Studies of Comparative Didactics (SCOD)

The members of the Research Group on Comparative Didactics study and compare teaching and learning within a number of different areas. Taking their starting point in approaches and results of studies within various fields of didactics, they undertake comparisons and analyses aimed at creating knowledge about teaching, teaching content, learning and socialization.

The majority of the texts presented and discussed in the group’s series of seminars are drafts of book chapters and articles written by the members themselves. The members conduct research into a variety of subjects didactic fields, and the purpose of the seminars is among other things to use the participants’ questions and points of view to elucidate and discuss research into specific areas on the basis of perspectives other than their own.

The members of the group contribute both with empirical knowledge about teaching, learning and professional development and to the development of various theoretical and methodological approaches. The research is characterized by practice-oriented studies of texts, video recordings of classroom practices, surveys, interviews, and development projects.

There are several ongoing doctoral projects in the group. The researchers are leading and participating in a wide range of externally funded projects of various size and orientation. In several of the projects, the participants collaborate with colleagues at other universities nationally and internationally. The studies focus for example

• the relation between different ways of teaching and the pupils’ learning in different subjects (science, and physical education and health) and countries (France, Switzerland and Sweden), (the project Traditions Teaching and Learning, funded by The Swedish Research Council (VR)),
• the effect of the introduction of a new curriculum, national tests and grades on teachers’ teaching and students’ learning (the project ‘Betyg och nationella prov I skolår 6: hur påverkas undervisningen I NO?, funded by VR),
• how children and young people learn about their human rights (the project ‘Utbildning som växthus för barns och ungas mänskliga rättigheter’, funded by VR)
• teacher educators’ views on their disciplines and how this vision is manifested in teacher training (the project ‘Lärarutbildares naturvetenskap under lupp - en studie av gränslandet mellan ämnesdiscipliner och skolämnen’, funded by VR)
• the reconstruction of history teaching designed to stimulate historical thinking and empathy (the project ’Universella värderingar kontra historiskt tänkande – en studie av undervisning för mänskliga rättigheter i Sverige och USA’, funded by the Wallberg Foundations)
• teaching about peace and human rights (the project ‘Fred och mänskliga rättigheter’)
• research and school development, teachers didactic knowledge and professional development (the graduate school NaNo for practicing teachers and preschool teachers in Science Education, funded by the participating schools)
• identity, power, knowledge, location (in cooperation with the The Centre for Professional Development and Internationalisation in Schools at Uppsala University and the Graduate School of Education, University of California, Berkeley)

Research in Comparative Didactics, thus contributes with new knowledge about teaching, learning, content selection, assessment and identity issues in a number of areas. All these issues are important for the teacher profession, professional development and teacher education.

The seminar series on Comparative Didactics is held every third Wednesday from 1 PM to 3 PM.

Scientific Director 

Professor Jonas Almqvist

Participants

Jonas Almqvist, Kristina Andersson, Linn Areskoug, Azra Ates, Ida Bergvall, Oscar Björk, Cecilia Eriksson, Jenny Wiksten Folkeryd, Åsa af Geijerstam, Gabriella Gejard, Jessica Haltorp, Maria Hedefalk, Karin Hjälmeskog, Eva Hultin, Jonas Johansson, Kristina Palm Kaplan, Malena Lidar, Eva Lundqvist, Jörgen Mattlar, Martin Mickelsson, Olle Nolgård, Karin Nordh, Fredrika Nyström, Thomas Nygren, Emma Oljans, Malin Olsson, Tomas Persson, Lennart Rolandsson, Helena Skogström, Eva-Lena Stål, Olle Uppenberg, Viktoria Waagaard, Maria Westman, Anna Wistrand