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This paper explores the challenges of filming as a qualitative research method in practical school subjects. We exemplify with an observation study using video data collected from lessons in Home Economics, but the issues we discuss are also relevant for other subjects with practical elements, such as Arts, Crafts, Music, Physical Education, and Natural Science. Based on a reflexive thematic analysis of sixteen videotaped Home Economics lessons, we discuss how potential limitations arise due to group work, obstructive furnishings, unpredictable movement, and the use of artefacts. The paper concludes with a discussion about the need to balance intrusiveness and visibility, the struggle to capture everything, the potentially problematic emphasis on visual data, and a section with recommendations for successful use of video as a research tool.

The aim of the study was to explore Swedish high school students’ experiences of group workduring Home Economics (HE) woodwork, with a specific focus on the factors they consideredimportant and how the group work was organized. A total of 21 interviews with 23 participantswere analyzed using thematic analysis. The findings indicate that while teachers establishedthe groups, students were responsible for organizing the division of tasks within them. A keyaspect was the importance of communication, which facilitated task allocation as studentsdiscussed their preferences and prior knowledge. When focusing on the work, students valueda balanced workload with appropriately challenging tasks to achieve a successful outcomeefficiently. Additionally, enjoyment, a sense of security, and having fun were important; thus,many preferred collaborating with familiar peers, even if this sometimes negatively affectedefficiency. Successful group work in HE relies on effective communication among students.However, an emphasis on outcomes over processes may hinder learning opportunities anddiscourage engagement with unfamiliar tasks, suggesting a need for more reflective practicesin group work to prioritize educational goals. 

Home Economics is a mandatory school subject for students in grade 1-9 in Swedish compulsory school. Students often work in groups when completing practical tasks. The aim of this study was to examine how students aged 14-16 experience such group work. How was the group work organized? What did the students think was most important when working in groups? A total of 22 individual interviews were conducted and then analyzed using thematic analysis. The results indicated that students preferred working with someone they knew well because it impacted communication, efficiency, a sense of fun and how much support they received from each other. Students expressed that the teachers organized the groups, but they organized the division of tasks in the group themselves. A limitation for the study is that it only includes students from three different schools. Nevertheless, it shows the importance of clarifying the purpose of group work in Home Economics.

The Swedish National Agency for Education states that educational provision should involve pupil opportunities for interdisciplinary work and the experience of learning in different ways. In this context, the current study aimed to explore the actual operation of interdisciplinary teaching (IDT) in Swedish compulsory schools, i.e. from preschool (6 years) to grade 9 (16 years) regarding nutrition and health. To investigate this, two web-based nationwide questionnaires were sent out in 2014 to compulsory schools in Sweden. One questionnaire was aimed at teachers in five subjects: Home and Consumer Studies (HCS), Natural Science Subjects (NSS) (Biology, Chemistry, Physics), and Physical Education and Health (PEH). The second questionnaire was for school principals. A total of 388 teachers and 216 principals answered the respective questionnaire. The study showed that 40% of the teachers and 59% of the principals reported that their school worked in an interdisciplinary way regarding nutrition and health education. Practical scheduling problems and a lack of time for planning were seen as the main barriers by both teachers and principals, but to a much larger extent by teachers. A prerequisite for successful IDT is that teachers have a chance to meet and plan, and this study indicates that frame factors have a critical impact on what is possible regarding IDT in Swedish schools. It is crucial that principals appreciate their part in facilitating IDT. Increased interdisciplinary teaching for nutrition and health (IDT-NH) might increase school potential for the better integration of knowledge and understanding about the importance of lifestyle for health, the environment and society.

Objective: This study aimed to describe Discourses on vegetarian food in the Swedish school subject Home and Consumer Studies. Design: The study involved the observation of naturally occurring classroom talk, with audio recording and in some cases video-taping. Setting: The study was conducted during Home and Consumer Studies lessons in five different northern Swedish schools. Method: Fifty-nine students and five teachers were observed, recorded and in some cases video-taped. The resulting data were analysed with a focus on big 'D' Discourses. Results: Results indicated that gendered Discourses of absence, deviance and unattainability restricted some students' access to vegetarian food. The absence of meat was constructed as simultaneously healthy and unhealthy, a lack of cultural familiarity with vegetarian cooking made finding recipes difficult and students perceived the loss of taste as very negative. The vegetarian was seen as deviant, with vegetarianism being conceptually equated with sickness. Access to meat-free food required a commitment to a vegetarian lifestyle, and this was seen as a sacrifice and as too much work, not only for the individual but also for others. Conclusion: To counteract the restricted access to vegetarian food, Home and Consumer Studies teachers can redesign activities in the subject with the help of critical food literacy. For example, cooking could focus on popular plant-based dishes instead of 'empty' vegetarian themes, all students could be allowed to share vegetarian dishes instead of reserving them for vegetarians, the possibly strict rules of vegetarianism could be relaxed for those who do not wish to commit to them and vegetarian food could be deliberately connected to strength and masculinity. However, this presupposes sufficient economic resources and ample food storage space.

The aim of the study was to describe classroom Discourses about vegetables during the planning, cooking, eating and evaluation of meals in the Swedish school subject Home and Consumer Studies. Fifty-nine students and five teachers were recruited from five northern Swedish villages and towns, and then observed, recorded and in some cases video-taped during lessons that took place between 2010 and 2012. Based on 56 instances of talk about vegetables, four Discourses were identified and related to the three aspects of Belasco's culinary triangle of contradictions: identity, responsibility and convenience. The results indicated that the identity-based sensory and cultural Discourses sometimes clashed with the more responsibility-oriented health and evaluation Discourses. The health Discourse was only used when there was an element of evaluation, with assignments connected to grades. In all other cases, the sensory and cultural Discourses guided vegetable use. Sometimes different sensory or cultural assumptions could clash with each other, for example when the teacher insisted on the use of a specific recipe regardless of a student's taste preferences. Since these preferences did not always harmonize with curricular demands for responsibility, there might be a risk of basing grades on aspects of students' identity. Alternatively, students might feel constrained to argue against their own identity in order to be favourably evaluated. Then again, if teachers always bow to student tastes, this limits their chances of learning about food and physical health. Viewing the dilemma through the lens of the culinary triangle of contradictions may help teachers and researchers develop teaching methods that take all aspects of food choice into account.

The aim of the study was to describe and analyze different types of group work during Home and Consumer Studies lessons in four Swedish schools, located in two different municipalities. Observations of pupils' practical tasks were carried out in six classrooms, and video/sound recorded. Study participants totaled 44 pupils (11 – 16 years old). Qualitative content analysis of the observations showed four different types of group work; 1) integrated, 2) expert (appointed by the kitchen partner/s and self-appointed), 3) divided, and 4) parallel. The most important finding was that pupils belonging to a self-appointed expert group, a divided group or a parallel group did not have the best conditions for learning. The integrated type appeared more conducive to individual learning than the other three. As a result, teachers have to be aware that non-functioning group work can negatively impact pupils' possibility of achieving the grade-related tasks for the subject. 

Background People are faced with a variety of consumer choices every day. If they do not have adequate and appropriate knowledge their choices create a greater risk of negative effects for the environment and the economy, and also for the individual's personal health and economic circumstances. Home and Consumer Studies (HC-studies) provides school pupils with educational opportunities on which to base their choice decisions.

Aim The overall aim of this thesis is to describe and analyze the impact of frame factors such as, for example, teachers’ qualifications, classrooms, lesson time, interdisciplinary work and group work on the educational experience, focusing on pupils' opportunities for goal achievement in an HC-studies context.

Methods Two different methods were used to obtain data, 1) surveys and 2) classroom observations. One nationwide survey were sent out in 2010 to people working with HC-studies (N=385) and two surveys were sent out in 2014, one to people working with the five subjects HC-studies, Physical Education and Health, Chemistry, Physics and Biology (n=388), and one to head teachers (N=216). All three surveys involved municipal and independent schools. The observations were carried out in four different schools in grades 5, 8 and 9, when pupils worked in the kitchen units and were made using video and audio recording. In total, 44 pupils participated.

Results The surveys showed that the HC-studies teacher qualifications were higher in municipality schools compared to independent schools (86% vs 39%). Classrooms with 4 – 10 kitchen units were more common in the municipality schools than independent schools (94% vs 71%). Among teachers in the five subjects HC-studies, Physical Education and Health, Chemistry, Physics and Biology, as well as Head teachers, about half stated that the school they worked in, or had the responsibility for, used interdisciplinary teaching in the area of nutrition and health. Regarding barriers to interdisciplinary teaching, teachers and head teachers both considered a lack of planning time and scheduling to be the biggest problems.

Video and audio recordings showed that lesson time, in combination with the amount of content to be delivered during the lesson, led to stressed and insecure pupils, and both teachers and pupils seemed to have a strong focus on the end result; the meal. Some pupils used a variety of strategies to change the cooking in order to have more chance of completing the process on time. Four different ways in which pupils worked together in the kitchen units emerged: 1) integrated, 2) expert, 3) divided, and 4) parallel group work. Integrated group work seemed to provide opportunities for learning because pupils communicated with each other, discussed how they would divide the cooking within the group, who should do what and how they would work so that everyone could take part in the cooking. The other three types of groups did not seem conductive to learning. Many pupils in these groups did not communicate and were not able to show their skills and creativity. It also emerged that, if they got the chance, pupils chose tasks about which they already had some knowledge.

Conclusions This thesis highlights various conditions shaping pupil opportunity to reach goals in the subject. The study raises many questions about the extent to which pupils around the country have the same opportunity to reach goals in the HC-studies syllabus.

Bakgrund Idag ställs vi som samhällsmedborgare inför en mängd olika val varje dag, val som påverkar både hälsa, ekonomi och miljö. Om vi inte har kunskap om vilka val vi kan göra, riskerar det att få negativa effekter både på miljö och samhällsekonomi men även för individens personliga hälsa och ekonomi. Hem- och konsumentkunskap (HK) skulle med rätt förutsättningar kunna vara en värdefull arena för människors möjlighet att ta del av en hälsofrämjande undervisning, vilket behövs allt mer i vårt samhälle. Sedan 1962, när grundskolan infördes i Sverige, har ämnet varit obligatoriskt både för pojkar och flickor. Ämnet är idag det minsta sett till antalet timmar, med totalt 118 timmar under grundskolans nio år. Detta gör att ämnets begränsade tid behöver tas tillvara och lärare behöver ges förutsättningar för att kunna bidra till att eleverna når kursplanens uppställda mål.

Mot bakgrund av detta var syftet i denna avhandling att beskriva och analysera ramfaktorers inverkan på undervisningen, med fokus på elevers möjlighet till måluppfyllelse i en HK-kontext.

Metoder Två olika metoder användes för att inhämta material; 1) enkäter och 2) klassrumsobservationer. Tre rikstäckande enkäter skickades ut 2010 och 2014 till kommunala och fristående skolor. Länk till enkät 1 skickades via e-post till HK-lärare, enkät 2 till lärare i fem skolämnen; HK, kemi, fysik, biologi samt idrott och hälsa och länk till enkät 3 skickades till skolledare. Observationerna genomfördes i fyra olika skolor i årskurs 5, 8 och 9 när eleverna arbetade praktiskt i köksenheterna. Observationerna gjordes med hjälp av video- och ljudinspelning och totalt deltog 44 elever.

Resultat och slutsatser Avhandlingen undersöker ett antal ramfaktorers inverkan på elever och lärare i HK. Med hjälp av enkät 1 gjordes en kartläggning av praktiska förutsättningar för HK runt om i Sverige, bland annat lärares utbildning, klassrummets utformning samt lektionslängd i årskurs 8 och 9. När det gällde behörigheten hade de kommunala skolorna 86% behöriga lärare medan endast 39% var behöriga i de fristående skolorna. När det gällde klassrum hade 88% av skolorna ett fullt utrustat klassrum (fyra till tio köksenheter). Det kommunala skolorna hade i högre utsträckning fullt utrustat klassrum jämfört med fristående skolorna (94% respektive 71%, vilket visade på en signifikant skillnad). Lektionslängden varierade för årskurs 8 och 9. I årskurs 8 hade 44% 120 min eller längre lektioner. I årskurs 9 var motsvarande siffra 32%.

Med hjälp av enkät 2 och 3 kartlades förekomsten av ämnesövergripande arbete inom området kost och hälsa samt eventuella hinder för ett sådant arbetssätt i den svenska grundskolan. Ungefär hälften av både lärare och skolledare angav att den skola de arbetade på eller hade ansvar över arbetade ämnesövergripande kring området kost och hälsa. När det gällde eventuella hinder för ämnesövergripande arbete ansåg både lärare och skolledare att brist på planeringstid och problem med schemaläggning var de största hindren, men lärare såg båda dessa som betydligt större hinder än vad skolledare gjorde.

Med hjälp av observationerna undersöktes om och i så fall på vilket sätt elever och lärare påverkades av lektionstiden samt vilka olika typer av grupparbeten som förekom när eleverna arbetade tillsammans i köksenheterna. Lektionstiden i relation till mängden uppgifter medförde stressade och osäkra elever. Både lärare och elever verkade ha stort fokus på slutresultatet. Elever uttryckte även en rädsla för att inte få ett godkänt betyg om de inte blev klara med matlagningen i tid. En del elever använde olika strategier för att förändra matlagningen för att ha större chans att hinna klart i tid. De kunde till exempel anpassa receptet, utesluta en jäsning vid bakning med jäst och/eller modifiera matlagningen genom att göra mindre bitar för snabbare tillagning.

När det gällde samarbete utkristalliserades fyra olika sätt på vilket eleverna arbetade tillsammans i köksenheterna: 1) integrerat grupparbete, 2) expertgrupparbete, 3) delat grupparbete och 4) parallellt grupparbete. Integrerat grupparbete såg ut att ge förutsättningar för lärande eftersom eleverna kommunicerade med varandra, diskuterade hur de skulle lägga upp matlagningen, vem som skulle göra vad och hur de skulle arbeta så att alla fick ta del av undervisningen. De andra tre typerna av grupper såg inte ut att främja lärande. Många elever i dessa grupper kommunicerade inte tydligt med varandra och hade inte heller möjlighet att visa sin skicklighet och kreativitet vilket finns skrivet i både Kursplan 2000 och Lgr 11 som något som eleverna ska utveckla och visa i undervisningen. Om dessa grupper dessutom är bestående under flera veckor blir en trolig konsekvens att vissa elever har försämrade förutsättningar till måluppfyllelse. Det som också framkom vid analysen av observationerna var att eleverna i det praktiska arbetet valde att göra det de redan hade kunskaper om, om de fick chansen att välja själva.

Avhandlingen har belyst olika förutsättningar för elevers möjlighet till måluppfyllelse i HK. Studien väcker många frågor om huruvida elever runt om i landet ges likvärdiga förutsättningar att nå målen i kursplanen.

The aim of this study was to explore how time frames affect pupils and teachers in cooking activities during lessons of different durations for Home and Consumer Studies, with a specific focus on the pupils’ experiences. To investigate this, classroom observations were carried out in 2011 and 2012, with the help of audio and video recordings in three different schools in Sweden and included altogether 22 pupils (18 girls, 4 boys) in grade 9 (15–16 years). Each class was observed during two separate lessons, lasting between 1 h 50 minutes (110 minutes) and 2 h 20 minutes (140 minutes). The six lessons resulted in 12 hours of video recorded time and 80 hours of sound recordings.

The study showed that the importance of finishing on time seemed to be ingrained in most pupils in all classes and the end result was perceived as more important than the process of cooking. The study also showed that knowledge of cooking skills and time management seemed important for success in grade-related tasks. Pupils demonstrated different ways of handling the time frames, e.g. using various methods to speed up the cooking process. This study raises important questions about the relationship between national and local time frames and the curriculum aims in Home and Consumer Studies.