Scandinavian Journal of Educational Research

Turan, Zeynep

doi: 10.1080/00313831.2021.1983868pmid: N/A

This study aims to determine the effectiveness of flipped classrooms in science education through the use of systematic review and meta-analysis. A total of 64 studies were analyzed by scanning the following databases: Web of Science, Eric, Taylor & Francis, and Education Full Text (EBSCO). Of the studies analyzed, 18 were selected for meta-analysis. Since the first study publication in 2013, the use of flipped classroom method in science education has since become prevalent. This study reveals that quantitative approaches were used as a principal research method, university students were preferred as primary participants, and that the studies reviewed mainly examined classrooms in the context of chemistry courses. As a result of meta-analysis, a meaningful effect size pertaining to student achievement was revealed, which showed favor towards the use of flipped classrooms (Hedges’ g = 0.625, 95% CI [0.342, 0.908], p < 0.001).

Sundqvist, C.; Björk-Åman, C.; Ström, K.

doi: 10.1080/00313831.2021.1983648pmid: N/A

Co-teaching is highlighted as an opportunity to develop inclusive practices. This study aimed to investigate how teacher candidates experienced co-teaching during supervised teacher training periods. Data were collected through pair interviews and questionnaires (N = 22). The analysis was conducted through thematic analysis. Results show that the participants experienced both possibilities and challenges. Generally, they experienced planning and communication as time-consuming but as an opportunity to share ideas and knowledge. They experienced shared responsibilities and equal roles, but in some cases, inequalities appeared. Furthermore, they saw co-teaching as a way to meet diverse needs in the class, but some of the participants had some concerns regarding meeting the individual needs of pupils with individual educational plans (IEPs). Despite challenges, the results show that co-teaching is a valuable element of teacher training. Implications for teacher education are discussed.

Paloniemi, Annukka; Pulkkinen, Jonna; Kärnä, Eija; Björn, Piia Maria

doi: 10.1080/00313831.2021.1983649pmid: N/A

This study investigated primary school special education teachers’ (SETs’) (N = 283) conceptions on their work descriptions and uses of pedagogical documents after a reform in the national support framework. The respondents of this survey reported working mostly in Tiers 1 and 2 when all their tasks (instruction, consultation, and managerial tasks) were considered. The responsibilities of the SETs were, however, more clearly defined in Tier 3. The SETs allocate their work autonomously, but their work description is related to their workload. Clarifications in work descriptions and further elaboration of school’s tiered support functions, emphasizing collaborative practices, are suggested.

Klefbeck, Kamilla

doi: 10.1080/00313831.2021.1983862pmid: N/A

Enabling functional communication is critical for accessibility in school and society for all pupils. This systematic review analyzed the results of educational studies on developing communication skills for learners (≤21 years) with autism spectrum disorder and comorbid intellectual disability. Systematic database searches were conducted using ERIC, MEDLINE, and PsycINFO. Seventeen of 208 peer-reviewed articles in English published between 1990 and 2020 met the inclusion criteria. The analysis identified various educational approaches, ranging from using alternative linguistic tools (e.g., signs and gestures) to physical devices (e.g., visual cues), and also examined instructional approaches used by educators. The synthesis shows heterogeneity of methods used, resulting in weak evidence for any model’s impact on this pupil group’s communication skills development and concomitant possibilities to affect their school situation. In addition, the analysis demonstrated that personnel performance crucially affects children’s opportunities to learn regardless of the approach used. Directions for future research are concluded.

Wiberg, Marie; Rolfsman, Ewa

doi: 10.1080/00313831.2021.1983863pmid: N/A

The overall aim of this study was to examine the different self-reported students’ socioeconomic status (SES) measures in the Trends in Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) in comparison to national SES measures obtained from Swedish official registers. A further aim was to determine if the same conclusions could be drawn if different student measures were used to define SES when modelling the students’ TIMSS mathematics achievement. The overall results showed that the choice of SES measures matters. The home educational resource index and books at home from the TIMSS data base were good indicators of SES. We conclude that when one has access to SES information from official registers it is recommended to use it because these measures have less missing information compared with the TIMSS variables.

Jensen, Maria Reinholdt; van der Wel, Kjetil A.; Bråthen, Magne

doi: 10.1080/00313831.2021.1983864pmid: N/A

This article investigates the role of socioeconomic family resources in modifying the relationships with upper secondary school completion (SSC) for three mental health dimensions, i.e., externalizing, internalizing and substance use disorders. Using data from administrative registers, we follow a cohort in Norway born in 1996 into early adulthood. We find that having a mental health disorder in adolescence was associated with 12–17 percentage points lower SSC rate after adjustment for demographic and household factors, comorbidity and educational performance. In girls, high family income attenuated the negative relationships between all three mental health dimensions and SSC, while in boys, this was true only for substance use disorders. The paper concludes that access to family socioeconomic resources “buffers” the negative impact of mental health disorders on SSC, but less so in boys, contributing to aggravate social and health-related inequalities in SSC.

Eccles, Alice M.; Qualter, Pamela; Madsen, Katrine Rich; Holstein, Bjørn E.

doi: 10.1080/00313831.2021.1983865pmid: N/A

Loneliness has previously been linked to cognitive and attentional bias, and such biases may have a detrimental impact on perceived scholastic self-beliefs. Little is known about the relationship in school-aged adolescents. The current study examined the association between loneliness and scholastic self-beliefs in a nationally representative Danish sample of adolescents (aged 11-, 13- and 15 years, n = 3815, collected in 2014 by the Health Behaviour in School-aged Children study (HBSC)). Through binary logistic regressions, results demonstrated that higher levels of loneliness, measured by a single item and a composite score, were associated with poorer self-reported achievement perception, higher feelings of school dissatisfaction, and greater feelings of school pressure. Results also suggested gender played a moderating role. The current study highlights the importance of loneliness for scholastic self-beliefs, and provides a novel insight by utilising distinct loneliness measures. The implications, in relation to research and practise, are discussed.

Bladh, Daniel; Nordvall, Henrik

doi: 10.1080/00313831.2021.1983866pmid: N/A

Although elected representatives play an imperative role for the functioning of a formal democracy, educational research has so far not given much attention to the education and training offered to this group of people. A democratic dilemma may arise in the design and organisation of this education that relate to local governance and policy processes. This paper investigates introductory education that Swedish municipalities offer to municipal councillors and explore the reasons behind its design. The study draws on a comprehensive set of empirical material, consisting of educational programmes from 261 Swedish municipalities and interviews with municipal representatives. The results suggest three different lines of reasoning, denoted system-oriented, relationship-oriented, and market-oriented lines, behind the design of this education. The importance of these results can be considered in relation to previous findings that a strained relation exist between elected representatives and local administrations in Sweden.

Kess, Riikka; Puroila, Anna-Maija

doi: 10.1080/00313831.2021.1983867pmid: N/A

This study focuses on early childhood teachers’ narrative identities in the North, based on the concept of narrative identities in place. The aim of the study is to deepen understanding of early childhood teachers’ work in the culturally diverse North by approaching the teachers’ narrative identities as closely connected with place. The research question guiding this study is: How do early childhood teachers from the culturally diverse North narrate their identities? The research material consisted of 12 peer interviews (24 teachers). The findings show that early childhood teachers’ narrative identities in place are shaped in between three crucial dimensions: meaningful places, temporality, and (un)belonging to multiple communities. The study contributes to international research on teachers’ narrative identities, place-based education, and early childhood education both theoretically and methodologically. The findings of the study challenge teachers, teacher educators, and policymakers to recognise the significance of place for teachers’ identities.

Sjøen, Martin M.

doi: 10.1080/00313831.2021.1990121pmid: N/A

This study explores how cross-cultural practicums can facilitate intercultural learning in Norwegian teacher education. The qualitative research reported here studies teacher-training students carrying out a teaching practicum in Tanzania. The findings indicate that there are several positive intercultural outcomes for these students. However, by analysing their narratives discursively, the study also finds that many students overestimate their progress towards intercultural competence. This is particularly the case when the students experience significant “cultural clashes”, which tend to result in them expressing stronger stereotypes about the cultural “other”. It is argued that this is due to how the students have received largely monocultural socialisation. Consequently, this study calls for greater scrutiny of the ideologies that underpin globalisation. Thus, in an attempt to shift the focus away from globalisation's drive towards cultural competition, this study argues for the need to infuse critical and comprehensive approaches to internationalisation into teacher education.