Publikationer från Södertörns Högskola
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Developing Intercultural Competence through Literature : Pedagogical applications of The Kite Runner and The Hate U Give in Swedish Upper Secondary School
No full textIn today’s growing multicultural society, implementing an intercultural approach in education has become crucial. This essay demonstrates how selected literary works, The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini and The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas, can be used as powerful tools to foster intercultural understanding and promote intercultural competence among upper secondary students in Sweden. The analysis is grounded in Lustig & Koester’s theoretical framework, which defines intercultural competence through components such as context, knowledge, motivation, appropriateness and action. It explores how both novels address themes of racism, social exclusion, identity and power structure. While The Kite Runner highlights ethnic dehumanization and internalized hierarchies, The Hate U Give focuses on racial stereotyping, identity formation and white privilege. Furthermore, the essay also discusses pedagogical strategies for teaching these novels in an English as a Foreign Language (EFL) classroom, emphasizing the use of reflective discussion, real-life connections and critical engagement with one’s own cultural perspective to support the development of students’ intercultural competence.
Building Conceptual Bridges in Mathematics: A practice-based Study on Fractions in Grade 4
No full textFractions are often considered one of the most challenging mathematical concepts for students to grasp. While many pupils become familiar with fractions as parts of a whole, fewer develop the ability to see them as expressions of proportional relationships, since they are often taught separately. This study investigates how teaching focused on ratio as a shared characteristic between fractions and proportionality can support students in grade 4 in broadening their conceptual knowledge of fractions. The study was conducted through a teaching intervention based on structured and conceptual principles, inspired by the Learning Study method and Ma’s (1999) theory of Mathematical Pedagogical Content Knowledge (MPCK). A total of 27 students in grade 4 participated in the intervention, which included a pre-test, three math lessons, a post-test, and a follow-up focus group interview with five students. The data was analyzed using a model categorizing student responses into five components: equal partitioning, equivalence, ratio, multiplicative relationships, and proportionality. The results indicate that while most students initially demonstrated secure knowledge of fractions as parts of a whole (equal partitioning), many struggled with identifying fractions as expressions of constant ratios. After the intervention, a larger number of students were able to describe and apply proportional relationships using fractions in multiple representations, including verbal reasoning, tables, and symbolic form. Findings suggest that conceptual teaching that highlights the relationship between fractions and proportionality focusing on the numerator and denominator, and links this to real-life proportional contexts, can support students in developing an understanding of fractions as ratios. The greatest progression in the student’s results was within the areas of equivalence and ratios. The study contributes to the field by illustrating how teaching that emphasizes conceptual connections across mathematical domains can enhance student’s relational reasoning with rational numbers
Revisionsuttalanden om hållbarhetsrapportering : En kvalitativ studie av svenska börsnoterade bolag under övergången till CSRD
No full textI takt med att EU-direktivet CSRD träder i kraft ökar kraven på hållbarhetsrapportering och oberoende granskning i svenska börsbolag. Direktivet innebär att hållbarhetsinformationen ska integreras i årsredovisningen och granskas enligt gemensamma EU-standarder. Det här markerar ett skifte från tidigare praxis under NFRD, där rapporteringen ofta var frivillig och låg utanför kärnredovisningen. Tidigare forskning har visat att uttalandets språk, form och placering påverkar hur granskningen uppfattas, särskilt vid begränsad säkerhet. Studien undersöker hur svenska börsbolag formulerar sina granskningsuttalanden om hållbarhetsrapportering under övergången till CSRD, med särskilt fokus på språkliga drag, standardhänvisningar och dispositioner för att klarlägga hur säkerhet, ansvar och metod kommuniceras. Studien bygger på en kvalitativ innehållsanalys av 45 uttalanden samt två intervjuer med revisorer inom hållbarhetsgranskning. Resultaten visar att uttalandena ofta är av en hybrid karaktär där äldre praxis från NFRD kombineras med nya formkrav. Uttalandet placeras ofta utanför förvaltningsberättelsen, språket domineras av modala uttryck som dämpar ansvar, och hänvisningar till etablerade standarder används som legitimitetsmarkörer snarare än metodbeskrivningar. Resultaten tyder även på att granskningsuttalanden i nuläget genomförs med stöd i äldre internationella standarder i väntan på en granskningsstandard som fullt ut följer CSRD:s krav. Sammanfattningsvis visar studien att företagens granskningsuttalanden ännu inte lever upp till CSRD:s ambitioner om tydlig kommunikation, gemensam standardtillämpning och integrerad placering. Revisorns mallar och företagets riskprofil samverkar fortfarande på ett sätt som bibehåller det försäkrans- och ansvarsgap som CSRD syftar till att överbrygga. As the EU Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) enters into force, the requirements for sustainability reporting and independent assurance are increasing for Swedish listed companies. The directive mandates that sustainability information be integrated into the annual report and assured according to common EU standards. This represents a shift from previous practice under the Non-Financial Reporting Directive (NFRD), where reporting was often voluntary and presented outside the core financial statements. Previous research has shown that the language, format, and placement of assurance statements influence how the assurance is perceived, especially in cases of limited assurance. This study examines how Swedish listed companies formulate their assurance statements on sustainability reporting during the transition to CSRD, with a particular focus on linguistic features, standard references, and structural dispositions, in order to clarify how assurance, responsibility, and methodology are communicated. The study is based on a qualitative content analysis of 45 statements as well as two interviews with senior sustainability auditors. The results reveal that the statements often exhibit a hybrid character, combining older NFRD practices with new formal requirements. Statements are frequently placed outside the management report, the language is dominated by modal expressions that downplay auditor responsibility, and references to established standards are used primarily as markers of legitimacy rather than detailed descriptions of methodology. The findings also suggest that current assurance statements are still carried out based on older international standards, while awaiting the implementation of a review standard that fully aligns with CSRD requirements. In summary, the study shows that companies’ assurance statements have not yet fulfilled CSRD’s ambitions of clear communication, harmonized standard application, and integrated placement. Auditor templates and company risk profiles continue to interact in ways that uphold the assurance and responsibility gap that CSRD aims to close
Skaviga narrativ och fickor av frihet : Om alienation i lärarens vardag
No full textDenna essä syftar till att analysera hur olika narrativ kring läraryrket och skolan påverkar den praktiserande läraren. Studien synliggör hur en upplevd klyfta mellan den konkreta yrkesverkligheten och de offentliga narrativen kan uppstå, vilket i sin tur kan ge upphov till erfarenheter av alienation. Denna upplevelse av alienation förstås framförallt i ljuset av Rahel Jaeggis definition av begreppet, vilken kännetecknas av en relationslös relation, men även med hjälp av Herbert Marcuses analyser av det senmoderna samhället som en form av totalitär ordning där individens tänkande och handlande begränsas. Genom att relatera till erfarenheter av totalitära system – såsom de som skildras i George Orwells roman 1984 och i Victor Klemperers filologiska analyser av nazismens språkbruk – framträder en bild av en mekaniserad, ekonomiserad och reducerad människosyn, som även återkommer i samtida narrativ om skolan. Som kontrast till denna utveckling framträder fickor av frihet, där en mer relationell, undersökande och reflekterande hållning till kunskap, undervisning och skola blir synlig. Denna alternativa hållning belyses med hjälp av kvantfysiken och med stöd av tänkare som Theodor Adorno, Andreas Gruschka, Jean-Jacques Rousseau och Gert Biesta.This essay aims to analyze how various narratives surrounding the teaching profession and the school system influence practicing teachers. The study highlights how a perceived gap can emerge between the concrete reality of the profession and the dominant public narratives, a gap that may give rise to experiences of alienation. This experience of alienation is primarily understood through Rahel Jaeggi’s definition, which characterizes alienation as a relation of relationlessness. It is also examined in the light of Herbert Marcuse’s analyses of late modern society as a form of totalitarian order, wherein individual thought and action are constrained. By drawing on experiences of totalitarian systems—such as those depicted in George Orwell’s novel 1984 and in Victor Klemperer’s philological analyses of Nazi language use—a picture emerges of a mechanized, economized, and reductive view of the human being, which also resonates in contemporary narratives about education. In contrast to this development, pockets of freedom appear—spaces where a more relational, inquisitive, and reflective approach to knowledge, teaching, and schooling becomes visible. This alternative stance is illuminated through references to quantum physics and supported by the thought of Theodor Adorno, Andreas Gruschka, Jean-Jacques Rousseau, and Gert Biest
Personlighetsfacetter Och Socialt Risktagande : Rollen Av Extraversion Och Öppenhet
No full textDenna studie undersökte hur personlighetsdimensionerna Extraversion och Öppenhet, på facettnivå, relaterar till Socialt risktagande, samt utvärderade reliabiliteten för en svensk översättning av DOSPERT-skalan för Socialt risktagande. Med en korrelationsbaserad design besvarade 126 deltagare en webbaserad enkät innehållande BFI-2 för Extraversion och Öppenhet samt DOSPERT-skalan, kompletterad med fem egenkonstruerade items. Resultaten visade måttliga positiva samband mellan Socialt risktagande och både Extraversion och Öppenhet. Multipla regressionsanalyser identifierade Kreativ fantasi och Sällskaplighet som de starkaste prediktorerna för Socialt risktagande, medan Självhävdelse, Aktivitetsnivå, Intellektuell nyfikenhet och Estetisk känslighet inte uppnådde signifikans. Grupperingsanalys visualiserade att individer med högst Socialt risktagande (grupp 1) hade betydande skillnader i medelvärden för dessa facetter. DOSPERT-skalans reliabilitet förbättrades endast marginellt men var fortsatt problematisk, vilket kan ha minskat effekten av observerande samband. Studien belyser vikten av facettnivå-analyser för att förstå Socialt risktagande, men begränsas av sin korrelationsbaserade design och urvalets generaliserbarhet. Framtida forskning bör inkludera kovariater och longitudinella designer för att stärka kausala slutsatser.
Reading and Understanding Together : The Effects of Classroom Group Discussions
No full textThis practice-based study investigates how Year 4 students express reading comprehension in two instructional settings: individual reading tasks and collaborative group discussions. Anchored in a sociocultural perspective on learning, the study explores how different instructional formats influence students’ ability to interpret texts, apply reading strategies, and participate in meaning-making dialogue. Drawing on systematic classroom observations and analysis of student responses, the results show that collaborative discussions elicit more nuanced expressions of comprehension, particularly among students who struggle with written tasks. In contrast, individual work favours students with well-developed metacognitive strategies. The teacher's role proved critical in both contexts—but in different ways: as an instructor in individual tasks and as a facilitator in group discussions. The findings highlight the importance of integrating dialogic, scaffolded, and socially embedded approaches to support literacy development and equitable learning opportunities
Att främja förståelsen av ämnesspecifika begrepp i samhällskunskap : En interventionsstudie om huruvida kooperativt lärande med stöd av begreppskort kan främja elevers förståelse av ämnesspecifika begrepp
No full textThe aim of this study is to investigate whether, and how, cooperative learning in relation to concept cards can promote students’ understanding of subject-specific concepts in social studies. The study is based on an intervention conducted in two sixth-grade classrooms at a municipal school in Sweden. A mixed-methods approach is applied, combining quantitative data from pre- and post-tests with qualitative data from classroom observations and semi-structured focus group interviews. The theoretical framework is based on Vygotsky’s sociocultural perspective, with particular focus on the concepts of scaffolding and appropriation, as well as cooperative learning. The results of the study show that cooperative learning in relation to concept cards contributes to an increased understanding of subject-specific concepts. All students demonstrated progress in terms of total scores according to Bloom’s taxonomy between the pre- and post-tests, and several student responses showed signs of conceptual appropriation. The study concludes that cooperative learning in relation to concept cards enhances the understanding of subject-specific concepts in the subject of social studies
Att få påverka sin fritid : En vetenskaplig essä om elevinflytande och delaktighet på fritidshemmet
No full textIn this essay, we explore how student influence and participation are expressed in the everyday life of the leisure time center. Through our own narratives and reflections, we analyze situations where children express frustration about not being able to influence their free time. We discuss how planning, power structures, and adult intentions affect children’s opportunities to experience genuine influence. With support from theories by Holmberg, Elvstrand and Närvänen, Perselli and Haglund, and Dreyfus and Dreyfus, we reflect on our role as school-age educare teacher in either enabling or limiting participation. We problematize the difference between freedom of choice and real influence. We show how student participation can sometimes become an illusion when the options are already predetermined by adults. Our analysis shows that children often want to and are capable of shaping their daily lives if given real opportunities. By opening up space for students’ voices in the planning process and recognizing them as competent actors, we believe we can create a more inclusive and democratic school-age educare centre. I denna essä undersöker vi hur elevinflytande och delaktighet tar sig uttryck i fritidshemmets vardag. Genom våra egna berättelser och reflektioner analyserar vi situationer där barn uttrycker frustration över att inte kunna påverka sin fritid. Vi diskuterar hur planering, maktstrukturer och vuxnas intentioner påverkar barns möjligheter att uppleva verkligt inflytande. Med stöd i teorier av Holmberg, Elvstrand och Närvänen, Perselli och Haglund samt Dreyfus och Dreyfus reflekterar vi över vår roll som fritidshemslärare i att antingen möjliggöra eller begränsa delaktighet. Vi problematiserar skillnaden mellan valfrihet och verkligt inflytande. Visar hur elevinflytande ibland kan bli en illusion när alternativen redan är förutbestämda av vuxna. Vår analys visar att barn ofta både vill och kan påverka sin vardag om de ges verkliga möjligheter. Genom att skapa utrymme för elevernas röster redan i planeringsprocessen och se dem som kompetenta aktörer menar vi att en mer inkluderande och demokratisk fritidsverksamhet kan utvecklas.
Challenges for Sustainability in Business Models of the Fashion Industry : A Qualitative Multiple Case Study on the Sustainability Conflict Between Ultrafast Fashion and Slow Fashion Business Models
No full textResearch questions: What sustainability-related challenges are present in the business model of Ultrafast fashion? What sustainability-related challenges are present in the business models of slow fashion? How do the sustainability challenges differ between the business models of ultrafast fashion and slow fashion? Purpose: The purpose of this study is to explore and compare the sustainability challenges associated with two contrasting business models in the fashion industry: Ultrafast fashion and slow fashion. Methodology: The study is based on a qualitative multiple case study design. Empirical data was collected through semi-structured interviews with Slow fashion companies and text analysis of Ultrafast fashion companies. The analysis is theory-driven and guided by the Triple Layered Business Model Canvas (TLBMC). Theoretical perspectives: Triple Layered Business Model Canvas (Joyce & Paquin, 2016), Resource-Based View (RBV) and Natural-Resource-Based View (NRBV), Stakeholder Theory (Freeman, 1984), Dynamic Capabilities (Teece, 2018), and Institutional Theory (DiMaggio & Powell, 1983). Result: The study shows that ultrafast fashion is primarily characterized by structurally embedded sustainability problems, particularly related to volume-driven consumption, exploitative supplier relationships, and short-term competitive advantages. In contrast, the slow fashion model is built on sustainable principles but is constrained by external structures such as low consumer awareness, high production costs, and limited institutional support. Conclusion: The sustainability challenges of the two business models differ in both type and origin. Ultrafast fashion faces primarily internal challenges linked to its dependence on speed and low prices, whereas Slow fashion struggles mainly with systemic barriers stemming from lack of support in the market, policy environment, and among consumers
Deep Learning on Demand : A qualitative study on students’ use of ChatGPT in higher education
No full textDenna studie undersöker hur studenter inom högre utbildning använder ChatGPT under informella studiesituationer i vardagen, samt hur deras informationspraktiker formas i mötet med språkmodellens responsiva logik. Genom en kvalitativ ansats baserad på semistrukturerade intervjuer och skärmbilder från två studenter inom teknisk fysik och två inom biomedicinsk analys, analyseras språkmodellen både som informationsteknologi och en aktör som påverkar hur kunskap söks, tolkas och förstås. Analysen utgår det teoretiska ramverket Expanded Model for Everyday Information Practices (E-EIP) samt analysmetoden diskursiv gränssnittsanalys, i syfte att undersöka hur gränssnittets design signalerar vissa beteenden som önskvärda och andra som mindre tillgängliga. Materialet visar att ChatGPT främst används för att spara tid, strukturera uppgifter, skapa överblick och att användningenkantas av varierande grad källkritisk reflektion. Gränssnittet främjar ett transaktionellt förhållningssätt till kunskap, där användaren tilltalas som kund snarare än ett lärande subjekt. ChatGPT upplevs som ett bollplank men formar samtidigt studenters uppfattning om vad som är relevant, möjligt och legitimt i studiesammanhang. Studien behandlar därmed språkmodellens normerande roll i studenters lärande, och framhäver behovet av att kritiskt förstå hur generativ AI påverkar akademiska praktiker och informationskompetens. This study explores how students in higher education use ChatGPT in their informal everyday studies, and how their information practices are shaped in interaction with the large language model. Drawing on a qualitative approach with semi-structured interviews and screenshots from two students in engineering physics and two in biomedical analysis, the study analyzes ChatGPT's role as a study tool, and as a formative actor in knowledge practices. The analysis applies the Expanded Model for Everyday Information Practices (E-EIP) and discursive interface analysis to examine the affordances embedded in the interface design. The findings show that while students use ChatGPT to save time, clarify complex material and structure tasks, their use is also marked by ethical uncertainty and fluctuating critical engagement with information. The interface logic promotes a transactional approach to knowledge, positioning the user more as a customer rather than a learning subject. ChatGPT’s design encourages efficiency and surface-level understanding, subtly guiding student behavior and expectations. The study highlights how generative AI technologies shape what is perceived as relevant, legitimate and reasonable in learning environments - emphasizing the socio-technical nature of knowledge production and the need for critical information literacy in an AI-driven academic landscape.