MA English Project Topics on Tools for Teaching and Learning :
A study of how some teachers of English and History perceive the role of different educational materials with regard to their own teaching and pupils’ learning.
The main purpose of this qualitative study is to investigate and analyse how teachers of English and History at two compulsory schools in the south of Sweden perceive the role of different educational materials, with regard to their own teaching and pupils’ learning. To obtain a deeper understanding of the complex user-process that educational materials are a part of, frame factor theory serves as a tool that facilitates the interpretation and understanding of the collected data. The theory, which consists of different divisions, describes factors that control and interfere with education.
Our results are based on a qualitative method where thirteen surveys initially were answered by teachers of English and History, eight teachers were then also interviewed about their perception of educational materials in relation to their own teaching and pupils’ learning.
The main result of our study is that socio-cultural factors have the clearest effect on teachers’ selection of educational materials, such as pupils’ background and previous experiences.
Introduction
During our time as teacher trainees we have been confronted with a wide range of various educational materials in all shapes and forms. Lpo94 provides a broad view of educational material and Swedish teachers have great freedom when it comes to selecting and using educational material. This freedom can, however, also be problematic at a local level and we have found that many factors may interfere and affect teachers’ selection of materials such as content, pupils’ level of knowledge and time restraints. Most of the studies done on educational materials so far have focused on content and in contrast to that, this study aims to
spotlight teachers and their thoughts and attitudes, in this case teachers of English and History. Consequently, the thesis is written from the perspective of teachers, and it seeks to identify teachers’ reasoning regarding educational materials and, more specifically, their thoughts on educational materials in relation to teaching and learning.
Since educational materials play a crucial role in today’s schools and learning environments,1 we furthermore feel that this is an area that has been neglected and as teachers-to be, we are also driven by curiosity and a genuine interest in finding out how teachers at a local level deal with these issues.