The epistemological role of language use in learning: A phenomenographic intentional-expressive approach

In research on learning, one of the fundamental questions concerns issues of language and thought. A number of empirical studies have revealed the interplay between understanding of subject matter and meanings of language expressions to be more dynamic and ambiguous than is commonly acknowledged. The aim of this article is to outline an alternative intentional-expressive approach to the interplay between use of language and understanding of subject matter as a contribution to the theoretical development in research on learning. The approach is based on a conception of language that focuses on the function of learners’ language use in relation to subject matter in developing and expressing understanding. The learner is seen as an agent, and the focus is on the use of language from the learner's perspective. Four aspects of the relation between learners and subject matter are described and discussed. Conclusions concern the value of this approach as a complement and alternative to the dominant communicative and cognitive approaches to the role of language in learning.     

A Philosopher in the Classroom

This article picks up on John Elliott's interrelated interests in curriculum and philosophy of education and argues for the centrality of philosophy and indeed, philosophising, in action research. It offers a distinction between (i) philosophy of action research, which refers to the ideas rooted in epistemology, ethics and social philosophy which might underlie the idea and practice of action research, and (ii) philosophy in action research, which refers to the ways in which action researchers need to engage more self-consciously with philosophical questions. The two main parts of the article explore these two dimensions of the relationship more fully and, in the second part, with particular reference to Elliott's own writing.     

Depicting Experiences

This paper argues that photography is a helpful tool in understanding the ways people experience the world. Five arguments are presented in order to support this statement, each built on the methodological idea that respondents are asked to take, or produce, their own pictures related to a particular phenomenon under investigation. The arguments are: new unconventional methods enhance educational inquiry; photos can serve as communication bridges between strangers; photography makes it easier to represent a situation; photos can be regarded as complex expressions of the photographer's relation to the world; finally, photos enhance the expressing of feelings. These arguments are further discussed in the context of outcomes of a study, which used photography to probe ecological understanding. It is concluded that a deliberate use of the methodology will enhance not only the way photos might be used in research but also enrich educational research aiming at capturing the way people experience and relate to the world surrounding them.     

Student teachers' experiences of participating in mixed peer mentoring groups of in-service and pre-service teachers in Finland

This article examines from the student perspective a new Finnish model of teacher development that uses the peer group mentoring (PGM) method for combining pre-service and in-service teacher education. Reflective reports of student teachers (N = 19) who participated in PGM were analyzed using the phenomenographic method. The results show that students' experiences varied from considering the activity as (1) a coffee break or (2) peer-support, to seeing it as (3) identity construction or (4) a way of participating in a professional community. In further development of the model more emphasis should be placed on the integration of theory and practice.     

Student teachers' ways of experiencing the objective of health education as a school subject: A phenomenographic study

The aim of this phenomenographic study was to identify student teachers' (N = 20) ways of experiencing health education as a school subject, using semi-structured interviews and essays. The findings indicated that the target phenomenon was discussed through the general objective of the subject in five ways: health education as 1) a context for delivering theoretical knowledge, 2) a channel for providing pupils with practical knowledge and skills to contribute to health-related choices, 3) a means to promote pupils' self-regulative knowledge and independent thinking, 4) a context for personal growth, and 5) a means for developing responsible behavior in society. The hierarchically-ordered categories arrived at varied along six themes of expanding awareness. The findings can be used as a basis for planning educational settings, with a view to deepening student teachers' understanding.     

中外合作办学项目大学生学习观调查——基于“现象描述分析学”的研究方式

基于20世纪70年代末兴起的"现象描述分析学"的研究方式,采用半结构式访谈的方法调查了23位中外合作办学项目的学生。研究发现了六种学习观,即学习就是知识量的增加、记忆、应用、理解、解释现实和个人成长。前三种可以归为"重复性"学习观,而后三种统称"变革性"学习观。后者会对学生会产生深远影响,因而是应当提倡的。     

Learning conceptions of young students in the final year of primary education

The purpose of this research was to describe young pupils' learning conceptions. In this study, a learning conception was defined as a cluster of interrelated beliefs about different aspects of learning. Firstly, 27 pupils, all in the final year of primary school, were interviewed to elicit learning-related issues as being relevant for six-graders. Secondly, a questionnaire, developed on the basis of the outcomes of the interviews, was used to determine the interrelatedness of pupils' beliefs about the selected aspects. The results showed the young pupils to have different beliefs about five aspects of learning: purpose of school; learning orientation; regulation; learning demands; and mental activities. In exploring group differences, three different learning conceptions could be distinguished: a restricted learning conception; a functional learning conception; and a developmental learning conception. The characteristics of these different learning conceptions may be indicative of how young pupils conceive learning-related aspects.     

Variation theory and the different ways of experiencing educational policy

Differences and contradictions in understanding education policies such as ‘Teach Less, learn More’ may cause confusion between the intended meaning and actual implementation. Approaches to understanding public policy, such as discourse analysis, are useful for highlighting such differences, but do not explain how these differences may be explained in relation to each other. Phenomenography and variation theory offer an alternative, by examining the variation within, rather than the differences between, experiences of an educational policy. In the past decade, there have been significant developments in the theoretical and methodological underpinnings of phenomenography which were initially labeled as ‘new phenomenography’, but gradually came to accepted as variation theory. In this article, I trace the development of phenomenography to variation theory and explain the critical differences between classical phenomenography and variation theory. I argue that variation theory is useful for describing educational policy from the perspective of how it is experienced, and that these different ways of experiencing a policy may in turn be understood and utilised in theoretical, analytical and pedagogical ways.