Lisa Fohlins reseach aims to highlight factors involved in sustainable implementation of pedagogical innovation in Swedish schools. 

Using both qualitative and quantitative approaches, the project aims to identify factors that act as barriers and facilitators when implementing pedagogical innovations in kindergarten and school years.

The data consists of group interviews (study 1) and surveys (study 2 & 3) focusing on the opinion of kindergarten and school staff involved in the implementation processes.

Publications:

Fohlin, L., Sedem, M., & Allodi, M. W. (2021). Teachers’ experiences of facilitators and barriers to implement theme-based cooperative learning in a Swedish context. Frontiers in Education, 6, 663846. https://doi.org/10.3389/feduc.2021.663846

Fohlin, L., Westling Allodi, M., Sedem, M., & Karlberg, M. (2023). School staff’s perceptions of implementing the Inclusive Behavioural Support in Schools framework in Swedish. Scandinavian Journal of Educational Research. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00313831.2023.2287437

Main supervisor: Professor Mara Westling Allodi (Specialpedagogiska inst., Stockholms univ.)
Supervisor: Universitetslektor Mina Sedem (Specialpedagogiska inst., Stockholms univ.)

A selection from Stockholm University publication database

• Teachers’ Experiences of Facilitators and Barriers to Implement Theme-Based Cooperative Learning in a Swedish Context

  2021. Lisa Fohlin, Mina Sedem, Mara Westling Allodi. Frontiers in Education 6

  Article

  Implementing Evidence-Based Practice (EBP) in school settings can be challenging. This case study presents barriers and facilitators expressed by kindergarten teachers (N = 6) during the implementation of a theme-based cooperative learning project over the course of a semester. During three group interviews, at the start, mid-point, and end, the teachers expressed their thoughts and experiences about the project. The Theoretical Domains Framework (TDF) was used to identify and analyze barriers and facilitators throughout the project. The importance of organizational investment, collegial connection and collaboration, the pedagogical fit of the EBP, and plans for long-term change were highlighted as beneficial factors for successful implementation in this case study.

  Read more about Teachers’ Experiences of Facilitators and Barriers to Implement Theme-Based Cooperative Learning in a Swedish Context

• Barriers and facilitators expressed by teachers implementing theme-based and cooperative learning in a Swedish kindergarten

  2020. Lisa Fohlin, Mina Sedem, Mara Westling Allodi.

  Conference

  In Sweden, the decentralisation of the educational system has led to a difference in educational quality among schools. The curriculum for early childhood education (ECE) in Sweden states that education should build on relevant research. In order to implement research-based practices in the ECE setting, it is relevant to take account of teachers’ impressions on the implementation of such processes. Their experiences may affect their willingness to use the practices.

  The overall aim of the wider study is to identify facilitators and barriers in the implementation of innovative pedagogical methods in ECE. In particular, the aim of the study presented here is to identify facilitators and barriers expressed by kindergarten teachers before, during and after the implementation process of a pedagogical program, based on the framework of cooperative learning. The aim is also to investigate whether the implementation had an influence on the educational practice, according to the teachers. The study is an independent evaluation of a program implementation introduced in a school during spring 2019.  

  The project uses the Theoretical domains framework (TDF) as a theoretical framework in the data analysis (Atkins et al., 2017) and the conceptual framework from Domitrovich et al. (2008) to describe the impact of facilitators and barriers in the implementation.

  The teacher team (N=6) working in two kindergarten classes adopted a school development program that introduced theme-based pedagogy and cooperative learning. The aim of the program was to increase the general well-being of the children and to create a more democratic and multifaceted social environment in the classrooms. The teachers received training and feedback consisting of six sessions over six months.

  Three group interviews with the teachers were conducted by the first author, who was not involved in the training. The interviews occurred at start, in the middle, and at the end of the implementation process. The preliminary analysis found barriers and facilitators for successful implementation and ongoing work with the programs, for example resources, support, motivation and knowledge. There seemed to be an increase in the number of facilitators over time and an increase of positive emotions and opinions about the use of the pedagogical program over time. The teachers reported some changes in the pedagogical practice.

  This study is part of first author’s PhD thesis in the Research School in Special Education on Early Interventions in Early Childhood Education (Swedish Research Council 2017-03683).

  Read more about Barriers and facilitators expressed by teachers implementing theme-based and cooperative learning in a Swedish kindergarten

Show all publications by Lisa Fohlin at Stockholm University