Att problematisera 'problemet': Bedömning och utveckling av problemformuleringar i lärarutbildningens självständiga arbeten: [To problematize the 'problem': Assessment and development of problem formulations in independent theses projects in teacher education]

Abstract

How well a research problem is formulated in theses, according to many educators and textbook writers, is of great importance for the final quality of a thesis project. To investigate if there is a link between the construction and formulations of a problem and the grades well accepted and accepted, 58 theses projects were reviewed. 82 students were tested on their ability to evaluate, discuss and formulate research problems through specific exercises. The results of the comparison between how the research problem was designed and the theses gradings show that a well-formulated problem is not an absolute necessity for the grade well accepted. However, the results indicate that writers who strive to express higher ambitions when it comes to the problem have a greater opportunity to realize these in their thesis. Highly formulated problems have been well represented among the theses that receive the grade well accepted. The conclusion of the study shows that a well constructed purpose and problem is of particular importance to achieve a good standard of a thesis project and the specific training efforts undertaken suggest that this training will continue as a regular feature of the programme.

Keywords

• Educational training
• independent thesis project
• problem formulations
• research problems
• vocational education