Publikationer från Södertörns Högskola
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Storytelling in Biology : A Variation Theory Study of Grade 4 Students’ Understanding of Pollination
No full textThis study investigates how storytelling, when designed according to principles from variation theory, can support students’ understanding of pollination within the life cycle of flowering plants. The research was conducted in four grade 4 classrooms with contrasting student demographics and is grounded in a subject-specific didactic framework that integrates variation theory, sociocultural perspectives on language, and narrative structures as cognitive tools. The aim was to examine whether narrative-based teaching could help students discern four critical aspects of pollination: the structure of the flower (including stamens, pistils, nectar, and pollen), species-specific pollen transfer, the diversity of pollinators, and the formation of seeds as a result of pollination. Data were collected through written and visual pre- and posttests as well as semi-structured group interviews. A variation theory analysis was applied to identify differences in students’ conceptual expressions before and after teaching. Results show that many students progressed in their understanding, particularly in articulating the link between pollination and seed formation. The use of stories, combined with targeted variation and guided discussions, helped make critical distinctions visible and supported students’ ability to integrate multiple aspects of the process. Oral expressions during interviews often revealed a deeper understanding than written responses, especially in linguistically diverse classrooms. The findings suggest that variation-informed storytelling can be an effective strategy to support conceptual development in science education. By making biological processes more accessible and engaging, this approach may offer valuable guidance for designing inclusive and meaningful teaching practices.
Exploring archival absence : silences, imagined records and materiality in nineteenth-century Europe
No full textThis article analyses archivists’ and historians’ experiences of archival absence innineteenth-century Europe. It takes off in well-known processes of centralisation,nationalisation and dislocations of archives to discuss how experiences of missingdocuments and holdings have shaped historiographical practice and thought. Drawingon theorisations of archival silences, imagined records and materiality, the articleargues that although ideas about the past are immaterial, archivists’ and historians’perceptions of history relied on archival materiality. This is illustrated by twocase studies of fragmented, supranational holdings: the establishment of the CentralArchive of the Teutonic Order in Habsburg Vienna, and lost archives in the Balticprovinces of Romanov Russia. The article shows how practices such as mappings ofholdings, negotiations of restitutions and provenance, and publications of source editionsmaterialised absence. Enquiries into absence certainly generated new knowledgeabout archives, past dislocations and loss. However, the article also demonstratesthat investigations of absence have produced ignorance and further absences.In conclusion, the article argues the benefits of absence studies. The cases illuminatethat absence was a material issue with an intricate relationship to imagineddocuments and holdings. Moreover, the article recognises a long history of archivalsilences, which may take different forms and affect different groups throughout history.Lastly, the article addresses the issue of representation and argues the valueof disregarding the nation when historicising theoretically pressing issues such asarchival absence and its materiality.Provenance in 19th-century Europe: Research practice and concep
Medarbetares roll i en autonom arbetsmiljö inom e-handel: Erfarenheter och samverkan med autonoma agenter : Effekter på arbetsroller, beslutsfattande och arbetsflöden i IT-beroende system
No full textIn the Era of digitalisation, e-commerce enterprises are becoming increasingly reliant on IT-dependent work systems in which humans and autonomous technological agents collaborate to increase the efficiency at Work . This study explores how employees in the e-commerce sector experience this human–machine collaboration, with a specific focus on its effects on work roles, role conflicts and decision-making processes. The research examines the integration of AI and automation in business operations, shedding light on the socio-technical dynamics that emerge from this intersection. Theories like Work System Theory (WST), Human-AI Hybrid Theory, and Role Theory are used to analyse how IT-dependent systems structure the relationship between humans and autonomous agents, and how socio-technical factors affect the structure of work. WST provides a model for understanding the interaction between people, technology, and processes within systems that generate value. Human-AI Hybrid Theory emphasises the collaborative potential and interdependence between human cognitive capacities and AI functionalities. Role theory provides a framework for understanding how algorithmic systems function as role senders and how employees perceive, engage with and are influenced by these roles. Moreover, the study emphasises the importance of conjoined agency, where human actors retain strategic control while AI handles operational tasks. This shows the need for flexible system design and organisational structures that support mutual adaptation. In conclusion, this research provides valuable insights into how e-commerce organisations can use autonomous technology to improve operational performance and the human experience. The study identifies balancing automation with human adaptability as a key enabler for sustainable, customer oriented digital transformation
Minimalism vs. Complexity: User Experience and Cognitive Load : A User Study on the Impact of Web Interface Complexity on Perceived Cognitive Load and Perceived User Experience in First-Time Website Visitors
No full textThis study investigates how the complexity of a web interface influences the perceived cognitive load and user experience among first-time website visitors. The CNN website was used as an example of a visually complex interface, and a minimalist prototype was developed to contrast its design. Twelve participants took part in testing both interfaces by completing a series of tasks, followed by cognitive load questionnaires (NASA-TLX) and semi-structured interviews. The findings show that the minimalist prototype in comparison to the CNN website, was less straining on the mind, as indicated by lower NASA-TLX scores, and was generally perceived as more intuitive and aesthetically pleasing. In contrast, the CNN site was described as overwhelming and visually crowded, although some participants appreciated its variety of content. These results highlight the trade-offs between minimalist and visually complex designs, offering insight for web designers aiming to balance clarity, usability, and informational richness
Learning to think with business students : University teachers’ experiences of challenges in teaching in higher education
No full textHere, eight university teachers in business administration describe their own teaching situations, on the basis of which they, with the help of pedagogical and philosophical theories, examine and reflect on their practical knowledge. What can these teachers’ accounts and reflections tell us about the working situation of university teachers? When problematic situations arise, how are they dealt with? How do the teachers encourage students with widely different expectations, contrasting backgrounds, and with varying degrees of motivation, to learn new ways of thinking and to develop into independent professionals? Originally published in Swedish in 2014, this volume offers a compelling picture of how university teachers grapple with pedagogical challenges in a higher education system increasingly focused on efficiency and maximizing the number of students who complete their studies. The difficulties described by the teachers then have not diminished – if anything, they have grown. For this English edition, a new preface has been added, situating the discussion in a contemporary context of higher education pedagogy, along with a new chapter exploring how the transformation of the university system has impacted the actual practice of teaching today
The Knitting Café at the Public Library : A qualitive interview study with library staff about social library programming
No full textDenna uppsats undersöker på vilka sätt social programverksamhet på folkbibliotek av typen stickcaféer kan bidra till att öka deltagares sociala kapital i form av sociala relationer och nätverk. Detta utifrån kontexten av folkbiblioteket som en tredje plats. Syftet med uppsatsen är att undersöka föreställningar om hur social programverksamhet, såsom stickcaféer, på folkbibliotek bidrar till biblioteksanvändares sociala gemenskap och relationer, samt vilken funktion stickcaféer kan fylla på folkbiblioteket. Detta utifrån ett perspektiv som fokuserar på socialt kapital och hög- och lågintensiva mötesplatser. Uppsatsen har en kvalitativ ansats och insamling av empiriskt material har gjorts genom semistrukturerade samtalsintervjuer med fyra personer som är engagerade i verksamhet som rör stickcaféer. Intervjuerna har genomförts både på plats och via Zoom. Intervjuerna har transkriberats och sedan tematiserats. Det teoretiska ramverket för arbetet är Putnams teori om socialt kapital samt Audunsons koncept om hög- och lågintensiva mötesplatser. Det empiriska materialet utgörs av tre inspelade intervjuer med bibliotekspersonal, som består av två bibliotekarier, en teckenspråkstolk samt en volontär. Intervjuerna genomfördes mellan den 27-30 april 2024. Resultatet belyser folkbiblioteket som en viktig plats med fokus på fysisk, demokratisk och fri tillgång. Det lägger även vikt vid deltagarnas gemensamma beröringspunkter samt bibliotekspersonalens insatser kring stickcaféernas verksamhet. Uppsatsens kommer fram till att stickcaféerna är ett sammanhang där deltagarna får utrymme att utveckla både sina handarbeten och sociala relationer. Verksamheten har även en integrerande funktion för deltagarna, språk- och åldersmässigt. De funktioner som stickcaféerna fyller, för deltagarnas sociala relationer, kan kopplas till både överbryggande och bindande socialt kapital och bör därför öka deltagarnas sociala kapital.This paper examines the ways in which social library programming in public libraries, such as knitting cafés, can contribute to increasing participants' social capital in the form of social relationships and networks. This is based on the context of the public library as a third place. The purpose of the paper is to explore perceptions of how social library programming, such as knitting cafés, in public libraries contribute to library users' social community and relationships, and what function knitting cafés can fulfill in public libraries. This is based on a perspective that focuses on social capital and high and low intensity meeting places. The paper employs a qualitative approach, and the collection of empirical material has been done through semi-structured interviews with four people involved in activities related to knitting cafés. The interviews were conducted both on site and via Zoom. The interviews were transcribed and then thematized. The theoretical framework for the work is Putnam's theory of social capital and Audunson's concept of high and low intensity meeting places. The empirical material consists of three recorded interviews with library staff, consisting of two librarians, a sign language interpreter and a volunteer. The interviews were conducted between April 27-30, 2024. The results highlight the public library as an important place with a focus on physical, democratic and free access. It also emphasizes participants' common ground and the library staff's efforts regarding the knitting cafés' activities. The paper concludes that the knitting cafés provide a context where participants are given space to develop both their crafts and social relationships. The program also has an integrating function for participants, in regards to language and age. The functions that the knitting cafés fulfill for the social relations of the participants, can be linked to both bridging and bonding social capital and should therefore increase their social capital
Imperfect Archives : The Textual and Social Dimensions of Knowledge
No full textOne of the great achievements in the history of human communication is the invention of writing, as it allows for the preservation of memory over time, from generation to generation. Writing expands our worlds and extends our abilities to communicate with distant others both in time – across generations – and in space, with others that are geographically separated from us. Time and space are, of course, inherently interconnected as has been theorized in a multiplicity of ways – not least in relation to the media and communication technologies throughout history, as Harold Innis, Marshall McLuhan and Walter Ong have eloquently discussed. And as media and communication scholars we are all indebted to the works of pioneer researchers. However, we are also caught in the paradox that although the media technologies and forms date back to the dawn of civilization, they also constantly change with time – not only between generations of researchers, but also within the lifetime of single generations. Against the background of these facts, I will in the following few pages reflect on one of the interests that I share with Fausto Colombo, and which followed him over the course of his academic life: the relation between media, time, generation, social memory and archives...(dall'incipit
The Ambassador or the Brand? : A Quantitative Study on the Direction of Loyalty
No full textAnvändandet av varumärkesambassadörer har alltmer etablerats som en central strategi inom marknadsföring, där kändisar, influencers och även vanliga konsumenter används för att förstärka varumärkets identitet och skapa närmare relationer till kunder. Denna utveckling kan förstås i ljuset av sociala mediers framväxt, då dessa plattformar har blivit en av de viktigaste kanalerna för konsumentens dagliga interaktion och informationsinhämtning. Syftet med denna studie är att undersöka hur konsumenters varumärkeslojalitet påverkas av varumärkesambassadörer. Studien har genomförts med en abduktiv ansats och en kvantitativ metod, i form av en enkätundersökning med 140 respondenter. Urvalet baserades på ett bekvämlighetsurval och rekryteringen skedde via LinkedIn och Studiewebben. Resultaten visar att den vanligaste formen av lojalitet bland respondenterna är vanemässigt köpbeteende, vilket indikerar en relativt låg grad av lojalitet. Ungefär en tredjedel av respondenterna uppvisar hög lojalitet gentemot både varumärken och ambassadörer, medan majoriteten antingen saknar lojalitet eller uppger att de inte påverkas i frågan. Övriga respondenter uppvisar en situationsbetingad lojalitet som varierar beroende på omständigheter. Studien bekräftar därmed att varumärkeslojalitet är ett komplext och mångfacetterat fenomen. Slutsatsen är att konsumenters lojalitet i första hand riktas mot själva varumärket och i betydligt mindre utsträckning mot ambassadören. Varumärkesambassadörer kan dock fungera som ett viktigt komplement genom att väcka intresse för produkter och förstärka varumärkets image. Det långsiktiga relationsbyggandet sker emellertid främst genom varumärkets egna meriter och kvaliteter. The use of brand ambassadors has increasingly become a central strategy in marketing, where celebrities, influencers, and ordinary consumers are employed to strengthen brand identity and build closer relationships with customers. This development can be understood in light of the rise of social media, as these platforms have become one of the most important channels for consumers’ daily interactions and information gathering. The purpose of this study is to examine how consumers’ brand loyalty is influenced by the use of brand ambassadors. The study was conducted using an abductive approach and a quantitative method in the form of a survey with 140 respondents. The sample was based on a convenience sampling method, with recruitment carried out via LinkedIn and Studiewebben. The results show that the most common form of loyalty among respondents is habitual purchasing behavior, indicating a relatively low degree of loyalty. Approximately one third of respondents demonstrate high loyalty toward both brands and ambassadors, while the majority either lack loyalty or report being unaffected. The remaining respondents exhibit situational loyalty that varies depending on circumstances. The study thus confirms that brand loyalty is a complex and multifaceted phenomenon. The conclusion is that consumers’ loyalty is primarily directed toward the brand itself, and to a significantly lesser extent toward the ambassador. However, brand ambassadors can serve as an important complement by generating interest in products and reinforcing the brand’s image. Long-term relationship building, however, primarily occurs through the brand’s own merits and qualities
Hållbara transporter och Marknadsföringsstrategier inom B2B
No full textThis study examines how B2B companies work with sustainable transportation in practice and how these practices affect their marketing strategies. The study focuses both on the company's sustainability work itself and on its relation to marketing. This arises from the growing demand for sustainable transport solutions from customers, legislators, and stakeholders. The research question investigated in this study is: “How do B2B companies work with sustainable transportation in practice, and what significance does this have for their marketing strategies?” The study applies the theories of Resource Based View (RBV), Institutional Theory, Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), and the Triple Bottom Line (TBL) to answer this research question and to analyze the survey results. A quantitative method was used through a survey. The survey was distributed to 150 companies based on the criteria of being B2B and actively using sustainable transportation. The selection of companies was made through the researchers own networks as well as through internet searches where emails were sent to the companies. The conclusion of the study is that sustainable transportation has an important significance for B2B companies sustainability work and marketing. The study shows that from a marketing perspective, sustainable transportation plays a central role for B2B companies, but its significance is influenced by internal resources and external pressures. Even if not all B2B companies view sustainability as a central issue in their marketing strategies, the work with sustainable transportation is still important due to external requirements and expectations
Att ge mening åt det svåra : En kvalitativ språkvetenskaplig analys av anhörigas berättelser om demens
No full text Denna C-uppsats undersöker hur anhöriga till personer med demens använder berättelser för att skapa mening, uttrycka känslor och bearbeta förändringar i kommunikation och relationer. Studien bygger på en kvalitativ språkvetenskaplig analys av tre offentligt publicerade poddavsnitt där anhöriga berättar om sina erfarenheter. Med hjälp av William Labovs narrativmodell, Rehnbergs teori om berättelser som kunskapsform samt begreppet small stories analyseras hur berättelserna är strukturerade, vilka funktioner de fyller och hur de fungerar interaktionellt. Resultatet visar att berättelserna ofta följer en tydlig struktur men också innehåller fragmentariska uttryck med stark emotionell laddning. Dessa berättelser fungerar som resurser för att skapa identitet, förståelse och relationell mening i ett vardagsliv påverkat av demenssjukdom. Studien lyfter också etiska och analytiska utmaningar med att tolka andras erfarenheter genom återberättelser, samt behovet av fler studier om anhörigas kommunikativa praktik i samtida medielandskap