Mid Sweden University

Bristen på behöriga lärare har det senaste decenniet varit ett allvarligt samhälls-problem. Orsakerna till den uppkomna bristsituationen beskrivs på olika sätt beroende på avsändare. Detsamma gäller lösningsförslagen. Att balansera utbild-ningsvolym mot arbetsmarknadens efterfrågan av arbetskraft är i sig ett komplext problem omfattande olika parametrar. Den här artikeln har, med utgångspunkt i Arbetskraftsbarometern under de senaste 50 åren, granskat kontinuitet och varia-tioner vad avser tillgång och brist på lärare i F-6, samt troliga samband mellan olika skol-, policy och lärarutbildningsreformer. Genom ”wicked problem-teorin” har det empiriska resultatet kunnat analyseras och förstås fram för allt i relation till de underliggande processerna i problembilden. I relation till de många reformerna tycks fluktuationerna återkomma och accentueras med tydliga sam-band till just reformer. Utifrån resultaten ställer vi oss frågan huruvida utredare och beslutsfattare av de olika reformerna beaktat konsekvenserna av lärarrekry-teringen. Resultatet visar därtill att lärarbrist är ett sammansatt problem och att enskilda insatser inte löser problemet. Vi föreslår ett perspektivskifte i frågan från problem- till ett förståinriktade analyser med samordnade insatser av alla aktörer.

This study investigates how gender and school year influence students’ perceptions of the learning environment in Swedish compulsory schools. Using the adapted patterns of adaptive learning scales (PALS) questionnaire, this research examined 831 students from years 3, 6 and 8 (ages 9–14). Data were analysed using principal component analysis (PCA), t-tests, and multiple regression analysis. Findings indicate a significant decline in students’ overall perception of the school environment, goal orientation and confidence in their teachers’ management skills as they progress through school years, with the most pronounced changes occurring between years 3 and 6. This decline is most pronounced prior to adolescence, suggesting that factors beyond pubertal onset may contribute to this trend. Gender differences were also evident, with boys exhibiting more positive perceptions across all aspects considered despite typically lower academic performance reported in other studies.

This article gives an insight into a research-based network with the intention to explore, explain and compare the state of the current situation of teacher shortage in Denmark, Germany and Sweden. The project is funded by a research grant for three years by the Swedish Research Council. The aim of the network is to share and transfer knowledge and insights, as well as to gain new international perspectives. A long-term goal is to expand the network. In this article, the current state of teacher shortage in the mentioned countries is described. Also, the research questions, the research process and methodological approach(es) of the first year as well as the first results are presented. All in all, teacher shortage is a multi-faceted and complex phenomenon. It is evident that more research has to be carried out to identify causes and measures on different levels and in different phases to highlight interdependencies.

Internationally, teacher shortage appears to be a major societal problem, including Sweden (Boström et al., 2022; See & Gorard, 2020). According to the United Nations (UNESCO, 2016), the world needs at least 69 million new teachers to reach the education goals of Agenda 2030. In Europe, there is a shortage of teachers in basically all countries (Federičová's, 2020; The European Commission, 2020; OECD, 2020). In Sweden, the Swedish Na-tional Agency for Education [Skolverket] (2019; 2020) and Statistics Sweden (2017a, b) have alerted to the problem. Various actors (media, politicians, opinion leaders and trade unions) have in Sweden expressed their definite and different views on the matter (Kungliga Ingenjörsvetenskap-sakademin,2020). The voices of researchers, teachers and principals are though to a large extent absent (Boström, 2023). At the same time, all stakeholders agree on both the existence of teacher shortage and the im-portance of educated teachers in schools for creating the best possible con-ditions for students to learn.

Our interest is to delineate the specific aspects of the teacher shortage's concerning causes and possible solutions according to professional groups in the field, i.e., that have concrete experience of teacher shortage and its consequences. The research questions for this study are:

• According to seven different professional groups, what are the causes and solutions of teacher shortage?

• Are there differences and similarities between the various professional groups regarding causes and solutions? If so, in what respects?

Theoretical framework for the study is ”wicked problem” (Rittel & Web-ber, 1973). It refers to complex, open-ended, and ambiguous problems that are difficult to define, have no definitive solution, and are interconnected with other problems and societal issues. Wicked problems are characterized by their complex nature, the presence of multiple stakeholders with con-flicting interests, and the lack of clear problem boundaries. The wicked problem theory emphasizes that traditional approaches to problem-solving are often insufficient for addressing complex problems. Instead, it encour-ages a more holistic and collaborative approach, involving various stake-holders, disciplines, and perspectives.

The study is based on a web survey, answered by 605 informants, consisting of 40 items about causes and possible solutions based on previous research and dialogue meetings with regional and national policy actors. The selection of participants included both academic and practical professions as well as a representation of teacher students. Data are analyzed by de-scriptive and inferential statistics. The results are reported with descriptive statistics and significance testing. Descriptive statistics presents an overall picture of the various items at a group level. Mann–Whitney U- test investigates the distinctions between professional categories.

Preliminary results indicated that items were differently relevant for different professional groups. Three professional groups diverged largely from other groups, namely health staff, uneducated teachers, and teacher train-ers. The results confirm the importance of seeing the problem as “wicked” and therefore engaging diverse stakeholders in the problem-solving process to foster collective intelligence and shared responsibility. The connection to the conferences is evident, i.e., the role and impact of educated teachers in the context of school effectiveness and improvement.

This study examined a group of primary Swedish students' conceptions of their own motivation for learning. Altogether, 68 students in Grades 3, 6, and 8 participated in the study, in which similarities and differences among students in the three grades were considered. Theoretical and methodological aspects were guided by the phenomenographical approach. For most students, positive and negative influences on motivation emerged in seven distinct categories: feelings, teachers, teaching, subjects, learning environment, classmates, and well-being. The apparent importance of good teachers, structured and varied lessons, practical aesthetic subjects and more group-rooms was similar across the three different grades. Differences that emerged were students' reduced joy in learning, decreased interest in mathematics, higher levels of stress and pressure, more worry and anxiety, higher degree of preparation for the future, and a greater need for individualisation for the older students. The study's results confirm previous research but also provide new knowledge about variations across the grades and more specific factors that promote or inhibit students' motivation to study.