Eliciting Concepts in the Field of Extended Education – A Swedish Provoke

Abstract

The aim of this article is to contribute to the discussion concerning the concepts used in the field of extended education by scrutinising different concepts that can contribute to research and guard the specific educational attitude of extended education as viewed from a Swedish perspective. The discussion will be based on a review of concepts used in both national and international research, as well as those formulated in Swedish policy documents and traditionally used in Swedish schoolage educare activity. Defining extended education as a social practice that aims at meaning making based on experiences from everyday life will be an important theoretical starting point to which the discussed concepts will be related. The significance of taking a point of departure in children’s perspectives is central in the article. Finally, some newly created concepts will be suggested as significant for the development of extended education.

“(Maybe) I am going to School-Age Educare because now I have a Residence Permit”: Children’s Non-Access to School-Age Educare in a Swedish Asylum Context

“…The role of care through food provision could indeed be important for children in asylum-seeking families who often struggle with economic hardship and especially for children in families living in asylum centres with little to no possibility to buy or cook their own food. The findings in this study strengthen research that points to the role of school-age educare for social justice in contexts of unequal childhoods (Andishmand 2017;Hjalmarsson & Odenbring 2019;Klerfelt & Ljusberg 2018). In this study, I argue that the findings indicate how school-age educare's may indeed have a particularly important role for children in asylum contexts, as these centres can compensate for their socioeconomic situation and their living conditions.…”

“…Swedish research has pointed out that school-age educare could have an important compensatory role (Andishmand 2017;Hjalmarsson & Odenbring 2019). The compensatory purpose of school-age educare entails a strive to meet children's different needs while taking into consideration their different socioeconomic backgrounds and living conditions (Klerfelt & Ljusberg 2018). Hjalmarsson and Odenbring (2019), for instance, show that school-age educare centres and pedagogues have an important role to play for children without access to appropriate clothes or equipment for outdoor play and activities, as well as that school-age educare could contribute through the provision of fruit, free lunch meals and afternoon snacks.…”

“…The purpose of school-age educare is to stimulate children's learning and development (SNAE 2018). In addition to cooperation with the compulsory school concerning children's educational goals (Klerfelt & Ljusberg 2018), another important purpose is to provide children with access to play and contribute to meaningful leisure (SNAE 2018). School-age educare thus inevitably relates both to children's right to play and meaningful leisure as well as children's right to education (UNCRC 1989).…”

Didactics in School-Age Educare Centres – an Unexplored Field But with Distinctive Views

“…It is not obvious to researchers that the concept of didactics should or can occur in leisure centre activities (Klerfelt & Stecher, 2018). Researchers have warned of a "schoolification" of SAEC activities (Boström & Augustsson, 2016;Klerfelt & Ljusberg, 2018;Lager, 2020). Regardless, the concept of teaching (along with the concepts of pupil and teacher) was introduced in the SAECs' steering document, the 2010 update of the Education Act (SFS, 2010:800), which strengthened the SAECs' learning commitment via the addition of a special section (Chapter 14).…”