University of Borås
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Design for impact : A cross-sectional study of users' perceptions of the boundary between digital nudging and dark patterns
No full textThis study is a cross-sectional study that explores how users perceive the boundaries between various design patterns. The aim is to promote the effective application of ethically helpful design patterns from an information architecture perspective. The study is based on previous research on digital nudging and dark patterns and their impact on user behavior. A combination of methods was used and consisted of literature review, document study and survey. The literature review collected data on recurring design patterns. This was supplemented by a document study which gathered visual data of these patterns. The results from the combination of methods contributed to the study's questionnaire experiment. To investigate user preferences toward different design patterns, the survey experiment was analyzed using MaxDiff analysis. The results showed that default alternatives were the most preferred design pattern and were considered helpful. It also showed that time scarcity was the least preferred design pattern and was considered manipulative. The conclusion is that users prefer informative patterns over motivating ones. The study highlights how digital nudging is a powerful tool when used correctly.
Travel to a picture : a qualitative method about tourists expectations, experiences and behaviors
No full textSyftet med denna studie är att öka förståelsen för hur destinationers varumärkeskommunikation påverkar konsumenters förväntningar och hur dessa påverkar deras upplevelser av en destination. Studien har sin utgångspunkt i Destination Branding, Turistbeteenden, Expectation Disconfirmation Theory (EDT) samt SERVQUAL och undersöker kopplingen mellan marknadsförd bild, upplevd kvalitet och efterföljande attityder. En kvalitativ metod ligger till grund för denna studie, där femton ostrukturerade, narrativa intervjuer med turister har genomförts. Resultatet visar att word of mouth och användargenererat innehåll har en central roll i skapandet av förväntningar, medan upplevelsen på plats påverkas av kvalitet, omständigheter, autenticitet och emotionella faktorer. Studien visar att det finns ett dynamiskt och komplext förhållande mellan varumärkes-image och identitet samt konsumenters förväntningar, upplevelser, attityder och beteenden, men detta samband är inte linjärt. Det framkommer även att konsumenter är medskapare av en destinations identitet, vilket betonar vikten av att förstå deras roll och påverkan.The purpose of this study is to increase the understanding of how destination branding influences consumers' expectations, and how their expectations affect their experiences of a destination. The study is grounded in theories of Destination Branding, Tourist Behavior, Expectation Disconfirmation Theory and SERVQUAL. It explores the relationship between the marketed image, perceived quality and following attitudes. A qualitative method, consisting of fifteen unstructured, narrative interviews with tourists, served as the basis for data collection. The findings show that word of mouth and user-generated content play a central role in shaping expectations, while the on-site experience is influenced by circumstances, quality, authenticity and emotional factors. The study demonstrates the dynamic and complex relationship between brand image, identity and consumer expectations, experiences, attitudes and behaviors, demonstrating this relationship is non-linear. It also emerges that consumers are co-creators of a destination’s identity, highlighting the importance of understanding their role and influence.
Epistemic justice : a twofold mission for human rights and social sustainability in teacher education
No full textThis article, based on Miranda Fricker’s concept epistemic injustice to deal with human rights and social sustainability, argues that teacher education must address the twofold mission to both enhance epistemic justice for student teachers and to develop their skills to enhance justice for future pupils. Thus, development of student’s ethical leadership involving transformative teaching is in focus. Based on previous research, ethical leadership is focused on self-awareness, character formation and modelling. This focus involves both verbal and bodily expressions. Verbal expressions are reinforced and developed through conceptualization, dilemmas and ethical codes while bodily expressions are reinforced and developed through modelling. In terms of modelling, Merleau-Ponty's theory of how people's embodied experiences shape their life worlds provides perspective on opportunities to develop transformative teaching to challenge norms and enable change. Empirical data from a previous phenomenological study on professional ethics in teacher education exemplifies teaching practice related to epistemic justice
The way to the school library : The Role of Pedagogy in Library Science Education and the Professional Perspective
No full textThis study explores how Library and Information Science (LIS) education programs in Sweden integrate pedagogy to prepare students for work in school libraries, considering the new legislation (SFS 2025:182) requiring that school libraries be staffed by qualified librarians. The theoretical framework draws on Andrew Abbott’s (1988, 1998) system of professions theory and Thomas Brante’s (2014, 2015) institutional theory of professions in the knowledge society. Through qualitative thematic analysis of semi-structured interviews with program coordinators at six Swedish universities, supplemented by a document study of course and program syllabi, the study examines how pedagogical elements are incorporated and how program content is shaped by factors such as professional boundaries, policy developments, and labor market demands. Findings show variation in how pedagogy is integrated. Some programs offer an explicit pedagogical focus, while others lack alignment with the competencies needed in school librarianship. All programs adopt a broader educational perspective not necessarily tailored to school library needs. Program coordinators highlight the ambiguous jurisdiction of the school librarian’s role in relation to both teaching and LIS professions. They discuss opportunities and tensions in responding to new legal and professional demands, including increased need for school librarians and limited state support. While some support specialized or “fast-track” programs for school librarians, others emphasize maintaining a broad, academically grounded LIS education with clear degree structures. This study contributes to a better understanding of how LIS programs position themselves within a shifting educational and policy context, and what influences their content and strategic direction.
When Wills Clash – and Adults Provide Guidance : a Qualitative Study of Preschool Teachers' Role in Supporting Children's Conflict Resolution
No full textKonflikter är en återkommande del av barns vardag i förskolan och kan, med rätt stöd från vuxna, utgöra viktiga möjligheter till lärande och social utveckling (Vestal & Jones, 2004). Trots detta har konflikthantering länge haft en begränsad plats i förskollärarutbildningen, vilket har lett till att många förskollärare känner att de har begränsade förutsättningar för att hantera konflikter i praktiken (Hakvoort, 2025). Forskning betonar även vikten av förskollärares känsloreglering i konfliktsituationer, något som ofta förbises i utbildningssammanhang (Valente et al., 2022). Syftet med denna studie är att fördjupa förståelsen för hur förskollärare uppfattar sin roll och beskriver sitt arbete med konflikthantering i förskolan. Studien avser att undersöka vilka pedagogiska strategier förskollärare själva uppger att de använder för att stödja barns utveckling av förmågan att hantera och lösa konflikter samt till att undersöka vilka utmaningar förskollärare upplever. Studien har genomförts med en kvalitativ ansats. Datainsamlingen skedde genom semistrukturerade intervjuer med sex förskollärare från två olika kommuner. Det insamlade materialet analyserades med hjälp av kvalitativ innehållsanalys med induktiv inriktning enligt modellen av Erlingsson och Brysiewicz (2017). Resultatet visar att förskollärarna uppfattar sin roll som central i arbetet med barns konflikthantering, både genom förebyggande insatser såsom värdegrundsarbete och genom konkret stöd i akuta situationer. Förskollärarna beskriver ett lyhört och stödjande förhållningssätt där barnen uppmuntras att uttrycka känslor, förstå varandras perspektiv och hitta egna lösningar. Samtidigt framkommer utmaningar såsom bristande personaltäthet, otydliga rutiner och svårigheter att upprätthålla en gemensam syn inom arbetslaget. Studien synliggör behovet av ökad utbildning i konflikthantering inom förskollärarprogrammet, med fokus på både teoretisk kunskap och praktiska strategier. Den betonar även vikten av att förskollärare ges utrymme för reflektion och kollegialt lärande kring konfliktsituationer. Förskolans didaktik bör i högre grad innefatta medvetet arbete med värdegrund, känsloreglering och barns delaktighet i konfliktlösning. Detta kan skapa en lärandemiljö där konflikter ses som en naturlig och utvecklande del av det pedagogiska uppdraget.Conflicts are a recurring part of children's everyday life in preschool and, with the right support from adults, can constitute important opportunities for learning and social development (Vestal & Jones, 2004). Despite this, conflict management has long had a limited place in preschool teacher education, which has led many preschool teachers to feel that they have limited conditions for handling conflicts in practice (Hakvoort, 2025). Research also emphasizes the importance of preschool teachers’ emotional regulation in conflict situations, something that is often overlooked in educational contexts (Valente et al., 2022). The purpose of this study is to deepen the understanding of how preschool teachers perceive their role and describe their work with conflict management in preschool. The study aims to examine which pedagogical strategies preschool teachers themselves state that they use to support children's development of the ability to manage and resolve conflicts, as well as to investigate the challenges preschool teachers experience. The study was carried out using a qualitative approach. Data collection was conducted through semi-structured interviews with six preschool teachers from two different municipalities. The collected material was analyzed using qualitative content analysis with an inductive orientation, according to the model by Erlingsson and Brysiewicz (2017). The results show that preschool teachers perceive their role as central in the work with children's conflict management, both through preventive efforts such as values education and through concrete support in acute situations. The preschool teachers describe a responsive and supportive approach in which children are encouraged to express emotions, understand each other's perspectives, and find their own solutions. At the same time, challenges such as insufficient staffing, unclear routines, and difficulties in maintaining a shared perspective within the work team emerge. The study highlights the need for increased education in conflict management within preschool teacher training, with a focus on both theoretical knowledge and practical strategies. It also emphasizes the importance of giving preschool teachers space for reflection and collegial learning regarding conflict situations. Preschool didactics should to a greater extent include conscious work with values education, emotional regulation, and children's participation in conflict resolution. This can create a learning environment where conflicts are seen as a natural and developmental part of the educational mission
Beyond course literature : The work of academic librarians in promoting leisure reading
No full textThe promotion of leisure reading is not formally mandated in Swedish academic libraries. Nevertheless, several academic libraries actively promote leisure reading for their users in various ways. New, unestablished working methods in this area can require new skills. The aim of this thesis has therefore been to contribute knowledge about the reading promotion work of academic librarians and their related development of essential skills. Data were gathered via semi-structured interviews with four academic librarians, active in reading promotion. The analysis applies Kemmis' (2010) dimensions of practice: cultural-discursive, social, and material-economic dimensions. Main findings reveal that academic librarians promote leisure reading through various efforts such as managing the leisure reading collection and organizing reading circles. The work is shaped by available resources, professional norms, and collegial collaborations. The practice develops gradually, reflecting a growing emphasis on reading promotion within the role, driven by personal commitment and institutional goals to support student learning and wellbeing. The continuing professional development is integrated with practice, involving formal and informal learning processes, where collegial exchanges and digital tools are central aspects. Overall, the study shows that reading promotion and skill development in academic libraries are dynamic, continuously shaped by needs, experiences, norms, and resources
Mathematics-specific language : perceptionsfrom practice
No full textMatematikundervisningen i grundskolan ställer höga krav på matematiklärares förmåga att stödja och utveckla elevernas ämnesspråk/ämneslitteracitet inom matematik. Genom att elever får tillgång till det karaktäristiska ämnesspråket som hör till ämnet matematik får elever förutsättning att tillägna sig ämneskunskaper. Arbetet med ämnesspråk/ämneslitteracitet i matematik syftar till att öka elevernas måluppfyllelse och är därför en viktig lärarkompetens. Studiens syfte är att undersöka vilka uppfattningar lärare i grundskolan har kring begreppet ämnesspråk i matematik genom att söka variationer av uppfattningar och hitta likheter och skillnader , alltså studera hur man kan uppleva något på olika sätt. Studiens teoretiska ramverk utgårfrån ett livsvärldsfenomenologiskt perspektiv. Genom att använda fenomenologinsprinciper och begrepp har forskning kring ämnesspråk i matematik studerats och tolkats.Fenomenografi har använts som metodansats och datainsamling har skett genomintervjuer. Sju pedagogers beskrivningar och erfarande samlades in genom kvalitativasemistrukturerade intervjuer. I resultatet identifierades tre olika beskrivningskategorier/förståelser av ämnesspråk i matematik: 1. Matematiskt ämnesspråkär att använda rätt begrepp. 2. Matematiskt ämnesspråk som gemensamtkommunikationsmedel. 3. Matematiskt ämnesspråk som verktyg för utvecklat matematiskt tänkande och problemlösningsförmåga. Resultatet visar också en progression mot en alltmer utvecklad uppfattning av matematiskt ämnesspråk från kategori ett till kategori tre.Informanternas uppfattningar av vad ämnesspråk i matematik är kan beskrivas på följandesätt: Genom att kunna ämnesspråkets begrepp (kategori 1) används ämnesspråket som ett gemensamt kommunikationsmedel (kategori 2) där matematiskt ämnesspråk blir ettverktyg för utvecklat matematiskt kunnande och problemlösningsförmåga (kategori 3).Mathematics instruction in compulsoryeducation places significant demands on teachers' ability to support and develop students’subject-specific language and literacy within mathematics. Access to the characteristiclanguage of the discipline provides students with the necessary tools to acquiremathematical knowledge. Developing subject-specific language and literacy inmathematics aims to enhance students’ goal achievement and is thus regarded as a criticalteaching competence. The purpose of this study is to explore compulsory school teachers’conceptions of subject-specific language in mathematics by identifying variations in theirperceptions and analyzing similarities and differences. The study seeks to understand howthe concept can be experienced in diverse ways. The theoretical framework is grounded ina lifeworld phenomenological perspective. By employing phenomenological principles andconcepts, existing research on subject-specific language in mathematics has beenexamined and interpreted. Phenomenography was adopted as the research approach.Empirical data were gathered through qualitative, semi-structured interviews with seveneducators, focusing on their descriptions and lived experiences. The findings reveal threedistinct categories of description or understandings of subject-specific language inmathematics: 1. Subject-specific language in mathematics entails the correct use ofterminology. 2. Subject-specific language functions as a shared means of communication.3. Subject-specific language serves as a tool for developing mathematical thinking andproblem-solving abilities. Furthermore, the results indicate a progression towardincreasingly sophisticated conceptions of subject-specific language, from category one tocategory three. Participants’ perceptions may be summarized as follows: Mastery ofmathematical terminology (Category 1) enables the use of language as a sharedcommunicative tool (Category 2), which, in turn, facilitates deeper mathematicalunderstanding and problem-solving competence (Category 3)
AI in Education : A Study on the Significance of AI Technologies for Students' Learning and Learning Patterns
No full textArtificiell intelligens (AI) har blivit en framväxande teknologi inom utbildningssektorn med potential att förändra hur undervisning och lärande bedrivs. Genom användning av AI-verktyg som generativ AI och intelligenta handledningssystem kan undervisning anpassas efter individens behov, vilket möjliggör ett mer personligt samt effektivt lärande. Tekniken erbjuder även lärare stöd i form av automatiserad bedömning och återkoppling. Samtidigt medför AI stora utmaningar, såsom frågor om dataskydd, transparens i beslutsfattande samt risker för minskad mänsklig interaktion i undervisningen. Dessa möjligheter och risker belyser vikten av att förstå hur tekniken kan identifiera och anpassa undervisningen efter studentens inlärningsmönster för att förbättra studenters studieresultat. Studien genomfördes med en mixed-methods ansats, bestående av en litteraturstudie och en enkätundersökning riktad till studenter inom högre utbildning. Litteraturstudien gav en teoretisk grund kring AI i utbildning, medan enkäten samlade in studenters erfarenheter och upplevelser av AI-verktyg i sina studier. Resultaten visar att AI-teknologier såsom Natural Language Processing (NLP), Machine Learning, Deep Learning samt Large Language Models (LLM) är vanligt förekommande och ofta integrerade i verktyg som exempelvis ChatGPT. Dessa används för bearbetning, informationssökning, språkutveckling och för att skapa en ökad förståelse för komplexa begrepp. Respondenterna upplever att verktygen kan bidra till tidsbesparing, struktur samt effektivitet i studierna. Samtidigt framkom risker såsom minskat kritiskt tänkande, ökad risk för plagiat samt en tendens att förlita sig på AI istället för att självständigt analysera och reflektera.Artificial Intelligence (AI) has become an emerging technology in the education sector, with the potential to transform how teaching and learning are conducted. By using AI tools such as generative AI and intelligent tutoring systems, instruction can be tailored to individual needs, enabling more personalized and effective learning. The technology also offers teachers support in the form of automated assessment and feedback. At the same time, AI presents significant challenges, such as issues of data protection, transparency in decision-making, and the risk of reduced human interaction in teaching. These opportunities and risks highlight the importance of understanding how the technology can identify and adapt instruction to students' learning patterns in order to improve student outcomes. The study was conducted using a mixed-methods approach, consisting of a literature review and a survey directed at students in higher education. The literature review provided a theoretical foundation on AI in education, while the survey gathered students’ experiences and perceptions of AI tools in their studies. The results show that AI technologies such as Natural Language Processing (NLP), Machine Learning, Deep Learning, and Large Language Models (LLM) are commonly used and are often integrated into tools such as ChatGPT. These technologies are applied for text processing, information retrieval, language development, and to enhance the understanding of complex concepts. The respondents reported that such tools can contribute to time efficiency, improved structure, and greater effectiveness in their studies. At the same time, risks were identified, including reduced critical thinking, an increased risk of plagiarism, and a tendency to rely on AI instead of engaging in independent analysis and reflection
Intelligent multi-agent framework for automated data analytics and machine learning tasks (AI agent)
No full textAs data grow and become more complex, organizations face increasing challenges in automating and scaling analytics. Conventional analytics tools often prescribe static workflows with limited adaptability and usually require manual intervention in several stages of the process. This thesis puts forth AIDST, the AI Data Science Team, a multi-agent system architecture for autonomous running of end-to-end data analytics workflows. According to Design Science Research (DSR) methodology, this work proposes a modular framework of intelligent agents arranged into perception, cognitive, and execution layers. These agents cooperate to ingest data, engineer features, train models, and deliver results through a well-specified protocol for inter-agent communication. Implemented with Python, MLflow, Streamlit, Docker, and Kubernetes, AIDST is validated through benchmarking and domain-specific case studies across finance, healthcare, and manufacturing. Results demonstrate a 14% reduction in the MSE for regression problems, a 6.7 percent lift in classification accuracy, a 22 percent reduction in runtime with a 3.7× speed-up in workflow execution, and 99.4 percent uptime for 72 hours with 89 percent automated conflict resolution. This means that, in all respects, AIDST gained scalability, adaptability, and in usability over existing approaches. This work advances the emerging field of agentic AI systems by presenting a scalable paradigm for intelligent autonomous data science operations
Is the bibliotherapist an expert? : Public librarians’ conceptions of their expertise in relation to bibliotherapeutic practice
No full textThis thesis seeks to explore public librarians’ conceptions of their expertise and professional identity in relation to bibliotherapeutic practice, where aspects such as theoretical knowledge, practical experience and personal characteristics are considered. To achieve this the following questions are asked; Which experiences and conceptions of bibliotherapeutic method exist? How do public librarians describe their expertise and professional identity in relation to bibliotherapeutic practices? Which conditions and obstacles are expressed which can influence the bibliotherapeutic practice? Three public librarians are being interviewed, with varying degrees of experience in, and theoretical knowledge of, the method. With support from Mark Stover’s theories of the librarian as non-expert, the study shows that all three librarians put heavy emphasis on aspects of their expertise which can be summarised as social intelligence, including communication skills, relationship-building ability, and empathy, as key elements, as well as a solid theoretical knowledge of the method. A professional identity where being authentic, interested and confident in interpersonal exchanges, and having a desire to help others, as well as being able to make others feel safe, appears central to those with a positive experience of the method. The study also finds that professional and personal experience can be a key factor in how the term therapy is interpreted, and what type of cognitive authority, or uncertainty, the term is associated with. All three librarians express positive experiences or conceptions of the method, and when theoretical knowledge of the method is present, its value to the library is strongly advocated