory of ‘plant blindness’ was published much discussion has ensued concerning this phenomenon. More recent research, not only demonstrates that humans appear to favour animals over plants but also indicates a preference for mammals with forward-facing eyes. For this paper, we analysed answers to an online survey conducted with 202 student primary teachers in Sweden collected over a period of two years. We focus on two open-ended questions concerning favourite plant and animal choices and motivations for these choices. Our intention in this study was not to contrast animal vs. plant, but rather to further explore differential appreciation of plants and animals. Our findings suggest that there are large variations regarding relationships with plants and that affective connections with plant-life are translated through expressions of beauty, symbolic meaning, emotions (life-long) memories, colour, smell and size, and that similar characteristics seem to attract humans to animals. Our results – in line with arguments presented in recent studies – strongly suggest that in biological education and conservation contexts we should rely more intentionally on cultural and personal factors, utilise pre-existing experience-based human-plant bonds, and in so doing reinforce human recognition and appreciation of plants.

Swedish Student-Teachers in Digital Activities: Digital Competence Through Development-Oriented Thesis Projects

Swedish Student-Teachers in Digital Activities: Digital Competence Through Development-Oriented Thesis Projects

Swedish Student-Teachers in Digital Activities: Digital Competence Through Development-Oriented Thesis Projects

This article defines attempts using development-oriented thesis projects to increase teachers’ and pupils’ digital capability. To offer a more practice-oriented focus in the teacher education, the elementary school student-teachers were stimulated to participate in thesis projects with the purpose of developing the school events.Thirteen of the development-oriented thesis projects carried out during 2015-2018 involved testing the student-teacher’s ability to study and formulate the competence needs regarding digital learning at the practicum-school, as well as the results of carrying out activities for increasing the digital competence. The investigation is based on a review of completed thesis projects, process journals, and presentations and discussions in subsequent reports. An initial analysis of the thirteen development projects reveals two clear goal directions. One focus is on traditional knowledge goals and the other on more social goals. The outcomes clearly show that development-oriented thesis projects can be an effective way to increase the digital skills of teachers and pupils. Projects with distinct goals for collaboration and shared learning have reached further goal attainment than the projects focused more on discrete instruction and learning.When digital tools were used as a means to work with another area, for example, physical activity or democracy issues, the developed competence in digital skills became more pronounced and lasting. Digital competence is an important development area for school activities, and this study shows that development-oriented thesis projects can be an effective means toward a successful project.

Swedish Student-Teachers in Digital Activities: Digital Competence Through Development-Oriented Thesis Projects

This article defines attempts using development-oriented thesis projects to increase teachers’ and pupils’ digital capability. To offer a more practice-oriented focus in the teacher education, the elementary school student-teachers were stimulated to participate in thesis projects with the purpose of developing the school events.Thirteen of the development-oriented thesis projects carried out during 2015-2018 involved testing the student-teacher’s ability to study and formulate the competence needs regarding digital learning at the practicum-school, as well as the results of carrying out activities for increasing the digital competence. The investigation is based on a review of completed thesis projects, process journals, and presentations and discussions in subsequent reports. An initial analysis of the thirteen development projects reveals two clear goal directions. One focus is on traditional knowledge goals and the other on more social goals. The outcomes clearly show that development-oriented thesis projects can be an effective way to increase the digital skills of teachers and pupils. Projects with distinct goals for collaboration and shared learning have reached further goal attainment than the projects focused more on discrete instruction and learning.When digital tools were used as a means to work with another area, for example, physical activity or democracy issues, the developed competence in digital skills became more pronounced and lasting. Digital competence is an important development area for school activities, and this study shows that development-oriented thesis projects can be an effective means toward a successful project.

International Exchange of Ideas in Student-Interactive Videoconferences – Sustainable Communication for Developing Intercultural Understanding with Student Teachers

Abstract International communication with different digital tools is now established both at universities and in other contexts worldwide. It is therefore relevant to describe how one of these tools is used in higher education. In the present study the focus is on seminars carried out in student-interactive video-conferences on didactic and pedagogical issues with student teachers. The participants were international and Swedish student teachers at the Department of Education at a Swedish university and at two different campuses. The results are based on analyses of the students’ written reports completed after the seminars and show that the interactive video-conference is useful to establish contacts between students in different places and to develop intercultural understanding of school-related matters. The video-conference is thus a way to work with internationalization in a sustainable way in teacher education, giving opportunities for the exchange of ideas and experiences both at personal and professional levels without mobility.

Student teachers’ task perceptions of democracy in their future profession – a critical discourse analysis of students’ course texts

The education system is still important for establishing and maintaining democracy in society. In relation to this, it is reasonable to suggest that teachers’ different interpretations of their mission to teach for democracy will influence their teaching practices. The purpose of this paper is to shed light on student teachers’ task perceptions as a dimension of their professional role to teach for democracy in school. An analysis of Swedish student teachers’ course texts written as an assignment during a course focusing on democracy is conducted using critical discourse analysis as an analytical tool. The task perceptions are described according to two main discourses: as narrow and broad approaches to teaching for democracy. These two approaches are further analyzed in terms of two corresponding strategies for teacher professionalism: outside-in professionalism and inside-out professionalism. The result partly confirms earlier studies of student teachers, where narrow approaches to democracy have been found to be most common.

Executive function skills and their importance in education: Swedish student teachers’ perceptions

Executive function (EF) skills are crucial for pupils’ learning. Therefore, incorporating well-considered instructional strategies may reduce the EF demands placed on pupils with insufficient EF skills in the classroom. Hence, educators are critically positioned. In the present study, 303 student teachers answered the Mathematics Skills Questionnaire. The aim of the study was to (a) examine how student teachers rated the importance of EF skills and EF-related skills involved in pupils’ learning and (b) investigate whether there were any differences in rating between regular student teachers and special needs student educators. The results of a two-way mixed ANOVA showed a significant main effect of skill in the total sample. Follow-up tests revealed that skills such as reasoning and proof, inhibition, shifting, and creativity were rated as more important when compared to other skills. Follow-up comparison of the significant interaction effect between skill and student teacher group revealed that the special needs student teachers regarded working memory skills as more important, while the regular student teachers rated EF-related skills that are grounded in core EF skills to have higher importance. The science of learning and its educational implications are discussed.

“We Need to Give the Profession Something that No One Else Can”: Swedish Student Teachers’ Perceptions and Experiences of their Preschool Teacher Training Programme

Current research points towards preschool and qualitative pedagogical relationships as being determined and formed by a close link between care and teaching. An Early Childhood Education should lead not only towards the acquisition of knowledge within specific areas but should also enhance the  personal development of student teachers. New and creative competences need to be developed to cope with increasingly complex, changing and diversified learning environments. The crucial questions are: How well does contemporary Teacher Education prepare student teachers for their future role? Do students feel that their teacher-training programme has sufficiently prepared them for their profession? This study comprises Swedish student teachers’ perceptions and experiences of their Early Childhood Education. Data is based on 181 written evaluations by final year student teachers. Results are discussed using a theoretical framework based on the sociological concept of an “educational contract” comprising three different levels of negotiation: students’ education and their current workforce; students and their teacher training programme; students, teachers and learning in any given educational situation  https://doi.org/10.26803/ijlter.16.9.6

Professional and academic discourse – Swedish student teachers’ final degree project in Early Childhood Education and Care

In this article, we explore the scope and orientation of students’ final degree projects in the Swedish field of Early Childhood Education and Care in relation to discourses on academic writing and national higher education policies, including the national curriculum and guidelines for professional work in the early childhood sector. Titles and abstracts of 75 final degree projects were analysed with a focus on their scope, aims and research questions. The conceptual framework encompasses theories and concepts on academic literacies, knowledge structures and the linguistic tools of rhetorical ‘moves’. This study shows that the typical final degree project was based on empirical data and situated in a professional context, with the aim to explore and understand professional issues in relation to national policies and practical professional experience. We conclude that the final degree project's orientation in the field is deeply nourished by professional discourse, underpinned by national policies on early childhood education.

Moral and citizenship educational goals in values education: A cross-cultural study of Swedish and Turkish student teachers' preferences

The aim of the present study was to examine Swedish and Turkish student teachers' moral educational and citizenship educational goal preferences in values education. The participants were 198 Swedish and 190 Turkish student teachers. While Turkish student teachers seemed to be more morally committed and eclectic than Swedish student teachers, hypothesized gender differences could only be found in the Swedish sample. Whereas there was no difference in their commitment towards critical-progressive goals, Turkish student teachers expressed a stronger commitment to traditional-conservative goals than Swedish student teachers.

How Do Swedish Student Teachers Assess their Own Writing Skills in English as a Foreign Language? A Pilot Study

The present paper reports some results from a pilot project where student teachers’ ability to assess their global ability in English, as well as their writing skills, were investigated using the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR). Data was generated from a self-assessment and feedback questionnaire administered to a total cohort (N=29) of first-year students of a teacher education programme in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) for lower- and upper secondary school in Sweden. Self-assessment is a metacognitive skill that helps develop awareness of the learning process and that is said to foster learning to learn skills. This skill is considered so important that it is included in the Swedish curriculum and syllabus for languages from an early level but there is little known whether once pupils leave upper secondary school, they are able to assess their language skills with any degree of accuracy. The results indicate that though the students are fairly accurate in their assessments of their general language skills at the group level, self-assessment needs to be practiced for the students to have a realistic view, individually of their own specific writing ability as these skills do not seem to develop otherwise. .

“In biology class we would just sit indoors…”: Experiences of insideness and outsideness in the places student teachers’ associate with science

In this article we explore the places pre- and primary school (K-6) student teachers associate with their science learning experiences and how they view the relationship between these places and science. In doing so, we use ‘place’ as an analytical entry point to deepen the understanding of pre- and primary school student teachers’ relationship to science. Inspired by theories from human geography we firstly explore how the university science classroom can be conceptualised as a meeting place, where trajectories of people as well as artefacts come together, using this conceptualisation as the stepping stone for arguing the importance of the place-related narrations of science the students bring to this classroom. We thereafter analyse how a sense of place, including affective dimensions, is reflected in Swedish student teachers’ science learning narratives (collected in the form of an essay assignment where the student teachers’ reflected upon their in and out of school science learning experiences). The empirical material consists of 120 student essays. The most prominent feature of the empirical material as a whole is the abundance of affective stories about the student teachers’ experiences in natural environments, often expressing a strong sense of belonging to, and identification with, a particular place. However, the student narratives also give voice to an ambivalent valuing of the affective experiences of natural environments. Sometimes such affective experiences are strongly delineated from what the students consider actual science knowledge, on other occasions, students, in a somewhat contradictious way, stress natural environments as the authentic place for doing science, in contrast to the perceived in-authenticity of teaching science in the classroom. When student teachers explicitly discuss the classroom as a place, this was almost without exception with strong negative emotions, experiences of outsideness and alienation.

The call for more male preschool teachers: echoed and questioned by Swedish student teachers

In many countries, more men in preschools are called for. In this article, we explore how Swedish students understand the talk about recruiting more male preschool teachers, and how they agree with or challenge dominant notions of femininity and masculinity through their understanding. Interviews were conducted with female and male student teachers who were aiming at working in preschools. The results show that gender stereotypes and common-sense phrases are both adopted and challenged in the students’ discussions. Many students, both female and male, welcome male teachers because men are expected to add something to preschools. Furthermore, male teachers are widely appreciated in a way that female teachers are not. However, other students, both female and male, highlight and question the simplification that often comes with the call for more men. These students question the one-sided focus on gender. They also object to the gender division that may occur in gender-mixed work groups.

A psychometric evaluation of the Satisfaction with Life Scale in a Swedish nationwide sample of university students

The Satisfaction With Life Scale (SWLS) is an established measure of life satisfaction, a concept central to the research area of subjective well-being. The purpose of the present study was to test the psychometric properties of the SWLS using confirmatory factor analysis, including tests of measurement invariance across sex and age. A nationwide cross-sectional study was performed based on the data of 2900 Swedish student teachers. A unidimensional measurement model of the SWLS was tested and received empirical support. The results further indicate that the SWLS is invariant across sex but not across age. When scrutinizing the local fit of the model, the results indicate that item 4 and item 5 are sensitive to age and that these items may need to be rephrased. The modification indices of the model suggested an alternation of the factor structure. Hence a theoretically supported, two-factor second-order measurement model was tested. The two-factor second-order model had a superior fit compared to the unidimensional model, suggesting that the factor structure of the SWLS may have to be reconsidered. The study both expands and adds support to the existing body of life satisfaction literature.