In this paper, we study the energy consumptionof Narrowband IoT devices. The paper suggests that key tosaving energy for NB-IoT devices is the usage of full Discontinuous Reception (DRX), including the use of connected-mode DRX (cDRX): In some cases, cDRX reduced the energy consumption over a 10-year period with as much as 50%. However, the paper also suggests that tunable parameters, such as the inactivity timer, do have a significant impact. On the basis of our findings, guidelines are provided on how to tune the NB-IoT device so that it meets the target of the 3GPP, i.e., a 5-Wh battery should last for at least 10 years. It is further evident from our results that the energy consumption is largely dependent on the intensity and burstiness of the traffic, and thus could be significantly reduced if data is sent in bursts with less intensity,irrespective of cDRX support.

Using embedded atom method potential, extensive large-scale molecular dynamics (MD) simulations of nanoindentation/nanoscratching of nanocrystalline (nc) iron have been carried out to explore grain size dependence of wear response. MD results show no clear dependence of the frictional and normal forces on the grain size, and the single-crystal (sc) iron has higher frictional and normal force compared to nc-samples. For all samples, the dislocation- mediated mechanism is the primary cause of plastic deformation in both nanoindentation/nanoscratch. However, secondary cooperative mechanisms are varied significantly according to grain size. Pileup formation was observed in the front of and sideways of the tool, and they exhibit strong dependence on grain orientation rather than grain size. Tip size has significant impact on nanoscratch characteristics; both frictional and normal forces monotonically increase as tip radii increase, while the friction coefficient value drops by about 38%. Additionally, the increase in scratch depth leads to an increase in frictional and normal forces as well as friction coefficient. To elucidate the relevance of indentation/scratch results with mechanical properties, uniaxial tensile test was performed for nc-samples, and the result indicates the existence of both the regular and inverse Hall-Petch relations at critical grain size of 110.9 angstrom. The present results suggest that indentation/scratch hardness has no apparent correlation with the mechanical properties of the substrate, whereas the plastic deformation has.

Härjeåns Energi AB in Sveg is a company consisting a brand-new cogeneration plant and a biofuel plant where the company produces pellets out of wooden sawdust. Before pelleting, the sawdust is stored in a large stack. However, the company had noted that the amount of sawdust delivered to the stack minus the sawdust taken from the stack for pelleting did not add up to the sawdust left in the stack. At some point during storage and handling of the sawdust large quantities has disappeared. The purpose of this study was to investigate how and when the dry matter losses occur and the magnitude of the losses regarding two things: the dry matter losses associated with storing of the sawdust and the dry matter losses related to the handling of the sawdust. The most important goal of this study, for the company, was to create an equation that describes the amount of dry matter losses that reasonably should have disappeared from the stack depending on for how long the sawdust has been stored. Simply to be able to make a write-off of the sawdust inventory balances on a regular basis. The purpose and goals were answered by conducting a literature study on the subject, studying the company’s sawdust accounts and their way of handling the sawdust, and also by constructing two simulation models of the dry matter losses in the stack of sawdust.

Dry matter losses resulting from the storage of biomass may occur through the decomposition mechanisms; respiration, biodegradation and thermal and chemical degradation. But the storage effect on fuel quality is complex. Time of storage, climatic conditions and the geometry and structure of the stacks are some factors that affect the change in biomass properties.

This degradation, along with how the company manages the sawdust, contributes to dry matter losses. However, the largest contributing factor to the dry matter losses is the storage part. Some contributing factors are the size of the stack, if it’s been compacted and if the sawdust is stored open without coverage. When the models were built it turned out that the result was well in line with what actually had disappeared in the stack, according to the sawdust inventory, during the investigated years 2013-2017.

For example, by reducing the maximum height of the stack to a maximum of 5-7 meters and apply the last-in-first-out-method on the spruce, while the pine can be stored for a longer time, would certainly contribute to reduced dry matter losses and, consequently, economic losses.

In the future, however, more resources should be invested in research about storing the fraction of sawdust, as well as storing wood in stacks larger than a maximum height of 5-7 meters. Today there are no research at all within these two categories, but if there were, it could facilitate many energy-producing companies.

In the vocational education classroom settings, teaching and learning are done in interaction between teacher and students. This study is a part of a larger VR-funded project (dnr 2017-03552) which explores vocational learning in technical upper secondary vocational education. In our study we aim to shed light on how learning takes place in a vocational classroom at the handicraft programme (hair- and makeup stylist) in actual teaching situations. When studying how learning takes place in a vocational and educational training classroom, we can reach more in-depth knowledge about the teacher-student interaction in a narrower scale.   

The purpose is to contribute with knowledge regarding how learning takes place and can be made visible with support of the concepts critical aspects features within variation theory (cf. Marton, 2015) and how learning is done in interaction (Sahlström, 2012) between the teacher and the student(s) in the learning settings.    

Methods/Methodology

Our empirical data consists of video material of lessons in the Handicraft programme. Conversation Analysis and Variation Theory (CAVTA) are the basis of this study described by Kilbrink and Asplund (2020). To reach a more comprehensive knowledge of the what- and the how-aspects of learning, Conversation analysis and Variation Theory are merged into one common approach (cf. Emanuelsson & Sahlström, 2008). CAVTA is used as the analytical tool when analyzing the video material. 

Expected outcomes

In the data we can see that it takes about 3-7 rounds of interactions where the student gets guidance step by step, before the student reach the learning content regarding the whole makeup procedure. The teacher comes back to the students learning process and negotiates continuously during the lesson. Learning occurs through negotiating when using artefacts, embodied movements, mirrors and tools.     

References 

Emanuelsson, J., & Sahlström, F. (2008). The price of participation: Teacher control versus student participation in classroom interaction. Scandinavian Journal of Educational Research, 52(2), 205-223. https://doi.org/10.1080/00313830801915853Kilbrink, N., &

Asplund, S.-B. (2020). “This angle that we talked about”: learning how to weld in interaction. International Journal of Technology and Design Education, 30(1), 83-100. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10798-018-9490-z

Marton, F. (2015). Necessary conditions of learning. Routledge. 

Sahlström, F. (2012). "The truth lies in the detail": On student and teacher epistemic-stance displays in classroom interaction. In B. Kaur (Ed.), Understanding teaching and learning: Classroom research revisited. (pp. 79-90). Sense publishers. 

This licentiate thesis focuses on the pedagogy of practical objects of learning in technical vocational education. The overarching aim of the thesis is to contribute with knowledge of teaching and learning processes when welding teachers systematically transform subject specific contents and vocational knowing to teaching sessions in welding. With the use of the concept transformation, aspects which impact the welding education are highlighted. The thesis explores how welding teachers can visualize practical objects of learning and encourage students to display their comprehension and abilities in the teaching situations of practical objects of learning. The data has been collected from a practice-based research project, where the approach CAVTA, a combination of conversation analysis and variation theory, has served as the theoretical framework. A modified version of the learning study model has been used to develop the teaching and learning processes of practical welding education at an upper-secondary school in Sweden. 

Different perspectives of the overarching aim surface in the two studies included in the thesis.  The first study explores the teaching and learning processes when welding teachers transform subject specific contents and vocational knowing to welding teaching sessions of MIG/MAG welding. The variation of sound in relation to the object of learning, the settings of the equipment, is manifested in this study, as is the way the teacher in the interaction encourages the students to display their comprehension and abilities to set the equipment adequately.  The second study deals with a practical object of learning in the welding method TIG. Variation and interaction in the teaching and learning processes are explored in this study as well with a focus on the use of CAVTA and the learning study model.

In the findings, it is manifested how the vaguely defined subject specific contents of the curriculum, via the vocational knowing of the welding teachers, are transformed to welding teaching sessions in the workshop. The thesis shows how the teaching systematically is developed and how the teachers are supported by the theoretical framework CAVTA in combination with the cyclic design of the learning study model. A narrow focus on a defined object of learning enables the teacher to vary specific aspects of the object of learning, thus supporting the students discerning these aspects. A simultaneous focus on the interaction with the students and what the students display in the interaction supports the teacher in revising the teaching accordingly. Suggestions regarding  how to develop the learning study model in relation to practical objects of learning in technical vocational education are proposed. Implications of the study concern mainly welding education, where a systematic integration of variation theoretic principles in combination with a focus on interaction seems promising, although challenges are highlighted. The findings may also be of interest for those who want to explore teaching and learning processes in other areas of technical vocational education. 

Learning to weld in vocational education is an action research project and its purpose is to meet the demand of research regarding the relation between teaching and learning in technical vocational education.

In the research project the welding education at an upper secondary vocational school in Sweden is video-recorded in iterative cycles. The two theoretical perspectives conversation analysisand variation theory are combined and a new didactic approach is formed – CAVTA (ConversationAnalysis and Variation Theory Approach). CAVTA permeates the complete process ofthe study, where analytic tools deriving from the two theoretical perspectives have been used in the design of the teaching and in the data analysis. Learning to weld in vocational education is inspired by the learning study method but the traditional pre- and post tests have been removed. This paper focuses the second year of Learning to weld in vocational education, developing previously published material. The systematic implementation of CAVTA into welding education is in focus. The research question is formulated: How can the didactic approach CAVTA be implemented in TIG welding education?

Preliminary results of the second year of the study confirm the results of the first year. The implementation of CAVTA affects the design of the welding lessons and the evaluation of the lessons. The vocational teachers’ discussions concentrate on subject specific issues. There is an increased focus on the object of learning with its critical aspects. The discussions about how todesign the teaching to make the critical aspects discernable result in adjustment of the welding lessons. The systematic teacher and student interactions, including other semiotic resources than verbal language, gradually increase throughout the cycles.

The main implications of the paper concern the forms of teaching subject specific contents within welding education. Nevertheless, the results of the second year of Learning to weld in vocational education, may spur development of the teaching of other objects of learning. The project also contributes with knowledge in other fields, such as theoretical framework and methodology, with its combination of conversation analysis and variation theory. The collaboration between researchers and a team of vocational teachers might be of interest to anyone interested in professional development.

Transformation of welding teachers’ vocational knowing into subject-specific educational content is focused in this study. The article displays the process of a learning study, in which welding teachers make the sound visible as an aspect of making the correct settings in MIG/MAG welding and give the students’ the opportunity to display their understanding in the interaction. The aim of the study is to contribute with knowledge regarding what happens when welding teachers in a learning study systematically transform subject-specific vocational knowledge to an object of learning in the welding method MIG/MAG. 

The data consists of the welding teacher team’s documented meetings and film material from teaching situations. The complexity of subject-specific education within VET is shown with the use of the transformation concept. 

This study investigates the different arguments put forward by Swedish upper secondary students on the interconnectedness of the environmental, social and economic dimensions of sustainable development (SD). The aim is to study the diversity in views among students in order to find out whether this can be used as a resource in a holistic and pluralistic approach to ESD. The study design was based on a two-step process in which the first step was to identify students representing four different, broadly coherent, views on the interconnections between sustainability dimensions, with a specific focus on the role of the economy in SD. Thereafter, focus group interviews were undertaken with the selected groups of students representing the four different views. The findings indicate a diversity of arguments in discussions of SD and the potential that this plurality brings for perspective shifting. Moreover, the economic dimension appears as central to promoting discussions that aim to examine the overall interconnectedness of sustainability dimensions. A further conclusion is that omitting the economic dimension in ESD risks excluding the core of students’ ideas of how SD may be realized.

Proposal information 

This study seeks to investigate the experiences of teachers working as ESD-facilitators within a whole school approach project designed to implement education for sustainable development (ESD) in their schools. The program activities included school leaders, teachers, and ESD- facilitators. During a period of three school years, five schools in a municipality in Sweden took part in order to integrate ESD in their organization and teaching practice. The ESD-facilitators took part in the design of the development process, workshop activities and content, and facilitated each school’s internal work. This study aims to identify in what ways ESD-facilitators function as sustainability change agents and how contextual factors might contribute to success or form hindrances in their work.The project was designed based on teachers’ learning and collaborative and reflexive work (Desimone, 2009). The purpose was to direct the development work of the schools towards a whole school approach (Mogren et al. 2019), meaning that ESD is fully integrated in the local curriculum. The main areas of development were to increase interdisciplinary teaching with focus on ESD as holistic pedagogical idea, and that ESD should permeate the work in all levels of the internal and external organization of the school (Sund & Lysgaard, 2013), implying that the different actors in the school and its societal context (students, teachers, school leaders and the outer society) work towards sustainability (Mogren et al., 2019). An additional aim was to integrate pluralistic approaches in the teachers’ classroom practice.The project included two project leaders, who also participated as researchers in the project. Together with the school leaders and ESD-facilitators, they took a leading role in the development of the project, which included joint seminars, and meetings between project leaders and a) school leaders (across schools), b) school leaders and facilitators (within schools), and c) facilitators (across schools). The ESD-facilitators were intended to function as a link between school leader, project leaders and the teaching staff. They were supposed to support the teacher work teams in their discussions and implementation work with transforming ESD principles into practice.A recent study by Van Poeck et al. (2017) explored different change agent roles by mapping the different ways in which change agents actively contribute to sustainability. In relation to different roles, various types of learning is being made possible. The authors identified four types of change agents that position themselves in different ways along the two axes of personal detachment vs. personal involvement, and instrumental vs. open-ended approaches (to change and learning). This study investigates the views and practices of the ESD-facilitators in relation to these two dimensions. Thus, different change agent positions may be taken.The ESD-facilitators have a middle leading role in their schools, which means that they enact leading practices from a position in between the teaching staff and the school leader (Grootenboer, Edwards-Groves & Rönnerman, 2015). There is limited research focusing on practitioners who facilitate processes of professional development (Perry & Boylan, 2018). Thus, little is known about how facilitators, and particularly those who facilitate a whole school approach to ESD, could be supported to carry out their role and tasks in an effective way, and what adequate conditions and arrangements for this might be. Taken together, this implies a gap in current knowledge about ESD implementation strategies, which this study aims to help bridging.The research questions guiding the research are twofold: in the ESD-facilitators’ descriptions of their roles, functions and practices:        

• What kinds of sustainability change agent roles can be identified?
• What contextual factors are experienced as successful and/or hindering?

Methodology or Methods

After the project ended, interviews were carried out between November 2020 and April 2021 with seven ESD-facilitators from five different schools. Two of the schools had appointed two facilitators, who either focused on different programs (in upper secondary school) or on different levels in compulsory school (primary or secondary level).The interviews followed a semi-structured approach (Bryman, 2018) and included pre-defined areas concerning the ESD-facilitators’ view on: a) the long term purposes and goals of the project, b) in what ways they viewed their role in the development work in their school, and c) their experiences of factors that were of central importance in order for them to be able to perform their task effectively. Their responses were followed up by the interviewer in a flexible manner.The analysis of data followed a multi-step process. The three parts above constitute the basis for the first step of the analysis, which was performed inductively and followed a broad approach to data driven thematic analysis (Braun & Clarke, 2006). The next step was analyzed deductively, based on the typology of sustainability change agents by Van Poeck et al. (2017). In this step, the utterances connected to the ESD-facilitators’ role in the development work, together with utterances concerning their view of long-term purposes and goals of the project, were analyzed in relation to the four different types of sustainability change agents in the typology. The analysis concerning their role focused mainly on the two dimensions identified as open-ended or instrumental, and personal detachment vs. -involvement. Utterances were identified that could be associated with a specific role description under the four ideal types of change agents. Moreover, utterances of how they viewed the purpose and goal of the ESD development work were analyzed, mainly connected to how different types of change agents may enable different forms of learning (Van Poeck et al., 2017). However, research on middle leading practices as well as research of sustainability change agents emphasizes that roles and practices should be interpreted in relation to the context they are enacted within (Grootenboer, Edwards-Groves & Rönnerman, 2015; Van Poeck et al., 2017). Therefore, the analysis also focused on identifying how different contextual factors affect and enable the roles and practices of the ESD-facilitators. Thus, the final step is to look for relationships between expressed purposes and goals, roles, and what factors are experienced as promoting and/or hindering their role and mission.

Findings and conclusions 

The analysis indicates that teachers struggle with transforming ESD theory into teaching practice. The school culture has great impact on the readiness of teacher teams to engage in transformation of their teaching. The ESD-facilitator’ functions and practices are affected by the school culture and whether teacher teams are well functioning or not in terms of collaborative work.All the four roles in the typology (Van Poeck et al., 2017) were identified in their expressions, and different contextual factors were emphasized as either promoting or hindering their functions. Clear support and leadership from the school leader and the presence of a well-defined long term goal was important to provide direction and legitimize the ESD-facilitator role in schools where a broad anchoring of ESD among the staff was missing. Moreover, roles and processes became more open-ended in schools where there was room for collaborative work and reflexive discussions. In those schools where the culture encouraged collaborative work and shared agency, the ESD-facilitators pointed out their functions in mediating the process in terms of initiator, facilitator, mobilizer and/or awareness raiser (ibid.). When there was little space for collaborative work, or the culture was hindering it, the ESD-facilitator role and approach became more instrumental and it became harder to create agency and integrate ESD as a holistic pedagogical idea (see Mogren et al. 2019) among the community of teachers. Those facilitators emphasized their functions in terms of experts, councellors, managers, solution providers and exemplars (Ibid.).A challenge was how to transform ESD theories, which the facilitators expressed as abstract and far from everyday teaching, into concrete practice. In the school where a collaborative culture was present, a way to solve this was to start doing by daring to explore new ways of teaching, and then evaluate in a collaborative, open and reflexive manner

References

Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2006). Using thematic analysis in psychology. Qualitative research in psychology, 3(2), 77-101.

Bryman, A. (2018). Samhällsvetenskapliga metoder.(tredje upplagan). Liber.

Desimone, L. M. (2009). Improving impact studies of teachers’ professional development: Toward better conceptualizations and measures. Educational researcher, 38(3), 181-199.

Grootenboer, P.,  Edwards-Groves, C., & Rönnerman, K. (2015). Leading practice development: voices from the middle, Professional Development in Education, 41(3), 508-526, DOI: 10.1080/19415257.2014.924985

Mogren, A., Gericke, N., & Scherp, H.-Å. (2019). Whole school approaches to education for sustainable development: a model that links to school improvement. Environmental Education Research, 25(4), 508-531.

Perry, E., & Boylan, M. (2018). Developing the developers: supporting and researching the learning of professional development facilitators. Professional development in education, 44(2), 254-271.

Sund, P., & Lysgaard, J. G. (2013). Reclaim “education” in environmental and sustainability education research. Sustainability, 5(4), 1598-1616.

Van Poeck, K., Læssøe, J., & Block, T. (2017). An exploration of sustainability change agents as facilitators of nonformal learning: Mapping a moving and intertwined landscape. Ecology and Society, 22(2).

This study investigates the experiences of teachers working as ESD-facilitators in a whole school approach project designed to implement education for sustainable development (ESD). The project included ESD-facilitators, teachers, and school leaders. The ESD-facilitators took part in designing joint seminars and workshop activities, and facilitated each school’s internal work. This study aims to contribute with knowledge concerning in what ways ESD-facilitators function as change agents in development processes and how their work can be supported. Different types of sustainability change agents who position themselves differently along the two dimensions of personal detachment vs. personal involvement, and instrumental vs. open-ended approaches (to change and learning) have been identified in previous research (Van Poeck et al., 2017). This study investigates the views and practices of ESD-facilitators in relation to these two dimensions, and focuses on what sustainability change agent functions are enacted, and what contextual factors they experience as successful and/or hindering in their work. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with seven ESD-facilitators from five schools. Focus areas were their views on: a) the long term goals of the project, b) their role in the internal development work, and c) factors of central importance for their ability to perform their task effectively. The findings indicate that roles and processes become more open-ended in schools where there is room for collaborative and reflexive work. In schools where the culture encourages shared agency, the ESD-facilitators point to their functions in mediating the process in terms of mobilizer, facilitator, initiator, and/or awareness raiser (Ibid.). When there is little room for collaborative work, or the culture impedes it, the ESD-facilitator role and approach become more instrumental and it is harder to integrate ESD and create agency. Those facilitators emphasized their functions in terms of managers, solution providers, experts, exemplars and councellors (Ibid.). 

Challenging mathematical tasks are important for all students’ learning processes, and the demanding job of finding and developing such tasks is preferably done through teacher collaboration. Using cultural-historical activity theory, we analyze three upper secondary teachers’ collaborative learning process in choosing and rejecting tasks for a collection of challenging tasks they have agreed to develop. They collaboratively chose one task to fulfil the criteria of challenging tasks; one task was rejected as it did not fulfil the criteria, and another was temporarily rejected as not all the teachers knew how to solve it themselves. The analysis revealed a positive and open atmosphere among the teachers, with content-focused discussion highlighting mathematical content and teaching related to the tasks discussed. While their discussion showed several signs of collaborative learning, whether their work will result in changes to teaching practice remains to be explored.

Developing tasks for use in mixed-ability classrooms presents teachers with several dilemmas. By making one such dilemma an explicit object of inquiry, this study aims to capture characteristics for challenging tasks suitable for introduction or enrichment. It is based on eight teachers’ collaborative and retrospective analysis of challenging tasks developed in a combined research and school development project. Among the results are the observation that introductory tasks should have an easy entry level and not require pre-knowledge of the upcoming concept, while an enrichment task should require relatively deep conceptual pre-knowledge. It is suggested that attention to seemingly contradictory features of introductory and enrichment tasks can fuel collaborative learning processes so that they include several important aspects of tasks aimed at challenging all students. Teachers’ verbalization of task characteristics is one outcome of such a process.

In this paper, we discuss findings from two previous studies in technology education using the Learning study model and the Variation theory of learning. The Learning study is a collaborative approach where teachers and researchers work together in the classroom with the aim to enhance students’ learning concerning a specific content. In a Learning study, focus is on a specific “object of learning”, i.e. what the students are expected to learn. The aim of this paper is to show what knowledge concerning specific objects of learning in technology education is generated in a Learning study and to discuss the potential contribution of this knowledge to technology teaching practice. We will provide examples from two Learning studies conducted in primary technology education in Sweden. The findings from the studies are of two kinds; identified aspects of the object of learning that are critical in order to learn, and aspects that could be referred to the teaching of the specific content.

STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) research emphasises interdisciplinary approaches to developing skills needed for the 21st century. In this paper, we explore three aesthetically rich mathematical activities involving dance and bodily performance (e.g., creative body postures) with 6-year-old students. Supported by an embodied perspective of task design and a Deweyan view of aesthetics, we argue that a high degree of bodily engagement and a high degree of task integration allow space for creativity and imagination that may involve aesthetic dimensions. Specifically, we argue that body postures, bodily rotation, rhythm, and fluency in composite sequences of movement may connect art and mathematics in a way that treats the students as active creators of aesthetic experiences, in contrast to other STEAM approaches that do not consider bodily performance as a way of connecting art and mathematics.

BACKGROUND Informal learning environments (ILEs) like Fablabs and Makerspaces have potential to facilitate development of STEM skills. However, these environments might be difficult for teachers to adopt in their teaching because of teaching approaches grounded in constructionism where the role of the teacher changes from a transmissive instructor to an active co-creator, and using high-tech equipment not normally found in schools.PURPOSE The aim is to investigate teachers’ self-efficacy and perceived role when teaching STEM in Fablabs and Makerspaces. This is investigated related to teaching in ILEs and using high-tech equipment. The study was conducted in two countries/regions, Flanders (Belgium) and Sweden We also compare differences between teachers depending on nationality, gender, and years of teaching experience.SAMPLE A total of 347 secondary school teachers completed an online survey. Quantitative analyses was used for all questions in the survey, except one open-ended question, which was analysed through inductive thematic coding.RESULTS The teachers reported moderate self-efficacy for teaching in ILEs , and low self-efficacy for using high-tech equipment. Some teachers described themselves as having active roles as a coach or as co-learner during visits with their students. Others saw themselves as having a passive role. Many teachers did not know what kind of role to take. The teachers who perceived an active role as a teacher in high-tech ILEsreported higher self-efficacy to teach in these environments than other teachers.CONCLUSIONS This study shows that a constructionist approach to teaching is important if teachers are to develop self-efficacy to teach in high-techILEs. Thus, developing teacher practices in line with constructionism in relation to teaching in high-techILEsis imperative, in teacher education. The results also highlight that staff in Fablabs and Makerspaces are important for handling high-tech equipment. Hence, collaboration between staff in ILEs and teachers is of importance.

This longitudinal quantitative study investigated teachers' development of self-efficacy and teaching practices relating to education for sustainable development (ESD) in four compulsory schools in a Swedish municipality. The teachers participated in a professional development program over three school years designed to support them in implementing ESD. The program was based on five seminars that supported teachers to discuss and experiment with the principles, complexities and challenges of ESD. Data was collected at five different time points strategically planned at key moments in the program, using a questionnaire including scales measuring teachers' self-efficacy for ESD and their self-reported ESD practices. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to follow the teachers evolution across a time span of about three years. Results show that the teachers' self-efficacy was boosted early in the program, but fell back to initial levels after confrontation with practice. Through further experimentation in practice, the teachers' self-efficacy increased back to the initial level toward the end of the program. Furthermore, teachers started self-reporting ESD practices as the program progressed, and the correlation between self-efficacy for ESD and ESD practices grew. These results highlight the importance of providing teachers with long-term opportunities for bringing ESD into their own educational practice. The results also caution against using self-efficacy as an outcome measure in short-term professionalization initiatives.

This longitudinal quantitative study investigated teachers’ development of self-efficacy andteaching practices relating to education for sustainable development (ESD) in four compulsory schools in a Swedish municipality. The teachers participated in a professional development program over three school years designed to support them in implementing ESD. The program was based on five seminars that supported teachers to locally discuss and experiment with the principles, complexities and challenges of ESD. Data was collected at five different time points using a questionnaire including scales measuring teachers’ self-efficacy for ESD and their self-reported ESD practices. Results show that the teachers’ self-efficacy was boosted early in the program, but it fell back to initial low levels after confrontation with practice. Through further experimentation in their own practices, the teachers’ self-efficacy for ESD increased back to the initial level toward the end of the program. Furthermore, teachers started self-reporting actual implementation of ESD practices as the program progressed, and the correlation between teachers’ self-efficacy for ESD and self-reported ESD practices grew. These results highlight the importance of providing teachers with long-term opportunities for bringing ESD into their own educational practice. The results also caution against using self-efficacy as an outcome measure in short-term professionalization initiatives.

This paper relates to an ongoing project using design-based research as a methodol- ogical approach in which students with no prior experiences of using programming as a mathematical tool are observed trying to solve mathematical problems with the help of programming. The Instrumental Approach is used as conceptual framework in which the concept of instrumental genesis describes the process where the programming environment as an artefact together with student-developed mental schemes forms an instrument in order to solve mathematical problems. The development of schemes is of special interest in this paper where Vergnaud’s components of a scheme provide a framework for analysing transcripts of talk between student pairs and the programming code that they generate.

Although policy documents emphasize the importance of integrating social, economic, andenvironmental dimensions into education for sustainability (EfS), there is a lack of studies investigating how social sustainability can be included in preschool teaching. Therefore, this study aimsto increase knowledge about preschool teachers’ teaching practices relating to social sustainability.This study uses EfS as a conceptual framework that includes a holistic view of sustainability addressing social, economic, and environmental aspects, as well as pluralistic teaching approach from atransformative perspective. To explore the views and teaching practices, individual interviews wereconducted with 12 preschool teachers from eight preschools that took part in a school developmentproject. The project included professional development workshops for teachers on EfS and localimplementation efforts. Thematic content analysis was conducted. The interviews made it apparentthat the teachers initially viewed sustainability from an environmental perspective; however, afterinvolvement in the school development project, they began to integrate the social sustainabilitydimension into their teaching. The teachers associated local sustainability challenges with those facedinternationally. To a certain extent, children’s agency was noted in pluralistic educational activitiesthat supported children’s active participation. The level at which preschool teachers integrated socialsustainability into their teaching varied.

Students who are gifted and students with high abilities can have special educational needs. Teaching should be challenging and stimulating and teachers and educators in inclusive settings have a variety of needs to consider, included the gifted students’ needs. However, when it comes to secondary technology education, little is known about gifted students’ needs. The aim of this ongoing study is to describe and synthesize knowledge about gifted students’ needs in technology education through a systematic research literature review and a thematic analysis. The tentative results are four themes describing gifted students’ needs in technology education as Complexity, Autonomy, Support, and Authenticity. The themes can be used by teachers and guide them in their efforts to plan and implement diverse and differentiated technology teaching as a proactive response to the gifted students’ needs in inclusive settings.

This licentiate thesis is about secondary school technology teachers’ experiences of teaching with models and modelling using digital tools.

The aim of this thesis is to gain new in-depth knowledge of teaching in relation to digital models and digital modelling, and create better preconditions for technology teachers when it comes to their choices of content and methods of teaching in the area.  Two studies have been conducted and phenomenology of the lifeworld has been used as a theoretical framework. Data was collected through 12 semi-structured interviews. In the first study, the focus was on technology teachers’ experiences of teaching digital models. In the second study, the focus was on a specific part of digital modelling, teachers’ experiences of teaching with computer aided design, CAD.

The results show that teaching with digital models and digital modelling can comprise a combination of theoretical and practical activities. Further, teaching varies from instruction to a more explorative teaching where pupils seek solutions to problems on their own. Digital models are used descriptively as well as for predicting technology not yet developed. The study shows that there is not one way to understand the concept digital models in steering documents or teaching practice and there is a need for more nuanced and specific discussions to address different learning outcomes. Moreover, technology teachers experience CAD as an important and central part of teaching with digital models.

Knowledge about computer programming and knowledge in computer programming are important features in technology education in Swedish compulsory schools, and therefore mentioned in the technology syllabus. Knowledge about computer programming is necessary to understand the contemporary world we live in, where much of the technology is connected and programmed. To develop knowledge in computer programming, pupils can be offered teaching which allows the pupils to program. In this chapter, results from a previous study (Brink et al., 2021) will be discussed, where interviews about models and modelling were conducted with lower secondary school technology teachers. The results reveal that teachers can understand computer programming as modelling in technology education and experience similarities between the two concepts, modelling and computer programming. Implications for teaching practice can be to teach more explicitly when modelling in different modes of representation and when different modes are preferable. This study contributes to development of the body of concepts relevant to technology education.

I grundskolans teknikundervisning på högstadiet är det vanligt att elever skapar och tillverkar modeller av olika konstruktioner, processer eller artefakter. Modellerna är ett sätt för eleverna att testa konstruktionens design och funktion, men också ett sätt att kommunicera idéer och lösningar. Idag kan modeller visas digitalt via en skärm, digitala modeller, och många lärare har infört digitala modeller i sin undervisning. I den här studien kartläggs tekniklärares erfarenheter om undervisning i detta specifika område. Tolv tekniklärare har intervjuats och intervjuerna har analyserats tematiskt. Resultaten visar att undervisning med digitala modeller bedrivs för att a) förstärka och integrera andra ämnen, b) synliggöra teknik för eleverna, c) undervisa om digital modellering samt för att d) förbereda eleverna för framtiden. En slutsats utifrån studiens resultat är att eleverna ges olika förutsättningar för lärande i området och lärarna som intervjuats uttrycker osäkerhet i vad de ska undervisa och hur undervisningen ska bedrivas. Resultaten kan bidra till teknikämnets utveckling genom att mer specifikt och nyanserat diskutera dessa olika delar av undervisning om digitala modeller. 

In secondary technology education, models of artifacts, systems and processes, visualized and simulated through digital tools (digital models) are a relatively new element. Technology teachers teach digital models to meet syllabus criteria of digital competence, applicable to for instance problem solving and documentation using digital tools. However, there is a lack of knowledge concerning how teachers use digital models in their teaching, what their intentions are, and what content they choose. It is known, though, that teachers’ experiences influence the teaching. Therefore, the aim of this study is to investigate teachers’ experiences of teaching digital models in compulsory school, to contribute to more knowledge of teaching in this area. This study takes a phenomenological lifeworld approach, and 12 semi-structured interviews with lower secondary technology teachers form the empirical data. The data were analyzed thematically and the results are four themes of experiencing the teaching of digital models, indicating that technology teachers teach with different aims and purposes; Enhancing and integrating other subjects, Visualizing technology to the pupils, Enabling digital modelling, and Preparing pupils for the future. Further, the results also indicate that the content and methods of teaching differ and that teachers did not experience digital models as one single idea but as an amalgam of multiple ideas. These findings can be used as a basis for further research and development of teaching concerning digital models.

Modelling using digital design tools is a relatively new element in secondary technology education, though modelling using concrete material is common and has been practiced regularly. Many technology teachers now teach modelling using digital design tools, to meet the new criteria in the syllabus concerning problem solving and documentation using digital technology. However, there is a lack of knowledge concerning how technology teachers teach modelling using digital design tools and how they choose content and present it to the pupils. It is known, though, that teachers’ experiences affect how they plan the lessons. Therefore, the aim of this study is to investigate technology teachers’ experiences to gain more understanding in this particular area of technology education. Taking a phenomenographic approach, twelve semi-structured interviews with secondary technology teachers were conducted. The results show that teachers have different experiences teaching modelling using digital design tools, and four categories have emerged: 1) Handling the software and using simple geometries, 2) Using ready-made objects from databases, 3) Manufacturing via 3D-printers, and 4) Design and problem solving. The results indicate that teachers teach modelling using digital design tools with different aims; the intended object of learning differs. The results also indicate that teachers experience that they lack knowledge of teaching modelling using digital design tools and therefore have difficulties teaching in this area, which can affect the pupils’ problem-solving skills. The results, described in this article, can be used as a basis for further discussion.

Models can be used for communicating and for sharing information. In technology education in Swedish compulsory school, pupils have long created models using simple materials to test their designs, such as cardboard and wooden sticks. Models have also been used by teachers to assess pupils’ technology knowledge in particular areas (Elmer & Davies, 2000). We live in a world where technology is highly developed, where digital technology plays an important role and where models are created in digital environments (Kress, 2010). Technology as a school subject undergoes the same development, which can be seen in the technology syllabus (Skolverket, 2011). However, there is a lack of research on technology teachers’ experiences of teaching modelling using digital tools. According to previous research, teachers’ experiences of a phenomenon (Marton & Tsui, 2004) along with their pedagogical and technological knowledge (Mishra & Koehler, 2006) affect how they plan their lessons. The aim of this pilot study is therefore to examine secondary school teachers’ experiences of teaching modelling using digital tools, thereby contributing to understanding this area of technology education. The study takes a phenomenographic approach (Marton & Booth, 1997) and is based on semi-structured interviews with teachers. The interviews are analyzed, focusing on how technology teachers experience teaching modelling using digital tools. Their different experiences are divided into categories. So far, four categories have been identified: a) Modelling using digital tools as inspiration, b) Handling the modelling software as the object of learning, c) Handling 3D printing as the object of learning and d) Modelling for teaching technological content. A tentative result is that teachers have different aims and purposes when teaching modelling using digital tools.

This paper reports on a pilot study with the focus on (re)design of a digitized task environment utilizing two types of technology – a dynamic mathematics software and a computer-aided assessment system. The data consist of responses from 256 first year engineering students, taking their first Calculus course, on two different types of task. The results are discussed in relation to (re)design of tasks as well as possible feedback design options to enable a formative assessment approach.

In the poster, we will present a planned study focusing on the design of DMS tasks and elaborated feedback within a CAA system. The study will be conducted in a first year engineering mathematics course during autumn 2020.

Background Game-based science learning (GBSL) provide an alternative route for learning genetics, but its effects on students' conceptual learning is contested. In this paper we assess the utility, in primary teacher education, of Recal: a game designed to promote participants' learning of key genetic concepts through acting as detectives investigating a case. Purpose The purpose of the study was to analyse and compare teacher students' learning of genetics through the game, and both their attitudes towards and experiences of it. Tests were conducted in Spanish and Swedish contexts to assess its potential utility in contrasting cultural and educational contexts to obtain indications of the potential breadth of its application. Samples Participants included 120 pre-service teacher students from a university in north-eastern Spain and 51 from a university in western Sweden. Design and methods The research involved an intervention, in which students played the game, and assessment of its efficacy by questionnaires designed to investigate students' knowledge of genetics before and after the game, their expectations and experience of it, and their satisfaction with it. The results were analysed statistically. Results The game appeared to enhance both Spanish and Swedish participants' knowledge of genetics, and they reportedly found it both educationally beneficial and engaging. It was also assessed in terms of the following characteristics of GBSL, based on experiential data: contextualisation, authenticity, collaboration, problem-solving, guided paths and competition. Conclusion The results clearly indicate that the game has utility in different countries and educational contexts. The article discusses how the six characteristics of GBSL facilitate or hinder learning, and implications (for educational professionals and researchers) of the findings.

Mittenzwei et al. (2019) recognise the need for a broadened view on climate literacy among students that takes into account a deep understanding of the energy concept, but also matters of risk perception, and attitudes towards climate change, and a willingness to change towards a more climate-friendly behaviour. In a collaboration between Karlstad University and the Leibniz Institute for Science and Mathematics Education (IPN) in Kiel, we run a project aiming to contribute to understanding of prerequisites for secondary students’ development of resilience in relation to human-made climate change. Towards this aim we develop learning activities in different contexts that show varying degrees of authenticity of risk. Contexts in the Swedish part of the project involve: the increased risk of flooding due to climate change in western Sweden; increasing frequency of forest fires in Sweden the last decade; students’ understanding of energy transfer and transformations by use of infrared cameras. In the presentation we focus on results from pilot studies in relation to the flooding and infrared-camera contexts. Regarding the risk of flooding, through the game Riskville preservice teacher students have experienced in a hands-on manner the conflicts and connections urban planning, conflicting interests, and climate related risk (Christenson et al., 2019). By using infrared cameras, students get the opportunity to see otherwise invisible phenomena, such as heat convection and radiation (Haglund et al., 2015).

Pre-service science teachers’ use and reflections on a model for assessing socioscientific argumentation

Teaching socioscientific argumentation (SSA) is a challenging task. One difficulty is the assessment of students’ performances. Based on an earlier framework for teachers’ assessment of SSA (TAF), we developed a model called Practical Assessment of Socioscientific argumentation Model (PASM). The aim of this study is to present PASM and explore how pre-service science teachers (PSTs) develop their skills in assessing SSA by using PASM. Ten science PSTs were asked to prepare arguments for and against the use of nuclear power and GMO. PASM comprised several rounds where the PSTs (divided into small groups) argued in favour of, or against, the topic discussed, or acted as examiner assessing the argumentation. After the PSTs had tried all roles, including regular discussions where the examiner gave feedback to those arguing, the SSI shifted from nuclear power to GMO and the whole cycle was repeated. Data were collected as audio-recordings of the group discussions, field notes taken by both authors during joint discussions and PSTs individual written reflections, and were analysed using thematic analysis. Six main themes and several subthemes were identified in the data analysis: focus in the assessment, the tools in PASM such as the matrix and TAF, the nature of PASM, such as the roles and iterative cycles, and coping strategies. The exercise made PSTs aware of the quality criteria that should be included in assessment of SSA. The nature of PASM, with its iterative cycles and repeated reflections, expanded PSTs view of SSA assessment, which showed a progression through the different stages of data collection. We conclude that it is of great importance to include training assessment of SSA in teacher education and that using the PASM model could be one way of doing this. 

Keywords: SSI, argumentation, assessment

Education in general and teacher education in particular is believed to play a key role for a sustainable world. In recent years, there has been discussion on the need to reorient teacher education towards sustainable development. These discussions elucidated that teacher education is no longer about just a mastery of content knowledge and skill in a particular discipline that one is trained for, and necessitates the need for the development of key competences and skills. Yet it is not well documented how teacher education programmes in different nations have successfully transformed and integrated sustainable development into the core of teacher education programmes. What can teacher education contribute in terms of providing directions to rethink humans’ relationship with the planet in today’s Anthropocene era? What kind of (fresh) approach to teacher education is required in the Anthropocene/in 21^st century? How can teacher education responds/is responding to the challenges posed by the Anthropocene? The discussion is anchored around two particular teacher training programmes, i.e. primary school teacher training at the University of Gothenburg and Karlstad University, and presented as a comparison format. Both of these programmes includes one single objective related to sustainable development in the study plan for teacher education for primary school respectively. During the fourth semester students can choose one specialization and in two of these, technology and natural sciences and the specialization for social sciences includes one course objective dealing with sustainability perspectives respectively. We conclude that sustainability perspectives are very limited during all of the courses for future primary teachers at both Karlstad University and the University of Gothenburg.

This study was made within the Child Safety group at Volvo Car Corporation.  The purpose of this bachelor thesis was to study the different aspects of rearward facing child restraint systems, which is the safest way for small children to travel, in order to suggest improvements in the development of child restraint systems. The studies included scientific articles regarding child safety and fatally injured children in car accidents, both in Sweden and internationally. The overall aim is to find factors that enables the increase in usage of rearward facing child restraint systems, including the increase of usage time to as long as possible.

Swedish accident data, obtained by the Swedish Traffic Data Acquisation, was studied. It was found that the fatally injured children during car accidents in Sweden between the years 2000-2016 commonly were involved in extraordinarily accident scenarios with an outcome independent of how they were restrained. The literature study and the survey that was made were both supporting the statement of inconvenience while using rearward facing child restraint systems. The inconvenience often corresponded to different types of misuse. The main issue with rearward facing according to the responding parents was lack of leg space, both for their child but also for the driver and the front seat passenger. These issues made some parents turning their children forward facing at early age, whereas they could still fit in the rearward facing child restraint system.

One key in order to increase the global use of rearward facing child restraint systems lies in changes of the materials and design. A more lightweight and compact design is suggested, providing a more spacious travel environment for the children and easier mounting for the parents. The need of education is apparent, preferable by means of social media due to the easiness of sending information globally with low cost.

The speed of development of biotechnology within agriculture, industry, and medicine has changed our lives, and we need a biotechnological literacy to understand it. This implies that teachers in primary schools need to be biotechnologically literate in order to educate future generations. The aim of this study was to investigate Swedish pre-service primary school teachers’ knowledge of and attitudes towards biotechnology and contextualize the results by comparing them with a corresponding group of Spanish teachers. Data was collected using the established questionnaire instrument Biotech XXI and analyzed statistically. The findings demonstrate that Swedish pre-service primary school teachers have knowledge gaps relating to the basic genetic concepts that underpin biotechnology, although they are aware of biotechnological applications. Their attitudes are quite positive towards biotechnological applications in health, but less so to buying and using genetically modified products. Higher levels of knowledge were correlated with more positive attitudes, indicating an attitudinal basis for expanding the knowledge of and teaching practices for biotechnology among primary teachers. The level of knowledge and attitudes in the Swedish sample were similar to those of the Spanish teachers, suggesting a similar situation may be prevalent in many countries. The results indicate a need to reconsider the science curricula within pre-service primary school teacher training programs in order to better prepare primary teachers for teaching biotechnological literacy.

This chapter synthesizes the physics education research work related to the interplay of visualization and mathematization in physics teaching and learning, specifically as mediated by dynamic, interactive digital visualization tools. In structuring our synthesis, we build on existing theories of visualization and mathematization to propose two “functions” that visualizations tools exhibit in facilitating mathematization: (1) bridging between physical phenomena and formalisms, and (2) bridging between idealized models of physical phenomena and formalisms. We populate these two broad categories with illustrative examples of visualization tools and conclude with a summary of the developmental history of those tools in physics education research. 

This paper reports a study of teachers’ use of Connected classroom technology to prepare for whole-class discussions building on students’ computer-based work in mathematics. The study investigates four upper secondary school teachers’ management of time and progression during the phase of the lesson where students are working in pairs. The findings highlight various didactical choices made by the teachers. These choices and some related challenges are discussed

This paper reports a study of four upper secondary school teachers’ use of Connected Classroom Technology to select student responses to computer-based activities, and to use these responses to launch successive stages of a planned whole-class discussion. Although the preparation for the class discussion was quite successful, it was a challenge for the teachers to conduct the whole-class discussion, particularly in posing specific questions based on appropriate student responses.

This paper reports on the planning of a design-based research (DBR) study, where the main aim is to develop principles in designing technology-enhanced learning environment utilizing a combination of a dynamic mathematics software (DMS) and a computer-aided assessment (CAA) system. The focus is on the design of tasks and automated feedback of high quality so as to enhance first year engineering students’ engagement in and conceptual understanding of mathematical contents. The paper outlines the rationale for the project and highlights theoretical aspects that will be considered in the study. Moreover, some findings from a pilot study that will inform the first cycle of the DBR study are presented.

Purpose Since 2006, higher education institutions (HEIs) in Sweden, should according to the Higher Education Act, promote sustainable development (SD). In 2016, the Swedish Government asked the Swedish higher education authority to evaluate how this study is proceeding. The authority chose to focus on education. This paper aims to produce a report on this evaluation. Design/methodology/approach All 47 HEIs in Sweden were asked to write a self-evaluation report based on certain evaluation criteria. A panel was appointed consisting of academics and representatives for students and working life. The panel wrote an evaluation of each HEI, a report on general findings and recommendations, and gave an overall judgement of each HEI in two classes as follows: the HEI has well-developed processes for integration of SD in education or the HEI needs to develop their processes. Findings Overall, a mixed picture developed. Most HEIs could give examples of programmes or courses where SD was integrated. However, less than half of the HEIs had overarching goals for integration of SD in education or had a systematic follow-up of these goals. Even fewer worked specifically with pedagogy and didactics, teaching and learning methods and environments, sustainability competences or other characters of education for SD. Overall, only 12 out of 47 got a higher judgement. Originality/value This is a unique study in which all HEIs in a country are evaluated. This provides unique possibilities for identifying success factors and barriers. The importance of the leadership of the HEIs became clear.

Tekniken är i ständig utveckling, ett exempel är den digitala tekniken som de senaste åren har blivit en naturlig del av vår vardag. Barnen i förskolan är inget undantag, de använder dagligen olika digitala verktyg t.ex. lärplattor och robotar. Det är av särskilt intresse att studera hur den digitala tekniken kan användas av barnen för att undersöka naturfenomen. Det övergripande syftet med studien är att undersöka och beskriva förskolebarns förmåga att tolka och utnyttja erbjudanden hos ett för dem okänt digitalt verktyg i form av en värmekamera. Insamlandet av data har skett under två planerade undervisningsaktiviteter med sammanlagt åtta förskolebarn i 5-6 årsåldern. Fokus är barnens utforskande och användning av värmekameran utifrån Donald Normans tolkning av begreppet affordance/erbjudande. Följande resultat kan skönjas: Barnen som deltar i studien visar förmåga att själva driva undersökandet både av och med värmekameran. I identifiering av värmekamerans användningsområden och funktion använder sig barnen av tidigare erfarenheter, t.ex. jämförs värmekameran med en mobiltelefon. Funktionen att ”ta kort” med värmekameran förevisas barnen medan barnen själva utforskar andra bildhanteringsfunktioner som att bläddra mellan de bilder de har tagit. I undersökande med värmekameran visar barnen tidigt i aktiviteten förståelse för de färger som symboliserar olika temperaturer. I slutet av aktiviteten involverar barnen värmekameran i lek, t.ex. genom att använda den som en spionkamera. Sammantaget uppvisar barnen en betydande digital kompetens i relation till detta för dem tidigare okända digitala verktyg.