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High quality of teacher-student relationships is widely recognized as fundamental part of good education. Moreover, students' self-efficacy beliefs, or their confidence to succeed within different domains at school, are important impact factors to achievement. Although there is support for an association between student-perceived teacher-student relationship quality and students' self-efficacy judgements, which mediates achievement, no tool explores this association. This article suggests that two instruments, respectively measuring students' perceptions of teacher-student relationship quality (TSR) and student's self-efficacy (SSE), can be used in parallel for a multifaceted exploration of individual students' perception of TSR quality, in relationship to their self-efficacy. Two well-established instruments were adopted, validated and their factor structures re-confirmed in a Swedish sample, using data from students in five schools (n=382). Factor analysis showed that models with three underlying dimensions of TSR and four underlying dimensions of SSE were the most appropriate. All sub-scales showed good-to-excellent reliability (Cronbach's[alpha] = 0.75-0.94). Findings indicated a lack of multigroup invariance across gender and school level for the TSR-model. Substantial associations were found between student-perceived teacher support, and students' self-efficacy for self-regulated learning and global academic success. We discuss utility and limitations, need of model improvement, and future potential.

This 2-year longitudinal study compares students' trajectories for perceived teacher-student relationship quality and students' self-efficacy (together discussed as students' school trust) to previously documented teacher-perceived experiences in teacher teams' collective learning processes. The article's main contribution is the reflection in students' perceptions, of their teachers' perceived quality and attainment in collective learning processes. Comparisons between schools show that trajectories for students belonging to the only teacher team that experienced a more mature and successful learning process in an earlier study, differed significantly from the trajectories for students in compared teams. Differences demonstrated large positive effect sizes (d=0.81-1.14). Individual analysis provides deeper insights about "how" these students' perceptions changed. Additionally, the full sample data confirms earlier findings of substantial cross-associations between student-perceived teacher-student relationship quality and student self-efficacy. For example, sustainable associations between supportive teacher-student relationships and students' global academic self-efficacy and self-efficacy for self-regulative learning were found (r = 0.43-0.51).

Over the last decades, many liberal democracies have experienced a tension between the education system's expressed requirement to foster citizenship norms and the liberal (sub-)ideal of norm neutrality. This dilemma has been accentuated by, on the one hand, increased ethnical and cultural diversity and, on the other hand, liberalization of society in general and the schooling system in particular. This article provides a "state of the debate" of this tension in France, Sweden, and England, through a media analysis of the period 2001-2010. Citizenship education was most prominent in the Swedish debate. The Swedish and English positions were most alike, arguing for "objective civics" and promoting freedom of choice in the school system. In contrast, the French debate argued for a common, integrative state-managed school system that provides equal opportunities to all socioeconomic groups while inculcating loyalty to the State. (Contains 15 tables, 1 figure, and 12 notes.)

The study presented in this paper focuses upon conceptualisations of language and identity in the institutionalised arena that emerged in the post-Second World War period with the specific intention of teaching Swedish to adult immigrants in the nation-state of Sweden. Our analysis focuses upon the development of the educational programme "Swedish for immigrants" over time. Our specific interest relates to how categorisations are framed and what, if any, kinds of labels--pertaining to language and identity--emerge in national and local policy documents from the 1960s onwards. Taking a sociohistorical perspective as a point of departure, our analyses indicate discursive changes with regards to the categories and aims of the educational programme, making certain identity positions more accessible than others at specific times. Focusing upon categories from sociohistorical perspectives helps to reveal the social organisation and institutional means that enable society to process citizenship issues. The complex relationship between the empowerment of the immigrants, on the one hand, and the need for integration or assimilation into society on the other, becomes visible through the analysis of empirical data that spans half a century. (Contains 4 tables, 3 figures and 12 notes.)

The purpose of the present study was to examine validity aspects of teachers' judgements of pupils' reading skills. Data come from Sweden's participation in the Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS) 2001, for Grades 3 and 4. For pupils at the same achievement levels, as measured by PIRLS 2001 test, teachers' judgements of pupils' achievement levels varied from one teacher to another. Moreover, there were significant differences between teachers' judgements in Grades 3 and 4. Teachers in Grade 3 who had taught their pupils for almost 3 years showed higher correspondence between their judgements and pupil achievement within classrooms than 4th-grade teachers who, typically, had only taught their pupils for approximately 1 semester at the time of the data collection. The results indicate that teachers' judgements and tests can be useful within classrooms, but that teachers may need external assessments to calibrate judgements over classrooms. (Contains 4 tables and 4 figures.)

This study examines the changes in educational inequality at the school- and individual-levels in 1991 and 2001. Comparisons are made between the IEA Reading Literacy Study 1991 and the so called 10-Year Trend Study in PIRLS 2001. The between-school differences in reading achievement variance and the size of the relationship between SES and reading achievement at school-level are the two main focuses. Applying a two-level structural equation modeling technique, it was found that the between-school differences in reading achievement were greater in RLS 2001 than in RLS 1991, and the school SES effect has been strengthened over time. These changes indicate that educational inequality in Sweden has increased over time. Some possible explanations to these changes are discussed with reference to school reforms and demographic changes. (Contains 1 figure and 6 tables.)

Background: Cultural capital in families and especially, the educational level of parents, has during the last decades been found to be the most important dimension of socio-economic influence on school performance. How the transmission of cultural capital over generations is concretized is however not yet fully investigated. Aims: The aim is to unfold the influence of home background and more specifically, to reveal some important mediating factors between the educational levels of parents and the reading achievement levels of children. Sample: Data comes from the Swedish participation in Progress in International Reading Literacy Study 2001 conducted by the The International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement and comprises some 10,000 students in grade 3. Methods: The effects of parents' education on reading achievement are estimated with structural equation modelling. Results: The results reveal that the total effect of parents' education is substantial and that almost half of this effect is mediated through other variables, i.e. the number of books at home, early literacy activities, and emergent literacy abilities at the time for school start. The article thus identifies some of the mechanisms through which parents' education exert an influence on children's literacy development. Conclusions: Cultural reproduction starts in the very early childhood, in informal settings where reading aloud is an important activity. The knowledge of written language that children have at the time for school-start influences further reading acquisition.

The cultural capital in families, more specifically, the educational level of parents, has during the last decades been shown to be the most important dimension of socioeconomic influence on school performance in many countries. Less is known about the factors that actually mediate this influence. The aim, therefore, is to investigate the relative importance of various mediating factors, as well as the total effects of parents' educational levels, on the reading achievement levels of children in Grade 4. Data in this comparative analysis come from the Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS) 2001 and include representative samples from 7 countries: Sweden, Norway, Bulgaria, France, Hong Kong, Hungary, and Italy. Variables indicating possession of cultural capital in the families are collected from the home questionnaire. A total achievement score is used as outcome variable. The effects of parents' education on reading achievement are estimated with structural equation modelling. Substantial effects of parental education were found, but the pathways for indirect effects that were mediated through other variables varied between countries. (Contains 6 tables and 3 figures.)

The study investigates measurement properties of the reading assessment tasks used in the IEA 1991 Reading Literacy (RL) study and the Progress in International Readings Study (PIRLS) 2001 study. The analysis is based on data from the Swedish PIRLS study, comprising 16,676 students in grades 3 and 4. As an extension to the basic design, not only the PIRLS tasks were administered, but each student also completed 1 of the 2 booklets from the 1991 study. Using missing-data modeling techniques, confirmatory factor analysis models were estimated and tested for the complete set of reading tasks. Results show that both sets of tasks measure comprehension of reading continuous text, but that each of them also represents unique sources of variance. In the RL instrument, reading speed is one such component, and performance on tasks from the documents domain is another. The PIRLS tasks are influenced by the requirement to produce constructed responses. It is also demonstrated that the shared context among items referring to a particular text is a source of systematic variance. (Contains 9 tables.)

The study investigates the mean difference in reading achievement between third-graders in public and independent schools in Sweden. The data come from the Swedish participation in PIRLS 2001 conducted by IEA. Variables from the home questionnaire mainly indicating possession of cultural capital are used as independent variables. A total IRT score of reading achievement is used as outcome variable. It is shown that students in independent schools have on average better reading results and also a more advantageous socio-economic background than have students in public schools. Social selection hence characterises independent schools. In addition, indicators of students' cultural capital account for the major part of the mean difference between school types. (Contains 6 tables and 2 figures.)

Background: Prospective injury registration studies, monitoring adolescent elite athletes, are sparse in running, orienteering and cross-country skiing, yet essential for developing prevention programs. Purpose: The aims of this study were to describe the injury prevalence/incidence, severity grade, injury location, risk factors and the prevalence of illness in running (RU), orienteering (OR) and cross-country skiing athletes (CR). Study Design: Prospective cohort study. Methods: One hundred fifty adolescent elite athletes (age range 16-19), participating in orienteering (25 females, 20 males), running (13 females, 18 males), cross-country skiing (38 females, 36 males), from 12 National Sports High Schools in Sweden, were prospectively followed over one calendar year using a reliable and validated web-based questionnaire. Results: The main finding was that the average weekly injury prevalence was higher during the pre-season compared to the competitive season in all three sports. RU reported the significantly (p<0.05) highest average weekly injury prevalence (32.4%) and substantial injury prevalence (17.0%), compared to OR (26.0, 8.2%) and CR (21.1%, 8.9%). Most injuries occurred in the lower extremity (RU 94.4%; OR 91.9%; CR 49.9%) and foot and knee injuries had the highest severity grade in all three sports. History of serious injury (p = 0.002, OR 4.0, 95% CI 1.6-9.7) and current injury at study start (p = 0.004, OR 4.0, 95% CI 1.5-11.2) were identified as the strongest risk factors for substantial injury. Younger athletes aged 16 (p = 0.019, OR 2.6, 95% CI 1.2-5.8) and 17 (p = 0.045, OR 2.4, 95% CI 1.0-5.9), had a significantly higher injury risk for substantial injury compared to older athletes aged 18-19. Conclusion: Practitioners should be aware of the increased injury risk during pre-season and in younger athletes. By focus on prevention of foot and knee injuries, the injuries with the highest severity grade will be targeted in adolescent elite athletes participating in running, orienteering and cross-country skiing. Level of evidence: 2b [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Analyzes the long-term base cation mass balances for Swedish forests. Concept of sustainability; Soil acidification; Cation leaching from the root zone; Depletion rate of forest soils; Importance of sustainable forest management.