Utbildningsmedier i undervisningen : En studie av medieanvändning och lärande

I denna uppsats har jag undersökt vilka utbildningsmedier som används på några skolor i utvalda kommuner i Dalarnas län: Älvdalen, Orsa, Mora och Falun, samt vilken påverkan dessa medier kan ha på elevernas inlärning. Uppsatsens övergripande syfte är att bidra med kunskap om hur utbildningsmedier kan användas i undervisningen i grundskolan samt hur elevers lärande kan påverkas av medier med audiovisuell information. Denna uppsats har följande forskningsfrågor: Hur vanligt är det att olika utbildningsmedier används i undervisningen och vilka typer av medier är vanligast? Vilken effekt kan utbildningsmedier ha på elevernas inlärningsförmåga? Och hur kan mediepedagogik vara ett redskap i undervisningen? Uppsatsens frågeställningar besvaras genom kvantitativa metoder i form av en enkät och ett experiment. Enkätundersökningen visa att medier ofta används som komplettering till undervisning på dessa utvalda skolor och de medier som används mest är video/film, bild/foto och internet. Experimentets resultat tyder på att det finns elever som troligtvis lär sig bättre genom att använda medier. Detta visades då experimentgrupperna som under en lektion fick titta på en video visade större inlärning än kontrollgrupperna som endast lyssnade på en föreläsning utan stöd av några utbildningsmedier.

Kunskap för kreativitet : En undersökning av kreativitet i teori och praktik

Den här studien undersöker teoretiska definitioner av kreativitet, förhållandet mellan kreativitet och kunskap, och låtskrivares strategier för att uppnå kreativitet. Låtskrivande är den skapandeprocess som ska resultera i en färdig musikprodukt. Kreativitet innebär brytande av gamla regler och konventioner för att skapa någonting nytt. Varje musikgenre har specifika regler och konventioner för hur den ska låta och uppfattas, vilket då innebär att man måste ha kunskap om dem för att kunna skriva musik inom den valda genren. Detta kan få låtskrivarprocessen att förefalla som ickekreativ, trots att låtskrivande är känt som en konstnärlig och kreativ uttrycksform. I den här studien användes kvalitativa intervjuer för att ge svar på forskningsfrågorna. Tre erfarna och tre mindre erfarna låtskrivare intervjuades, vilka berättade om sina musikkunskaper, definitioner av kreativitet och skapandeprocesser. Resultaten visade att låtskrivarna inte uppfattade att deras musikkunskap var hämmande för deras kreativitet. Studien visade att låtskrivarna hade utvecklat specifika strategier för hur de skulle kunna skapa på rutin och få tillgång till sin kreativitet. Slutligen definierade låtskrivarna specifika faktorer som påverkade kreativiteten, som till exempel psykiska och fysiska distraktioner.  

Är Mjukvaru-EQ:s så bra som utvecklarna lovar? : En jämförelse av hårdvaru- och mjukvaru-EQ:s

I denna uppsats undersöks skillnaden mellan EQ:s som analog hårdvara och dess digitala motsvarigheter, dvs. emuleringar i pluginformat. I uppsatsen undersöks enheterna genom tekniska mätningar samt lyssningstest. I mätningarna gick det att se tydliga skillnader i övertonsdistortionen även om resterande parametrar var bra emulerade. I lyssningstesten uppfattade lyssningspanelen relativt stora skillnader mellan enheterna. Detta visar på att emuleringarna inte är så bra och exakta som utvecklarna påstår.

Vem är den ekonomiske brottslingen? : En jämförelse mellan länder och brottstyper

Who is the economic criminal? A comparison between countries and types of crime In white collar crime research two particularly competing definitions (Sutherland versus the Revisionists) have dominated the field during the last two decades. Sutherland’s definition states that the sociodemographic profile is homogeneous (entrepreneur with high education and high or regular income), despite type of white collar crime or context. The definition given by the Revisionists states that white collar criminals’ demographic profile is heterogeneous (everyone can be convicted for white collar crime). As a consequence of this divided definitional approach we have a contradictive outcome of who the white collar criminal is. Our purpose is to investigate the qualification of the two definitions by analyzing heterogeneity/ homogeneity based on crime type and national context. The investigation is based on seven countries from the EES 2004 (European Social Survey). We use four types of crime. The results show a rather homogeneous demographic profile but there is also a certain substantial heterogeneity depending on kinds of crime and context. The results altogether indicate that the Revisionists’ definition is more correct in its description of the white collar criminal than Sutherland’s definition. The demographic profile of the white collar criminal seems to be more complex than a profile confined to just one social category would be and the contextual factor has an impact on the variety of the demographic profile. An important task for future research is to hold the door open for further demographic investigations depending on the type of crime and country that the study is based on. 

Barns strategier och ekonomisk utsatthet : knappa resurser som utgångspunkt för en förhandling av positionerna i familjen

Economic hardship and children’s strategies – scarce resources as a starting point for negotiating family positions The aim of this article is to discuss how children and adolescents experience everyday life in economic hardship and how a negotiation of the family positions can be linked to these experiences. The article takes its theoretical starting point in childhood sociology, and is based on an interview study involving 17 children between the ages of 6–18 in families living on or below the limit for receiving welfare benefits. The purpose of these interviews is to explore how these children experience economic hardship at home and among friends, focusing their own strategies and agency. I argue that the financial situation in these families do indeed challenge the way that the child position is traditionally understood, which also has implications for the children’s identity work. Including children as participants in research therefore becomes crucial in order to fully understand the ramifications of child poverty. 

”En aktiemarknad för alla” : Integritet och marknadsomsorg i (själv)regleringen av den svenska värdepappersmarknaden

”A stock market for all”. Integrity and concern for the market in the (self-)regulation of the Swedish securities market This article deals with the transformation process that led to the substantial growth of the securities markets, and also led to a situation where Sweden became one of the leading countries when it comes to ordinary people investing in shares and mutual funds. The article discusses how social control and regulation of the market changed as a result of this process. A sudden and strong unanimity for knowledge tests in order for a stockbroker to be allowed to conduct brokerage, advisory services and asset management was the significant change in this transformation process. Knowledge tests were first introduced on a voluntary basis by the industry itself, but is now a mandatory requirement by the State. This article argues that the unanimity for knowledge tests best can be understood by studying the broadening of the financial markets. The broadening meant that more groups in society – with very varying capabilities – had started to place their assets in the security markets. They were encouraged to do so since this was considered to be the solution to the growing number of socioeconomic problems. This article is mainly based on market statistics and document analysis supplemented by interviews.

Fyrtiotalisterna och äldreomsorgen : massmediala konstruktioner av en ny sorts omsorgstagare

Baby boomers and elderly care: expectations in print media about a new kind of care users The Swedish baby boomer generation – known as the forties generation – has been characterized as youthful and powerful. At present, members of this generation are entering the category of old age and in about ten years they will start reaching ages where the likelihood of encountering elderly care increases significantly. The present study reports on how this expected meeting has been discussed in Swedish newspapers. Data consisted of 481 articles during the period 1995–2012 and was analyzed through qualitative content analysis. Results show that the generation was predicted to become a new type of demanding and self-conscious care users. Claims were backed by descriptions of formative events and typical characteristics that were projected onto a future as care user. Such projections tended to portray care users of present time as passive and submissive, and partly responsible for problems associated with elderly care 

En sociologisk förståelse av förlåtelse och försoning

Forgiveness and reconciliation in a sociological context Are forgiveness and reconciliation left to the theologians to define or can these concepts also be genuine concepts in sociology? In spite of the fact that sociology and social psychology have a lot of research about relationship, interaction and groups, there is not much research about forgiveness and reconciliation. This article presents the understanding of how relations can be revived, if once broken, if using these conceptions. The discussion also includes the concepts of shame and guilt and even confidence, particularly in relations where you find victim and perpetrator. The discussion is developed in a perspective of symbolic interactionism with examples from sociological research about men´s violence against women and adults, especially fathers, abuse to their daughters. In this article the perpetrator feels guilt and the victim shame and the feeling of guilt makes the perpetrator to ask for forgiveness. When hate and hard feelings have come to an end, the reconciliation can occur as a consequence of the forgiveness.

Att skola mångfalden – ett nationalistiskt försök : En analys av sverigedemokraternas diskurs om det goda samhället och den goda skolan kopplat till skolansvärdegrund

This essay attempts to examine the discourse of the Sweden democrats in relation to thevalue system of the Swedish national school.To analyse the political texts I use discourse analysis and especially the method and approachconducted by Judith Lee Bacchi. Bacchi focuses on the construction of a problem in variouspolitical discourses. When performing this kind of analysis the main question is (accordingto Bacchi): ”What is the problem represented to be?”I find that the Sweden democrats construct the ”migration politics” and the ”multiculturalpolitics” that is guiding the society as the cause of most problems in our society. To solvethe ”problems” they promote a nationalistic and a cultural racist discourse especiallypinpointing the ”Muslims” as being a problem.Since the Sweden democrats are striving to implement their discourse in the society andschool, and since their discourse already are reproduced by solar students in the classroom,I find it important to examine the essence of their particular discourse and contrast it withthe current value system of the Swedish schools.I don´t find the nationalistic and racist discourse of the Sweden democrats to correspond tothe value system of the Swedish school, mainly due to their strive to create alienation, andby labeling individuals in a reductive manner, instead of using apparent differences as asource for democratic discussions in the classroom

Film och mening : En receptionsstudie om spelfilm, filmpublik och existentiella frågor

In what ways and under what circumstances can a movie be a resource for individuals and their thoughts about existential matters? This central research question has been investigated using a both quantitative and qualitative approach. First, a questionnaire was distributed amongst 179 Swedish students to provide a preliminary overview of film habits. The questionnaire was also used as a tool for selecting respondents to individual interviews. Second, thirteen interviews were conducted, with viewers choosing their favourite movie of all time. In the study socio-cognitive theory and a schema-based theoretical tool is adopted to analyze how different viewers make use of movies as cultural products in an interplay between culture and cognition in three contexts; a socio-historic process, a socio-cultural interaction with the world and inner psychological processes. Summarizing the interviews some existential matters dominated. Matters of immanent orientation were in the foreground. Transcendental questions received much less attention. Summarizing the schema-based theoretical question, assessing which cognitive schema structures the narratives were processed through, the study found an emphasis on a combination of two main cognitive structures, person schema and self schema. Detailed person schematic cognitive processes about fictitious characters on the screen and their role model behaviour were combined by the respondents with dynamic cross-references to detailed self schematic introspections about their own characteristics, related to existential matters at some very specific moments in their lives. The viewers in the study seem to be inspired by movies as a mediated cultural resource, promoting the development of a personal moral framework with references to values deeply fostered by a humanistic tradition. It is argued that these findings support theories discussing individualised meaning making, developing ‘self-expression values’ and ‘altruistic individualism’ in contemporary western society.

Motstånd och stöd : en studie av svenska muslimska församlingar

Opposition and Support: A Study of Swedish Muslim Congregations Anti-Islamic attitudes are deeply rooted in Western Europe, and Muslims have, especially in the post-September 11 context, experienced discrimination and demonization. But how do anti-Islamic attitudes affect practicing Muslims and their congregations? The aim of this study, the first of its kind in Europe, is to present a statistically representative view of how Muslim congregations in Sweden experienced the reactions from the surrounding community. The results of the survey carried out show that according to the representatives of the local congregations (n=105) half of the congregations have experienced opposition from the local community and in 40 percent of the congregations criminal offences have been committed against active Muslims or their places of worship.  This opposition is closely connected with two types of situations: either international occurrences (i.e. terrorist bombings in, for example, London, Madrid) or local events that have emphasized the presence of Islam in the public sphere. A multivariate analysis of the results of the study shows that the strongest opposition has taken place in small municipalities with a large proportion of immigrants. However, opposition does not preclude support. On the contrary, opposition appears to have a mobilizing effect on those who support the right of Muslims to exercise freedom of religion. However, neither opposition nor support are the key factors affecting whether congregations see themselves as established in the local community. The degree of anchorage depends on the demographic composition of the congregation and on the degree of contact that the members have with the surrounding community.

After work : en longitudinell studie i arbetsmiljöns långsiktiga inverkan på sambandet mellan socioekonomisk position och äldres ohälsa

After Work. The long-term effects of work environment on the association between adult socioeconomic position and ill health among the elderly The aim of this study is to analyse the long-term effects of work environment on the association between adult socioeconomic position (SEP) and six ill health outcomes among the elderly. Data was drawn from the longitudinal Level of Living and the SWEOLD-surveys. The individuals are followed from 1968 to 1992 and from 1981 to 2002 and 2004, combining baseline information regarding SEP and work environment during the period of occupational activity with the ill health outcomes from the follow-up studies. Strongest effects where revealed when controlling for the physical work environment on the association between both measures of SEP and two of the ill health outcomes: musculoskeleta lpain and physical performance. The psychological work environment, however, explained very small parts of the associations. The results, even controlled for SEP, exposed strong direct relations between ill health and psychological work environment and rather strong relations to physical work environment. As socioeconomic position indicates a particular structural position within society it may determine the likelihood of health damaging exposures during the period of occupational activity. This study shows that the effect of work environment significantly affects ill health among the elderly. Hence, the results indicate the importance of taking measures in improving work environment during the labour-market participation period, especially since policy-makers attempt to convince workers to stay longer in the workforce.