Conceptualisations of theses in Swedish primary teacher education
A study of programme curricula and course syllabi
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.57126/noad.2026.64520Keywords:
Theses, primary teacher education, teacher education orientations, teacher education curriculum, teacher education course syllabusAbstract
Thesis** work is a significant part of the Swedish primary teacher education programmes. The aim of this study is to examine the orientations and conceptualisations of theses programme syllabi in Swedish primary teacher education. The empirical material consists of curricula for Swedish primary education programme at 20 universities and university colleges, and course syllabi for thesis courses at five universities. They were analysed using four orientations of teacher education based on previous research. The results showed that the academic orientation, characterised by a focus on subject knowledge and subject didactics, was most prominent in the programme curricula, while the educational sciences orientation was most prominent in the course syllabi. The study identifies substantial variation in thesis structures across Swedish primary teacher education programmes, with most institutions requiring two separate theses rather than a single, comprehensive thesis. These findings highlight ongoing tensions in teacher education between subject expertise, pedagogical knowledge, and research-informed practice, reflecting broader debates about the aims and orientations of Swedish teacher education in the 2020s.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Rimma Nyman , Mattias Börjesson , Anders Råde (Författare)
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