The aim of this thesis is to look for signs of students? understanding of algebra by studying how they make the transition from arithmetic to algebra. Students in an Upper Secondary class on the Natural Science program and Science and Technology program were given a questionnaire with a number of algebraic problems of different levels of difficulty. Especially important for the study was that students leave comments and explanations of how they solved the problems. According to earlier research, transitions are the most critical steps in problem solving.

This thesis was performed at Indusec ABin Stockholm. Indusec AB is a companythat develops security solutions.Together with the Police of Sweden theyhave gotten the assignment to develop anapplication based on one of theiralready existing product Inferno soundbarrier. This application is supposed tobe mounted on a ballistic shield thatthe police use, the application consistsof a speaker box (the sound barrier) anda trigger with wire. The trigger withwire is the part that will be addressedin this thesis. The application willthen be used as a tool to surprise atarget at various skirmishes.The project consists of three majorphases, pre-study, concept generationand modeling.

Today Europe is faced with an identity crisis concerning its borders. Turkey stands at the threshold for an EU-membership while the EU-Commission is trying to formulate what constitutes a European identity. This identity seeking process will determine the future not only for Turkey, but also for immigrants now living in Europe.In this thesis a discourse analysis, underpinned by socialconstructionist theory, is conducted to explore how the European identity has been constructed throughout history up until today. A starting point is that identity always is defined through a dialectical relationship to "otherness". Therefore the analysis is focused not only on what a European identity consists of but also what and who it excludes.

The purpose of this study was to analyse the concept of empowerment and its meaning in the political document "En Förnyad Folkhälsopolitik" from the present Swedish government, containing guidelines and politics in the area of public health. The underlying question was if it could be considered as representative for some kind of general "empowerment approach" since the concept is central to the very definition of social work by the International Federation of Social Workers IFSW and International Association of Schools of Social Work (IASSW).By comparing its definition and consequences in the document with a historical review of different contexts of empowerment the conclusion was made that such a common approach doesn´t exist at all. The meaning of empowerment in the central document showed some similarities with the "northamerican" version of the concept represented by the social scientist Charles Murray, which is just one of the political meanings of empowerment. Alternative ways of understanding the concept was also presented such as being a tool of a constant conflict between central political principles or as a fashionable but not important word. Another alternative was to consider it a means of power through witch different political discourses tries to dominate the world..

The aim of this study is to highlight the computer as a learning resource in the education and give us knowledge about how the students uses the computer in year one in a selected High School where one computer per student were introduced in autumn 2011. The aim is also to contribute to the discussion about how the computer can become a natural learning resource for all students in all subjects, including the students in need of special support.How are the High School students using the computer?Are there differences in computer use, whether the student is in academic or vocational program?Are there differences in computer use between boys and girls?Do the student experience that the digital competence is increasing together with if they experience the computer as aid?In what degree do the teachers encourage the students to use the computer?How much do the students use the computer to learn mathematic?The study is based on a survey of all students in year one in a municipal High School.The result of the study is showing that the students first of all use the computer to play music, surf the Internet and to be logged in on social media (eg. Facebook). The students have learned to use the computer for the tasks they need, although the teachers don?t encourage the students to use the computer in any higher means, not in mathematics and not in other subjects.

To the world you may be one person, but to one person you may be the worldThese words sum up my account of social worker expertise. How does one become skillful?a master?in the profession? I answer this question by exploring how social worker proficiency can be developed and grow with the help and support of supervisors, clients and colleagues. Development through professional supervision and in the encounter with clients is an essential part of the work. I also discuss what it means to be new in the field (a novice) in relation to being experienced (a master).

The purpose of this study was to examine how school counselors in a specific municipalityviewed their work situation, if they experienced stress and how they would handle that stress.Five school counselors out of eight in the specific municipality participated in qualitativeinterviews where they could describe their feelings and thoughts. Their experiences wasexamined and analyzed with the theories of coping and empowerment. The results showedthat there were unhealthy levels of stress in the profession amongst the five counselors. It alsoshowed that the uttermost reason for the experienced unhealthy stress was the feeling of notbeing able to give as much time and help to the pupils as they want and need. The reason forthis was that an increasing number of pupils were, and are, experiencing unhappiness and arein need of seeing the school counselor.

The purpose of this article is to describe the discourse in which public-private partnership (PPP) resides, within the Swedish parliament, in the field of infrastructure. I have chosen to look at the latest three years deliberation where PPP appears in parliament bills.This case study is based upon discourse as a qualitative method. Five indicator signs which is history, comparison, geographic location, vision of growth potential and solution controls the context of PPPThe result of the analysis was that a clear discourse was unravelled. A first rather surprising conclusion shows that it is possible to disconnect the discourse from PPP. PPP is not important by itself, the result shows that it only play the part of possible solution to the problems related to the discourse and does not have any value in its own.This result lead the conclusion that PPP is no more than a tool for politicians to get as much out of their infrastructural aims as possible, as rational vote-maximizing actors.

Practical and theoretical learning are methods that are used in schools as a way to prepare students for the working life. Within the practical learning knowledge is not only acquired to learn in practice, but the students must also be able to apply their theoretical knowledge to what he/she does. Against this background, the aim of the study was to investigate the importance of practical learning for students in college / university level and how they are experiencing the stress that may arise out of the loss of practical learning during their education, as well as their vision for working life after completing their education. The population of the study consisted of N = 36, which 18 of these had used both practical and theoretical learning and the remainder had only used theoretical learning. The method was a questionnaire survey with a high proportion of fixed alternative answers according to likert scales.

The purpose of this paper is to investigate when Swedish and English are used in English teaching and how the pupils view the importance of the classroom language for their language development. My research questions are ?In what situations is Swedish and English respectively spoken during the English lessons?? and ?What are the pupils' opinions concerning the significance of English and Swedish in the classroom for their language development??. To answer my questions, I have used relevant theoretical research and conducted two observations and two group interviews in a secondary school. The observations have given me an example of how it can function in the classroom and the interviews have given me the opportunity to hear the pupils' different perspectives on how it is done in the classroom and their different opinions concerning this matter. According to the research, it is of great importance that the pupils are offered the opportunity to use the English language as much as possible in the classroom.

Abstract The purpose of this essay is to compare in what way pedagogues in pre-school in comparison to pedagogues in school use music as an implement to stimulate children?s language development. The essay is built on qualitative written interviews on four pedagogues, two pre-school teachers and two class teachers, along with relevant literature concerning music in relation to language development.In the interviews it was shown that music is used in a greater extent by the pre-school teachers, compared to the class teachers. Activities containing elements of music is situated on a daily basis in preschool, where the two interviewed pre-school teacher?s works.

Internet has made information more easy to get, but also more difficult to retrieve. There is a need for information retrieval systems that assure accurate, reliable and up to date information. Quite a number of both commercial and non commercial search services has been developed on the Internet. We have made a qualitative study of one for-pay product in particular, NetS k, produced by BTJ (Bibliotekstj nst), Lund. It is a database that contains collected, evaluated and classified links, and is especially developed to suit public librarians in Sweden.

Children's Need In Focus (BBIC) is a processing and documentation system used in child welfare cases to investigate, plan and monitor interventions. The BBIC has had a breakthrough in Sweden and out of the country's 290 municipalities, there are 284 that use the system daily as a tool in cases involving children. The purpose of this study was to examine how social workers experience the BBIC as a working system and what strengths and weaknesses there are in the BBIC concept. We wanted our study to examine how the BBIC could possibly enhance the quality of childcare matters, but also how the BBIC could potentially increase children's participation in cases. We have performed qualitative interviews with eight social workers who work in four different municipalities where the BBIC is applied daily.

The purpose of this thesis is to examine which role public libraries play or could play within bibliotherapy. The study is based on qualitative interviews with five librarians who, in one way or another have experienced bibliotherapy activities. Further, we have interviewed two treatment assistants and one counsellor, who have cooperated with the librarians, to get their view. We have used the following research questions: Which bibliotherapeutic activities, if any, are pursued in public libraries in Sweden, and how do they look upon bibliotherapy? What role do public libraries play/could play within bibliotherapy? Ever since the term bibliotherapy was coined in the beginning of the twentieth century, the definition has been under debate. We have identified four main subjects of discussion.

In search of a stage language that resonates in historical disciplines, I have explored the possibility to expand my performing arts through the language of Indian classical Odissi, through different forms of storytelling. In my work I have focused primarily on two projects inspired by the original scripts of Macbeth by William Shakespeare and Breaking Bad by Vince Gilligan. I have outlined examples of methods and techniques used in the process.The work also shows how Odissi has evolved from a religious and philosophical tradition of temple dance; into modern stage theatre performance.The work aims to connect Odissi with western performing art. In this process I have been using my own knowledge about Odissi as a tool in combining both the traditions, a fusion in action.I will physically examine the artistic idiom, the characteristics, the actions and deeds found in stylized Odissi imagery and symbols, traditionally used to embody mythological and epic stories. A rendezvous between East and West.