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Publications (10 of 15) Show all publications
Ålander, J., Tomášková, R., Andersson-Norrie, I., Škorníková, G., Klapuchová, L. & Pokludová, A. (2024). Blended Intensive Programmes: Learning from Institutional, Academic, and Student Cooperation. In: : . Paper presented at CZEDUCON 2024, Prague, Czech Republic, November 18-20, 2024.
Open this publication in new window or tab >>Blended Intensive Programmes: Learning from Institutional, Academic, and Student Cooperation
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2024 (English)Conference paper, Oral presentation with published abstract (Refereed)
Abstract [en]

Blended Intensive Programmes (BIPs) are demanding in multiple ways: they stem from close collaboration among an international group of academics, unite diverse student groups to tackle specialised tasks while building international teams, and rely on support from internationalisation officers to succeed. The complexity of these programmes motivated us to share our experiences, successes, and challenges, presenting four perspectives: academic, student, strategic, and expert support. Join us to share your own insights!

National Category
Educational Sciences
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:oru:diva-117427 (URN)
Conference
CZEDUCON 2024, Prague, Czech Republic, November 18-20, 2024
Available from: 2024-11-20 Created: 2024-11-20 Last updated: 2024-11-21Bibliographically approved
Ålander, J. & Bagger, A. (2024). Changing policy, changing Inclusive Teaching: Providing Learning Materials for all?. In: : . Paper presented at 17th IARTEM international conference on textbooks and educational media, Paris, France, May 29-31, 2024.
Open this publication in new window or tab >>Changing policy, changing Inclusive Teaching: Providing Learning Materials for all?
2024 (English)Conference paper, Oral presentation with published abstract (Refereed)
Abstract [en]

Arguments concerning declining reading and writing skills among school children are currently a focal point in Swedish educational policy change. These students are considered to be in need of support for their learning and with support measures being governed by national documents. Access to teaching content is then a key aspect to improve learning progress. Furthermore, a lack of access to high-quality Teaching and Learning Materials (TLM) - such as textbooks, digital resources and other educational media - has been identified as a key reason to the students’ dropping capabilities in recent reports and government investigations. This has resulted in a policy debate, and have resulted in an ongoing policy change, where the meaning and intended practice of TLMs is undergoing rather drastic transformations in the educational landscape.The decisions following from the governmental investigations and propositions on TLM is in its final stages and will likely be ratified during the summer of 2024. Consequently, this will lead to new preconditions for teachers work and children’s learning, since TLM is at the heart of teaching and learning in the classrooms. To provide access to high- quality TLMs is an obligation to fulfill by both headmasters, teachers and school agencies in Sweden. Knowledge on how this responsibility works out, and will work out is however uncertain, as research about TLM in Sweden is commonly focused on content and design, rather than on a user-oriented perspective (Graeske 2021).Responding to this, the aim of the study at hand is firstly to explore how quality and access is constituted in current TLM policy development, and secondly how this relates to how quality and access is constituted in schools governing documents on inclusive education. The study thus investigates how thoughts and ideas about TLMs are articulated in documents concerning the policy change and how these articulations relate to governing documents on inclusive education in Sweden, two important governing areas which both are supposed to enhance quality in and access to teaching materials.

Drawing on the Anthropological Theory of Didactics (ATD), we understand the knowledge production within policy change as taking place within an ecology (Chevallard, 2006). We thereby pay attention to the logos part of the praxeology on TLMs, which means a focus on scholarly knowledge and the knowledge to be taught (Bosch & Gascón, 2006). The two parts of the ecology we focus on are the area of teaching materials and the area of inclusive education. Our stance on policy research is in line with what Diem et.al. (2019) describe as Critical Policy Analysis (CPA). We thus aim to analyze multiple levels including the constitution and change of the TLM policy as well as the distribution of power it results in (cf. Ball 1994). The analyzed materials consist of TLM policy documents, such as government investigations, referrals, referral responses and curricula, and school governing documents on inclusive education.

In sum, the current study displays the development of educational policy of TLM, and how that relates to inclusive education in Sweden. The results give insight into dominant knowledge constructs on TLMs and for whom they are intended. Preliminary findings reveal that there is a strong incentive to strengthening access to TLM. We conclude that there is ambivalence between parts in the ecology as there is agreement regarding the need to secure access, at the same time as structural and excluding aspects are prevalent. Implications are that inclusion risks being challenged, Intercultural aspects foreseen, and School segregation possibly enhanced.

National Category
Educational Sciences
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:oru:diva-114093 (URN)
Conference
17th IARTEM international conference on textbooks and educational media, Paris, France, May 29-31, 2024
Available from: 2024-06-05 Created: 2024-06-05 Last updated: 2024-06-10Bibliographically approved
Ålander, J. (2024). Teaching Diversity as Internationalization. In: University language policies: International Symposium: Booklet of abstracts. Paper presented at NEOLAiA - Symposium on University language policies, Tours, France, October 16-18, 2024.
Open this publication in new window or tab >>Teaching Diversity as Internationalization
2024 (English)In: University language policies: International Symposium: Booklet of abstracts, 2024Conference paper, Oral presentation with published abstract (Refereed)
Abstract [en]

For universities to seriously take into account diversity, there is no simple answer. However, the connection between policies and their implementation is key. Higher education, as a political idea and its institutions, must be understood as part of both the local society and as part of a global society. Hence a need for relative and temporary distinctions and contextualization to find a path forward when diversity is discussed at higher education institutions. Questions such as: what meanings does diversity have here; what is the goal with our activities when working with diversity; why do we engage; how do we do it; how does these distinctions relate to the larger society; and which valuations do they bring? should be important in such work. In this contribution, I will discuss these things and take examples from previous experiences of teaching about diversity and education, and from leading a project about teacher education and internationalization. From my teaching experience, these kinds of questions are always engaging but often difficult for students to cope with. On the other hand, internationalization policy often contains clear parts where diversity is highlighted, but when it comes to actual implementation, policy often fall short.

National Category
Educational Sciences
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:oru:diva-116951 (URN)
Conference
NEOLAiA - Symposium on University language policies, Tours, France, October 16-18, 2024
Available from: 2024-10-22 Created: 2024-10-22 Last updated: 2024-10-22Bibliographically approved
Ålander, J., Almazán Ruiz, E., Castellotti, V., Courtaud, L., Cruz Trapero, J., Debono, M., . . . Xepapadakou, A. (2024). White Paper on Language Policy.
Open this publication in new window or tab >>White Paper on Language Policy
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2024 (English)Other, Policy document (Other (popular science, discussion, etc.))
Publisher
p. 22
National Category
Languages and Literature
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:oru:diva-117073 (URN)
Available from: 2024-10-29 Created: 2024-10-29 Last updated: 2024-10-29Bibliographically approved
Ålander, J. (2023). Performing in Sweden: Immigrant musicians’ possibilities and impossibilities of musical participation. Puls: Journal for Ethnomusicology and Ethnochoreology, 8, 91-111
Open this publication in new window or tab >>Performing in Sweden: Immigrant musicians’ possibilities and impossibilities of musical participation
2023 (English)In: Puls: Journal for Ethnomusicology and Ethnochoreology, E-ISSN 2002-2972 , Vol. 8, p. 91-111Article in journal (Refereed) Published
Abstract [en]

This study investigates how an Immigrant identification affects musicians’possibilities to perform in Sweden. This is investigated through a discoursetheoretical analysis of interviews with seven musicians. The analysis showsseveral intersections where an Immigrant identification has affected theinformants’ lives and careers, hence contributed to shaping their workingconditions. For example, the Immigrant identification can be related tothe informants’ possibilities of being granted access to the stage. Severalinformants have experienced discrimination because of their appearancesand as a result taken preemptive measures to fit envisioned expectationsby changing name or by avoiding performing at certain music venues. TheImmigrant identity is also shown to be closely connected with music genresand ideas about authenticity, which limits the availability of musical pathways.This occurs, for example, when an artist considers which genre to engage inbecause of how the genre relates to an Immigrant identity. The study showsthat when musicians’ careers coincide with an Immigrant identification,participative conditions often prove immutable and hegemonic. There arehowever expressions of change and resistance toward prevailing participativeconditions among the informants, but they do not perceive these conditions tobe given enough attention in society or by the music industry.

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
Stockholm: Svenskt visarkiv, 2023
Keywords
migration, immigrants, music, musicians, Sweden, participation, discourse theory
National Category
Musicology
Research subject
Musicology
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:oru:diva-107176 (URN)
Available from: 2023-07-22 Created: 2023-07-22 Last updated: 2023-07-31Bibliographically approved
Ålander, J. & Bagger, A. (2023). Policy on Inclusion and Teaching Materials for Diverse Learners. In: : . Paper presented at European Conference on Educational Research (ECER 2023), Glasgow, UK, August 21-25, 2023.
Open this publication in new window or tab >>Policy on Inclusion and Teaching Materials for Diverse Learners
2023 (English)Conference paper, Oral presentation with published abstract (Refereed)
Abstract [en]

In Sweden, teaching and learning materials were nationally regulated and reviewed during the 20th century. As for today, the teaching and learning materials available in schools relies on by the school’s budget, the producers marketing skills and the teacher’s competence. Hence, the access to and quality of teaching materials varies from school to school. This is worrying as it likely leads to a more unequal education (Graeske, 2021). To study the consequences of this situation the Swedish government instigated an investigation, which final report currently is under review by stock-takers (SOU 2021:70). At the same time, there is increased school stress in children and young people, reduced goal fulfillment and a failing equivalence (Högberg, et al., 2020; Nygren, 2021). This can be related to segregation tendencies and is a societal challenge that needs to be dealt with in every school and by the education sector. Lack of equality affects and is affected by teachers' opportunities to support students' learning (Skolverket, 2012, 2017), and teaching materials are central in this respect. 

We claim that it is of great importance to critically review the foundations on which policies are created to show how they can condition the opportunities for all students learning. In relation to students in need of support for their learning, digital teaching and learning materials often work as adaptions of teaching and as personal aids, at the same time, these students specific learning needs and inclusion is in the core of the proposal. There is a lack of availability to adapted materials, and there is ambivalence regarding digital materials and adapted or alternative materials (Bagger, Ålander & Karlsson, accepted abstract). Hence, the teaching materials investigation's proposal (SOU 2020:70) has a potential to influence how and if students are offered an equivalent education, or not, especially for students in need of support for their learning. Furthermore, we derive from an understanding that learning materials sometimes function as an institutional barrier for inclusive education, unless critical perspectives are taken into consideration when selecting education material (Leask, 2015). Following from this, the purpose of the following proposal is to display and explore (dis)connections between the schools governing documents on students in need of support for their learning, and how these students and their learning is depicted in the proposal and the responding bodies answers. 

This presentation is connected to the Swedish part of an EU-project on digital inclusive teaching materials DigiLLM. Also, it resembles a part study in the project Teaching materials and their quality – as aspects of inclusion. This has also been presented at NERA but then out from research question 1 in the project, which concerns “…how the policy proposal (and the responding bodies) condition aspects of inclusion and to consider how the issue of quality and access relates to all students' learning” (Bagger, Ålander & Karlsson, accepted abstract). In the study at hand, we have instead put our focus on the projects research question 2; “How does this (the policy documents conditioning of inclusion and teaching materials) relate to the school's mission to support all students' learning and the school's support efforts?” This mean that we have correlated governing documents on students in need of support and the newly implemented curricula LGR22 – to the proposal and especially regarding digital aspects of teaching and learning materials. In prolongation, the project contributes to systematizing knowledge about how the availability and quality of learning materials is conditioned, how it conditions the learning opportunities through institutional barriers and how the availability and quality in teaching and learning materials for all students can be secured.

Methodology, Methods, Research Instruments or Sources UsedThe materials analysed are the investigations proposal on teaching and learning materials (SOU 2021:70), but also governing documents that concern all children’s rights to learn and be given support for their learning in school:  The new curricula LGR22, the School act (SFS 2010:800), The Act on the Rights of the Child (SFS, 2018: 1197) and the National Agency for Educations advice on providing support for learning. Segments of texts that could concern students in need of support for their learning and teaching/learning materials at the same time, was initially selected. In determining this, we derive from a broad understanding of the concept of the learner in need of support. Hence all passages that mentions support for the learning in some way, was considered to apply. Also, by teaching/learning materials we also derive from a broad understanding. Hence, it could mean all kinds of medias and materials for learning that was mentioned. We did so by posing some basic questions to the texts: 1) who is the student in need of support? 2) what is the material mentioned? and 3) what obstacles and opportunities for learning is depicted? We analyzed these statements via a qualitative and thematic content analysis (see for example Creswell, 2007).  After selecting segments of texts that corresponded to these three questions, we searched after connections between the three sampled selections. We then systematically explored the intersection between teaching/learning materials and students in need of support for their learning. Themes found were adaptions of materials, students’ accessibility and teachers and principals knowledge and responsibility as being core. The intersection of students in need of support and teaching materials was not found in the already existing governing documents of the school, except on a very general level. One or the other was rather mentioned.Conclusions, Expected Outcomes or Findings

Statements on teaching materials for students in need of support in the governing documents is scarce. The School Act (SFS 2010:800) mentions school libraries being granted for all students and access to relevant books and tools for learning. In the children’s rights act (SFS 2018:1197) it is specifically stated that children are to be granted access to education and children’s books is to be promoted. In governing documents on special support (Skolverket, 2022) special teaching materials or tools is labeled as extra adaptions. The curricula (LGR22) stated that it is the principal’s responsibility that students: “get access and the ability to use high quality learning materials and other tools for learning in an up-to-date education, including school libraries and digital tools”, this includes children in need of support for their learning. Considering the absence of more concrete statements of the intersection of students in need of support for their learning and teaching materials, development of this area is highly needed. Moreover, we claim that the schools governing documents need to explain what is meant by adaptions, access, and high quality – beyond general and overarching statements. These are hard to claim as a right, use as guidance or to search for proof of. The investigation (SOU 2021:70) highlights access and availability of teaching materials for students with disabilities. Furthermore, key is then teachers and principals’ responsibilities, knowledge, and skills in arranging with this, including digital resources. We finally conclude that the investigation communicates an intention to support all students learning and to promote inclusiveness of materials. This does not by far mean that students access to teaching/learning materials with high quality is secured. The proposal made is of potentially big importance for all student’s equal access to high quality and equal materials, but not in sync with the current governing documents.

Keywords
Teaching materials, inclusion, policy
National Category
Pedagogy
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:oru:diva-109654 (URN)
Conference
European Conference on Educational Research (ECER 2023), Glasgow, UK, August 21-25, 2023
Available from: 2023-11-10 Created: 2023-11-10 Last updated: 2023-11-13Bibliographically approved
Bagger, A., Ålander, J. & Karlsson, J. (2023). Teaching materials and their quality: as aspects of inclusion. In: : . Paper presented at NERA Conference 2023: Digitalization and Technologies in Education Opportunities and Challenges (NERA 2023), Oslo, Norway, March 15-17, 2023.
Open this publication in new window or tab >>Teaching materials and their quality: as aspects of inclusion
2023 (English)Conference paper, Oral presentation with published abstract (Refereed)
National Category
Pedagogy
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:oru:diva-105393 (URN)
Conference
NERA Conference 2023: Digitalization and Technologies in Education Opportunities and Challenges (NERA 2023), Oslo, Norway, March 15-17, 2023
Available from: 2023-04-10 Created: 2023-04-10 Last updated: 2023-04-11Bibliographically approved
Ålander, J. (2022). Musik, migration och villkor: en studie om deltagandevillkor i det svenska musiklivet. (Doctoral dissertation). Örebro: Örebro University
Open this publication in new window or tab >>Musik, migration och villkor: en studie om deltagandevillkor i det svenska musiklivet
2022 (Swedish)Doctoral thesis, comprehensive summary (Other academic)
Abstract [sv]

Mot bakgrund av tidigare forskning, som visar att migrantidentifikationen bidrar till försvårade deltagarvillkor i samhälle och kulturliv, undersöker avhandlingen hur migrantidentifikationen påverkar deltagandevillkor i det svenska musiklivet.

Avhandlingen bygger på tre delstudier där arrangörers, utövares och mediers perspektiv analyserats med fokus på hur musiklivets praktiker skapas, erfars och skildras. I avhandlingen undersöks hur den mångtydiga migrantidentiteten manifesteras och kännetecknas i musiklivet och hur musiklivets deltagande villkoras. Analysen genomförs med stöd i diskursteori och logikperspektivet.

Avhandlingen visar att migrantidentiteten manifesteras på ett symboliskt plan när musikpraktiker skapas. I verksamheten får migrantidentiteten en representativ mening och när musikpraktikernas verksamhet knyts till social förändring kännetecknas identiteten av att dess subjekt framställs som underordnade i en form av förmyndarskap.

Analysen av musiklivets villkor sker utifrån tre typer av logiker som belyser musiklivets ramar, förändringsprocesser och motiv. När migrantidentiteten länkas samman med musiklivets praktiker, visar analysen att dessa karaktäriseras av gatekeepers inflytanden, idéer om mångkulturalism och att musiken fungerar som ett verktyg för förändring. När musikpraktikerna utformas sker förhandlingar där materiella tillgångar och idéer om exempelvis mångkultur och jämlikhet fungerar som utgångspunkter. Slutligen visar analysen att föreställningar om okunskap om ”migrantens” position i samhället och bristen på sammanhållning är starkt bidragande till att musikpraktiker skapas.

I ljuset av musiklivets logiker och migrantidentitetens manifestationer, visar avhandlingen att migrantidentifikationen har betydelse i utformningen av musiklivets många praktiker och hur detta påverkar musiklivets deltagandevillkor.

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
Örebro: Örebro University, 2022. p. 167
Series
Örebro Studies in Musicology ; 7
Keywords
Deltagande, villkor, musiklivet, migration, identitet, logikperspektivet, diskursteori
National Category
Musicology
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:oru:diva-98486 (URN)9789175294414 (ISBN)
Public defence
2022-05-23, Örebro universitet, Hörsal M, Musikhögskolan, Fakultetsgatan 1, Örebro, 13:00 (Swedish)
Opponent
Supervisors
Available from: 2022-04-06 Created: 2022-04-06 Last updated: 2022-06-15Bibliographically approved
Ålander, J. (2021). Med musiken som samlingspunkt: en studie om musik, migration och deltagandevillkor. In: : . Paper presented at Musiketnologi på gång: seminariedag om musiketnologi, Uppsala, 23 November, 2021.
Open this publication in new window or tab >>Med musiken som samlingspunkt: en studie om musik, migration och deltagandevillkor
2021 (Swedish)Conference paper, Oral presentation only (Other academic)
National Category
Musicology
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:oru:diva-95579 (URN)
Conference
Musiketnologi på gång: seminariedag om musiketnologi, Uppsala, 23 November, 2021
Available from: 2021-11-26 Created: 2021-11-26 Last updated: 2021-12-29Bibliographically approved
Ålander, J. & Volgsten, U. (2021). Music and Migrants in Swedish Newspapers. In: : . Paper presented at Symposium of the ICTM Study Group on Music and Minorities, Uppsala, Sweden, 25-29 October, 2021.
Open this publication in new window or tab >>Music and Migrants in Swedish Newspapers
2021 (English)Conference paper, Oral presentation only (Refereed)
Abstract [en]

Traditional news media is one of the most important channels of information about contemporary society. It has been acknowledged for long that media representations affect public opinion, meaning that media can alter identifications and in the prolonging social norms and practices participative conditions. Migration is an established topic in traditional news media research, in terms of representations, but music is not. Then, what does music and migration come to mean when put next to each other in a newspaper? And how are these concepts related? To discuss these questions, this presentation draws on a study in which 106 newspaper articles from six major Swedish newspapers published over a period of five years, were analyzed through a discourse theoretic perspective. In the investigated media, ‘music’ is repeatedly described as a tool, capable of affecting social relations and processes. The discursive representation of ‘migrants’ confirms the picture provided in previous research, according to which the ‘migrant’ often is negatively depicted. When the ‘migrant’ is regarded together with representations of music, one can see how the ‘migrant’ identity changes. Instead of being characterized by passivity and complaint, the identity enables agency. Rather than being passive, the ‘migrant’ may now become active in addressing and handling problematic social relations and phenomena. However, the meaning of ‘music’ does not change but become the foundation of a mythic ritual, according to which subjects turn into conforming and well-integrated citizens.

National Category
Musicology
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:oru:diva-95397 (URN)
Conference
Symposium of the ICTM Study Group on Music and Minorities, Uppsala, Sweden, 25-29 October, 2021
Available from: 2021-11-11 Created: 2021-11-11 Last updated: 2021-11-16Bibliographically approved
Organisations
Identifiers
ORCID iD: ORCID iD iconorcid.org/0000-0003-4981-012X

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