Samhällskunskap som ämnesförståelse och undervisningsämne: Prioriteringar och nyhetsanvändning hos fyra gymnasielärare

This thesis seeks to contribute knowledge to how professional teachers in social studies express their subject conception, and its relation to the subject manifested in teaching. The data consists of 48 hours of observed teaching and interviews. A first sub-study shows that the teachers prioritise a content dominated by political science, which reveals a strong content tradition and nuances the picture of an unclear identity seen in the review of previous research. It is also found that the use of news is prominent.

The second sub-study confirms the theoretical assumption that the teachers’ conceptions are complex, seeking to harmonise both the internal academic goals and the external civil goals found in social studies. This complements previous research based on the written curriculum where the internal and external goals have been regarded as dichotomous.

The results of the third sub-study reveal how news is used in two ways, news coverage and news integration, where the teachers express knowledge aligned with their individual subject conception. However, the external goals tend to be less emphasised in the subject manifested in teaching in favour for the internal interim goals. Differences between news coverage and news integration are also found as news coverage seems to be more focused on civil goals.

A contribution with this study is that we now in Swedish research can talk about social studies teachers’ subject conception as a complex phenomenon. It also encourages a more precise conversation about social studies. A more precise vocabulary can enable teachers to develop their understanding of the relation between goals, content and teaching methods. Furthermore, the revelation of news and its relation to the teachers’ subject conception and teaching hopefully can inspire future explorations on news as a teaching tool.