Studenter som kunder och konsten att vara lärare : från frustration till självreflektion

The first generation of students who started school after the large Swedish educationalreforms of decentralization and marketization in the 1990s is now enteringthe university. They have grown up in an individualized society, with a publicsector permeated by new public management ideals. The purpose of this articleis to discuss students' attitudes and approaches to studies, in the light of thesesocio-political changes, and to reflect on challenges and possibilities for teachingin higher education. With an empirical material consisting of correspondence withstudents and comments in course evaluations, we give examples of attitudes andbehaviours that can be understood as expressions of a rather demanding individualisticcustomer approach to education. We conclude by arguing that our teachingpractice must take these partly new circumstances into account. If we want tobecome better teachers, we must understand our students.