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A matter of timing: Time use, freedom and influence in school from a pupil perspective
Umeå University, Faculty of Teacher Education, Department of Child and Youth education, Special Education and Counselling. Umeå University, Faculty of Social Sciences, Department of Education.
Umeå University, Faculty of Teacher Education, Department of Child and Youth education, Special Education and Counselling.ORCID iD: 0000-0002-0209-558X
Umeå University, Faculty of Teacher Education, Department of Child and Youth education, Special Education and Counselling.ORCID iD: 0000-0002-5791-081X
2004 (English)In: European Educational Research Journal, E-ISSN 1474-9041, Vol. 3, no 4, p. 743-758Article in journal (Refereed) Published
Abstract [en]

A weakening of central time regulation has constituted one aspect of the process of decentralisation and deregulation of Swedish education in the last two decades. In 1999 the Parliament decided on an experiment period permitting schools in 79 municipalities to allocate school hours more freely. The article aims at exploring and analysing pupils' experiences of the structuring of contents and work in schools without a national time schedule. Pupils' influence over schoolwork, and their individual responsibility and freedom to plan and use time are focused on. Thirty-one pupils, aged 14-15 years, were interviewed. They come from three comprehensive schools ranging from a strongly classified curriculum and teacher work to a curriculum characterised by a high degree of crossdisciplinary  teaching and teacher teamwork. All three schools, to varying extent, have scheduled 'open lessons', when pupils choose content and activity. The majority of pupils appreciate having a responsibility and freedom to plan their own learning, but argue that they are generally not allowed to participate in decisions about teaching and learning. This is particularly the case in subject lessons, which are still mainly controlled by the teachers. The pupils prefer varied forms of teaching and learning and express a need for freedom as well as guidance and structure.

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
2004. Vol. 3, no 4, p. 743-758
National Category
Pedagogical Work
Research subject
Education
Identifiers
URN: urn:nbn:se:umu:diva-4985OAI: oai:DiVA.org:umu-4985DiVA, id: diva2:144317
Available from: 2012-04-25 Created: 2006-03-14 Last updated: 2023-03-28Bibliographically approved
In thesis
1. Tid till förfogande: Förändrad användning och fördelning av undervisningstid i grundskolans senare år?
Open this publication in new window or tab >>Tid till förfogande: Förändrad användning och fördelning av undervisningstid i grundskolans senare år?
2006 (Swedish)Doctoral thesis, comprehensive summary (Other academic)
Alternative title[en]
Time as a recourse in school : Practising flexible time allocation and time use
Abstract [en]

The Swedish education system has undergone decentralisation and deregulation since the late 1970s. The 1999 parliamentary resolution for a 5-year experiment of increased school autonomy in time allocation, was a late step in this development. Approximately 900 compulsory schools in 79 municipalities no longer had to adhere to the regulation of the national time schedule.

The overall aim of this thesis is to describe and analyse changes of time allocation and time use in schools during the experiment. The analysis has the theories and research by Basil Bernstein and Michael Fullan as the point of departure. Framing and classification, educational change and teachers’ work culture are some of the key concepts. The results from interviews with 32 local directors formed the basis of selection of three participating municipalities and schools in the longitudinal study. The sample included both municipalities participating and some not participating in the experiment. The schools had varying motives for participating, and different initial time allocation strategies and procedures. However, they all shared an ambition to strengthen curriculum and school development. Pupils, teachers and head teachers from three classes and teacher teams in the three schools were interviewed and observed over a period of two years. Documents on time use and policies from the three schools were analysed.

No dramatic changes were observed. Changes rarely meant a redistribution of time between contents/subjects or pupils. Instead they were predominantly about weakened boundaries between subjects and teachers, increased teacher control over the work and giving pupils more influence over their own learning situation. So called open lessons, when pupils were allowed to choose what, where and how to study, cross-disciplinary studies and subject-integrated teamwork facilitated this. A majority of pupils and teachers appreciated the increased freedom and control over their work. Some teachers, however, tended to be more hesitant, pointing to risks of work overload and lowered academic achievement. Both teachers and pupils doubted that all pupils could manage highly autonomous studies, and agreed that some needed more structure and help from the teachers. Teachers in practical and aesthetic subjects were often constrained from engaging in cross-disciplinary studies and teamwork. Having one’s teaching assignment divided between many different classes and even schools, and lack of premises were commonly mentioned obstacles.

Committed head teachers and well-functioning teacher teams were significant factors were commonly in the observed development process. Also, active support from the municipality and network-participation were contributing factors. Attention is drawn to the fact that it is not possible to relate the observed changes exclusively to the time schedule experiment. They were feasible within the existing, flexible frames of the national time schedule. Furthermore, a number of other changes occurred parallel to the experiment.

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
Umeå: Barn- och ungdomspedagogik, specialpedagogik och vägledning, 2006. p. 51
Series
Doktorsavhandlingar i pedagogiskt arbete, ISSN 1650-8858 ; 6
Keywords
School autonomy, time allocation, time use, pupil influence, pupil individualisation, teacher work, change.
National Category
Pedagogical Work
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:umu:diva-724 (URN)91-7264-007-3 (ISBN)
Public defence
2006-04-07, Sal 213h, Samhällsvetarhuset, Umeå universitet, Umeå, 10:00 (English)
Opponent
Supervisors
Available from: 2006-03-14 Created: 2006-03-14 Last updated: 2018-06-09Bibliographically approved

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Nyroos, MikaelaRönnberg, LindaLundahl, Lisbeth

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