Nöden har ingen lag

Title: Necessity knows no law : A qualitative study on the processing of emergency assistance in the social services. The aim of this study was to examine how social workers make decisions about financial aid in emergency situations when the user does not have food for the day. We wanted to find out what the social worker needs to know about the user to make a decision and which decision basis they equire. To examine how social workers make these decision and on which base ,we have interviewed six social workers in different municipalities. The empirical findings have been analyzed with Lipskys (2010) heory on street-level bureaucracy and the concepts deserving and un -deserving poor. The results from this study are that the social worker wants three questions answered: What? Which is what has happened to make the emergency arise, How? Which means how the user has tried to solve the emergency on their own. And finally Who? Which contain two elements, first who is the user, how does the social worker perceive the user and second who is the social worker. The social workers own apprehension on who the user is and what social service are supposed to do makes a difference in the assessment. It is possible that the person making the decision affect what the decision is,this is possible because of the discretion the social worker has

Feminist? No, not I. Womens conditions in sex segregated upper secondary schools.

It is about the patriarchal power structure which we are living under and so have done in hundreds of years. And about to (dare) see, because it can take fairly subtle expressions which is rather difficult to discover if you are not aware about them. This paper is about these power strutures seen from the daily round of four girls which study nurse´s training in upper secondary school and four girls which study construction´s training in upper secondary school.Det handlar om den patriarkala maktstruktur som vi lever i och så har gjort i flera hundra år. Och om att (våga) se, för den kan ta sig tämligen subtila uttryck som är svåra att upptäcka om man inte är medveten om dem. Denna uppsats handlar om dessa maktstrukturer sett ur åtta tjejers vardag på deras respektive skolor, Vårdgymnasiet och Byggymnasiet

En kunskapslucka i skolans värld? En kunskapsöversikt om elever med begränsningar i det teoretiska och abstrakta tänkandet - dess följder och konsekvenser

Med utgångspunkt i min egen kunskapslucka kring elevgruppen svagbegåvade, trots flera år på Lärarhögskolan i form av lärarutbildning och ett flertal fristående kurser, så ville jag undersöka hur forskningen såg ut på området. Bilden som växte fram visade på ett osynliggörande av denna elevgrupps problematik. Ett osynliggörande som dels visar sig i lärarkårens kunskapslucka kring dessa elevers behov och förutsättningar, och dels i de styrdokument som skolan följer. Varje elevs rätt till undervisning efter behov och förutsättningar, en så kallad individualiserad undervisning, har stått i fokus sedan 1994 med dåvarande läroplan, Lpo94. Dessvärre tolkades detta med att eleverna fick mindre lärarledd undervisning och själva fick ta ett större ansvar för sitt eget lärande. I Lgr11 värderas abstrakta och teoretiska förmågor högt och genom The Big Five har de fått ett stort genomslag ute i klassrummen. Ingen av dessa effekter gynnar elevgruppen svagbegåvade. Jag ville ta denna problematik ett steg längre och sätta det i relation till teorier om individualiserad undervisning och motivation för att på så vis få fram en längre kedja av följder och konsekvenser av osynliggörandet av denna elevgrupps problematik. Till syvende och sist är det relationen lärare-elev som är bland det viktigaste för en elevs resultat. En god relation mellan elev och lärare grundar sig i lärarens kunskap och förförståelse för elevers olika behov och förutsättningar samt ett gott bemötande av lärare gentemot elev som inte förstärker den beroendeställning som oundvikligen finns mellan lärare-elev

Investigating the molecular origins of biocompatibility : intermolecular interactions between human serum albumin and various chemically modified surfaces via high resolution force spectroscopy

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Materials Science and Engineering, February 2004.Includes bibliographical references (p. 200-215).The first step in two of the most troublesome biological responses to the implantation of blood-contacting biomaterials, i.e. thrombosis and inflammation, is the adhesion of blood plasma proteins to the biomaterial surface, which may then initiate platelet adhesion and activation, and thereby set in motion a cascade of adverse host responses. If devices could be developed that prevent that first step from occurring altogether, a new generation of "stealth" biomaterials would be born. Such was the motivation of this project, which sought to investigate the constituent intermolecular interaction forces governing protein adhesion to biomaterials, using the technique of high resolution force spectroscopy. The model protein chosen for our study was human serum albumin (HSA), the smallest and most abundant blood protein in the human body, and typically the first to adsorb to a blood-contacting, implanted device. In the first stage of our investigation, HSA was covalently grafted to a nanosized probe tip at the end of a soft, microfabricated cantilever force transducer. The intermolecular interaction potential, U(D), was recorded between the HSA-modified probe tip and four different model surfaces, including: 1) gold, 2) a hydrophobic, CH3-terminated alkanethiol self-assembling monolayer (SAM), 3) a hydrophilic, COO-terminated alkanethiol SAM, and 4) individual, covalently end-grafted molecules of poly(ethylene oxide), in aqueous sodium phosphate buffer solution (PBS, ionic strength IS = 0.01M, pH = 7.4). Both theoretical and numerical modeling were employed to evaluate the experimental results on each of the different surfaces, and to characterize the nature of the protein-bound probe tip. In the second part of this study,(cont.) we aimed to elucidate the various constituent intermolecular interaction forces contributing to U(D) by strategically manipulating experimental conditions such that we were able to isolate, and in some cases quantify, the electrostatic, steric, and hydrophobic components. It was found theoretically that electrostatic and steric forces accounted for approximately 8% and 4% of the total intermolecular interaction force; experimentally, these forces are observed to be completely dominated by a repulsive force which increases in magnitude as the ionic strength of the solution is increased. It is believed that this additional force is imparted by the PEO, and may be due to a change in the conformation of the PEO coil, or the structure of the network of water molecules in the space between the PEO coil and the approaching probe tip. The hydrophobic component was experimentally quantified to be approximately 20% of the total intermolecular interaction force at D [approx.] 1 nm. In the third part of this investigation, we sought to study the interactions between HSA and a series of oligosaccharide-functionalized surfaces inspired by the glycocalyx, which coats all living cells and is naturally and necessarily hemocompatible. The results of this study were then compared to experiments conducted in parallel on poly- and oligo(ethylene oxide) modified surfaces. Our results suggest that higher oligosaccharides ...by Monica Ann Rixman.Ph.D

Teachers´ experiences of assessment and grades in compulsory and upper secondary school for pupils with intellectual disability

Studiens syfte är att beskriva en grupp lärare i grundsärskolan och gymnasiesärskolan och deras upplevelser kring betyg och betygssättning, likvärdig bedömning samt om läroplanen upplevs anpassad för denna elevgrupp. I insamling av empirin har ett kvalitativt arbetssätt använts i form av semistrukturerade intervjuer med sju respondenter. Vårt intresse för dessa frågor kommer bland annat ur att både grundsärskolan och gymnasiesärskolan har fått stärkt kunskapsuppdrag och måluppfyllelse. De stärkta kunskapsuppdrag och måluppfyllelserna kom i och med revideringarna av skolformernas läroplaner, Lsär11 och Gysär13, med motiveringen att skolformerna skulle bli mer likvärdiga grundskolan och gymnasiet. Med hjälp av kvalitativa intervjuer söker vi svar på följande frågeställningar i arbetet: Hur upplever respondenterna bedömning och betygssättning? Hur upplever respondenterna betyg och dess funktion? Hur arbetar respondenterna i grund- och gymnasiesärskolan för att få en likvärdig bedömning? Hur upplever respondenterna läroplanens anpassning för elevgruppen? Den teoretiska ansats som använts i studien är tre specialpedagogiska perspektiv; det kritiska- och kompensatoriska perspektivet samt dilemmaperspektivet. Det kompensatoriska perspektivet utgår från att problemet ligger hos individen och att skolan ska försöka kompensera de brister eller problematiska egenskaper som eleven har. I detta perspektiv vill man gärna försöka kategorisera avvikelser och särskilja det onormala från det normala och på så sätt kunna ge individen bästa hjälp. Det kritiska perspektivet, kallas även det relationella perspektivet och formades ur en kritik mot det kompensatoriska perspektivet. Här förstås svårigheter och problem som något som uppstår i mötet med omgivningen och inte som något hos den enskilda individen. Stor vikt läggs på sociala faktorers betydelse för skolproblem. Dilemmaperspektivet uppkom som en motreaktion på ovanstående två specialpedagogiska perspektiv, och är ett perspektiv som står för motsättningarna mellan det kritiska- och det kompensatoriska perspektivet och att alla dilemman inte kan lösas inom ett utbildningssystem, utan det handlar om att skapa en balans inom ramen för dem. Sammanfattningsvis visar resultatet lärarnas berättelser om sina upplevelser av bedömning och betygssättning i grundsärskola och gymnasiesärskola, en vardag som är komplex och består av olika dilemman i relation till de styrdokument som lärarna behöver förhålla sig till i sitt uppdrag och resultatet synliggör den ambivalens som lärarna upplever. Det formativa bedömningssättet upplevs av respondenterna som det arbetssätt som saknats i bedömningsarbetet, samtidigt som det tar mycket tid i förhållande till en betygssättning som inte fyller någon funktion då betyget för elever i särskolan inte har någon betydelse för fortsatta studier. Likvärdighet upplevs av lärarna när de får sambedöma eleverna utifrån deras egna förutsättningar. Ur resultatet kan det också ses att läroplanen anses vara för svår för elevgruppen. Studiens implikationer visar på en mångfald av dilemman i bedömning och betygssättning inom grundsärskola och gymnasiesärskola, trots en utgångspunkt från individen med ett relationellt synsätt. Studien bidrar till förslag till forskning kring lärares svårigheter att tolka för högt ställda läroplaner som ska ge eleverna en likvärdig bedömning och betygssättning.The purpose of the study is to describe the experiences of teachers` in compulsory and upper secondary school experiences about grades and grading and equivalent assessment and whether the curriculum is adapted for this student group. In the collection of the empirical data, a qualitative approach was used in the form of semi-structured interviews with seven respondents. Our interest in these issues stems, among other things, from the fact that both the compulsory school and the upper secondary school have got strengthened knowledge assignments and goal fulfillment with the revisions of the (school) curricula, Lsär11 and Gysär13 with the motivation that the school forms should be more equal to elementary school and upper secondary school. By using qualitative interviews, we wanted to find answers toquestions in our study: How do the respondents in the study experience assessment and grading? How do the respondents in the study experience grades and their functioning?  How do the respondents in the study in compulsory school and upper secondary school work to get an equal assessment? How do the respondents respond to the curriculum`s adaption for the student group?   The theoretical approach used in the study is three special pedagogical perspective, the critical and compensatory perspective and the dilemma perspective. The compensatory perspective is based on the fact that the problem lies with the individual and that the school should try to compensate for the shortcomings or problematic characteristics that the student has. In this perspective, one would like to try to categorize deviations and distinguish the abnormal from the normal and thus be able to give the individual the best help. The critical perspective, also called the relational perspective, was formed from a critique of the compensatory perspective. Here, difficulties and problems are understood as something that arises in the encounter with the environment and not as something in the individual. Great importance is placed on the importance of social factors for school problems. The dilemma perspective emerged as a backlash to the above two special pedagogical perspective, and is a perspective that represents the contradictions between the critical and the compensatory perspective and that all dilemmas cannot be solved within an education system, but it is about creating a balance within the framework of them.  In summary, the results show, through the teachers´ stories of their experiences of assessment and grading in compulsory and upper secondary school, a daily life that is complex and consists of various dilemmas in relation to the steering documents that the teachers´ need to relate to in their assignment and highlights the ambivalence that the teacher´s experience. The formative assessment method is perceived as the working method that is lacking in the assessment work, while at the same time it takes a lot of time in relation to a rating that does not fulfill any function. Equality is experienced by the teachers´ when they are allowed to evaluate the students based on their own circumstances. From the result it can also be seen that the curriculum is considered too difficult for the student group. The study's implications indicate a variety of dilemmas in assessment and grading for the profession in compulsory and upper secondary schools, despite a starting point from the individual with a relational approach. The study contributes to continued research on teacher´s difficulties in interpreting high-level curricula that will give students an equal assessment and rating.

ALLA OLIKA ALLA LIKA - En problematiserande studie av ASI utifrån socialsekreterares perspektiv

All different, All equal -a study on ASI from social workers perspective The use of standardized assessment instruments in social work has increased rapidly in recent years in Sweden. The focus of the scientific research concerning these instruments has been on the deficiencies in the instrument itself, rather than the use of the instrument per se. Therefore this paper highlights the use of standardized assessment instruments in social work practice and whether it guaranties a larger equality in the assessments by the social workers that is favourable to the client. We chose to focus on the standardized assessment instrument Addiction Severity Index and the use of this in social services. We interviewed ten randomly selected social workers from seven different social services with experiences of working with ASI. The analysis of these interviews is based on Lipskys (2010) theory on Street-level bureaucracies and theory on accounts (Scott&Lyman, 1968). In our results we found that a majority of the social workers had a positive attitude towards working with ASI. We found that social workers supplemented the ASI-questionnaire with questions they thought were missing. In addition to this there was a difference among the social workers attitude to the client’s possibility to decline participation in the ASI-interview. As a result a possible conclusion of our findings is that the social workers base their assessments on individual types of data, which may be considered contradictory to one of the purposes with standardized assessment instruments

Samordnat materialflöde - Fokus vid komplex stadsutveckling (med koppling till H+ i Helsingborg)

This study concerns materials logistics in the construction processes of complex building projects in urban developing areas, where the authors have carried out a case study on the future urban renewal project Oceanpiren, H+. Urban renewable projects can be regarded as a common category in construction, due to increasing urbanization followed by an enhanced demand. This type of project is often represented by intense and hard challenges in managing efficient material logistics. A complex urban renewable project is commonly described by three following traits: involving more than one developer, hard geographical conditions and an intense surrounding urban environment. The limited amount of space that exists on the work sites for unloading, storing and moving materials creates even harder conditions in managing the delivered materials. The intense surrounding urban environments may have an interfering impact on the construction processes and likewise can these projects have similar effects on the surrounding urban areas. The numerous amount of developers may result in an increased intensity in the material logistics on the work sites and accordingly implies a greater difficulty to work efficiently. Moreover, this higher intensity and greater amount of building actors also make it harder for each of the developers or contractor to cope with others’ work activities. In order to manage this complexity the authors investigated how relevant coordinated material logistics between developers would be in and how this would achieve a more efficient building production. In the process of answering this thesis’ research question the authors decided to collect necessary data in two ways: a theory investigation and several interviews. The interviews were held with selected respondents from different category groups from which the authors received different approach angles to the questions asked. Accordingly this provided broader and extended results for further analysis and discussion. From the comparison between coordinated and individual materials logistics the authors gained an understanding of the significance role coordination between developers or entrepreneurs have in complex urban renewable projects to acquire a more efficient building production. In the conclusion of this thesis, the authors outline that due to every projects’ unique character there is a need to identify the right suitable level of coordinated material logistics solution to meet the specific demands in the specific building project. Moreover, there is a high significance in communicating demands for this decided method to every involved actor because it will create equivalent conditions in the construction production. The authors also states two general and fundamental aspects that should be included in the materials logistics solution in this type of project: appoint someone responsible for the material logistics in the project and to establish a coordination system, including time scheduling, that controls the flow of materials in and out from the building site. A specific elementary solution for Oceanpiren, which has been named “Checkpoint” by the authors, includes the two aspects presented above and an additionally station for receiving incoming materials. Therefore, it can be concluded that a right adjusted coordinated material logistics method between developers is a prerequisite that needs to be practiced in these complex urban renewable projects to gain efficiency in the building production