Purpose: The article focuses on the contribution of didactics and didactic theory as a distinct strand in research on vocational education and training (VET). Empirical research is reviewed to further explore what characterizes vocational didactics in the Swedish context of Upper Secondary VET. Approach: Semi-structured and flexible review…

Drawing from a practice-based research study in Swedish secondary schools, the aim of this paper is to explore how facts and values are made and unmade as separate and entangled phenomena in sexuality education. In this exploration, we work with a posthumanist approach - agential realism - and more specifically the concept of agential cuts. The…

In this study, we investigate the phenomenon of Swedish Natural Science sexuality education. These classes tend to provide factual knowledge, focus on the negative outcomes of sexuality, be heteronormative and include little time for discussion--like much school sexuality education across the world--and this study aims to contribute ideas about…

Principal autonomy has been identified as an important ingredient in effective and healthy schools. However, little is known about the various dimensions of the phenomenon and how it takes form in different contexts. This article presents an analytical device contributing to further understand the complex nature of principal autonomy. The device…

Few notions seem to capture the imagination of education policymakers today as completely as digitalization and leadership. Through these two, schools are believed to become transformed, and in turn, these transformed schools will transform people and society. This paper critically analyzes a Swedish official digital policy instrument that…

Previous research has addressed how societal demands shape ideas about appropriate practices in physical education (PE) and the consequences for those involved and for society at large. It has also highlighted the influential role of groups and organisations, including PE teachers, in shaping PE practices. However, the significance of school…

This paper describes and evaluates student teachers' virtual simulation training on teaching a controversial issue. In the fourth year of their program to become social science teachers at lower and upper secondary schools, 43 student teachers in Sweden conducted simulation teaching on conspiracy theories as an example of a controversial issue.…

In this systematic scoping review, research on the inclusion of students with special education needs (SEN) in Nordic countries was reviewed to describe the scope and types of empirical research, identify the practices and approaches on the inclusion of students with SEN, and conceptually map how particular concepts (i.e., inclusion, SEN) are…

Teachers' professional learning is closely connected to and dependent on different leading practices. Teachers professional learning is regarded as a key factor in successful school development, and development leaders at different levels are assigned to provide for and support such learning. However, the connection between leading and learning…

We study whether autonomous schools, which are publicly funded but can operate more independently than government-run schools, affect student achievement and school segregation across 15 countries over 16 years. Our triple-differences regressions exploit between-grade variation in the share of students attending autonomous schools within a given…

With future shortage of professionals with programming and computing skills, many countries have made programming part of kindergarten -- grade 12 curriculum (K-12). A possible approach is to make programming part of an already existing subject. Sweden has chosen this approach and in 2017 programming was integrated in the subject content of K-12…

The Determinants of Implementation Behavior Questionnaire for school settings (DIBQ-S) was administered to examine questionnaire internal structure evidence and ascertain 127 Swedish school staff's perceived barriers to and facilitators of implementing the Inclusive Behavioral Support in Schools program. Using confirmatory factor analysis, we…

Vocabulary experts recommend first language (L1) translation equivalents for establishing form-meaning mappings for new second language (L2) words, especially for lower proficiency learners. Empirical evidence to date speaks in favor of L1 translation equivalents over L2 meaning definitions, but most studies have investigated bi- rather than…

The Swedish government has overall responsibility for the education system and sets the policy framework at all education levels. National goals and learning outcomes are defined centrally but with decentralised implementation. Swedish vocational education and training (VET) starts after compulsory education at age 16 and includes programmes at…

This article aims to deepen our knowledge about the work and competences of local education authority (LEA) officials when implementing new policy directives for documentation in the decentralized Swedish school system. The results show that the LEA officials used strategies and actions that improved relevance for principals and schools through…