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Research topic/Aim:

Based on students' perspective, the aim of this study is to understand teachers' didactical design in contemporary one-to-one computing classroom in Sweden. The following research questions were formulated:

1. How do teachers' organise students' use of one-to-one computing, and what are the effects?
2. How are social processes constructed in the one-to-one computing learning environment based on students' experience and use?

Theoretical frameworks:

In a theoretically informed analysis, we applied Bernstein's (2000) concepts for symbolic power and control: classification and framing. Bernstein's relative concept of classification indicates the symbolic boarders between categories, for example teachers and students. The concept of framing indicates the locus of control, or who controls what. The concepts of classification and framing is relative, either strong or weak. These concepts are used to understand how teachers' either keep symbolic power and control, or shift the symbolic power and control towards the students in teaching and learning situations.

Methodology/research design:

This study is part of a greater project about the digitalisation of compulsory schools. Based on results from the bigger project, this study focused on a mixed group of students in compulsory school in grade-2, grade-6, grade-7 and grade-8 studying mathematics, arts and sports. The empirical material consists of four classroom observations, 11 focus group interviews with students and a questionnaire. The focus group interviews were based on three themes: 1) students' basic digital skills, 2) teachers' teaching, and 3) students’ learning. During the interviews, the approach of stimulated recall (Haglund, 2003) was used for probing students' experiences of different teaching approaches by showing the focus groups photography's of different one-to-one computing practices. The focus group interviews lasted between 18 to 35 minutes.

Expected conclusions/Findings:

Based on the concepts of classification and framing, three themes were constructed that indicated teachers and students digital competence. The first theme indicated students' basic digital skills. This theme identified for what and how often the most common activities in which the teachers’ ask students to use one-to-one computing. The second theme indicated a piecework approach, which highlighted students' use of one-to-one computing in class and out of class. In class use indicated a formal practice based on the teachers' power and control, while the out of class use indicated practices based on students' power and control. The third theme indicated the symbolic gesture of raising ones hand. This theme indicated diverse aspects how the teacher either held or dislocated symbolic control.

Relevance for Nordic Educational Research:

In the Nordic countries, digital competence is either already introduced or on its way to be introduced in the national steering documents. Few studies have so far focused on understanding students' perspective of teachers' didactical design. This study contributes to this field of research and indicates a need for a broader understanding of the concept digital competence beyond basic digital skills. Among other things, this study indicate especially how one-to-one computing constructs a need for diverse digital competences based on students' use of one-to-one computing in class as well as out of class.