Abstract:

As in many other countries the Swedish Government have decided to digitalise the school system with programming as an important component. The implementation of programming in the Swedish school system is planned to take place in a short period of time. In the subjects of mathematics and technology, teachers are supposed to use programming as a tool for problem solving in their daily teaching. However, programming is a discipline in which most mathematic and technology teachers in compulsory school lack knowledge and skills. The aim of this study was to identify and discuss opportunities and obstacles for teachers in the process of involving programming as a teaching and learning tool in mathematics. The investigation of opportunities and obstacles was aligned to studies of the plans for school management, and to the plans for the municipality regarding the introduction of programming in K-12 education.

This study was conducted as a qualitative cross-sectional study conducted during the time period for the introduction of programming in the Swedish schools. To get a snapshot of the current situation data was gathered by semi-structured interviews with three teachers, a school leader and a digitalisation strategist. Informants were selected in a purposive sample, with the idea of interviewing persons with knowledge that could help to meet the research aim.

Findings shows that several factors affect the introduction of programming in the daily teaching and learning activities. There are external factors such as government decisions, curricula and the municipality's digitalisation strategies, and also school management decisions, functioning technology and infrastructure. Other found factors were teaching tools, teachers lack of time, and their need for professional development. Teachers are largely dependent professional development as they perceive programming to be an almost entirely new topic.

Recommendations to facilitate the introduction of programming in compulsory school are:
1) Allocate time for teachers to study programming and for joint reflection and discussion on programming,
2) Provide clear information about what teachers are expected to learn in their professional training,
3) Teacher support on how to cope with the increased amount of programming content in their teaching and finally,
4) Guidance to find new teaching and learning tools that can help teachers to use programming in a meaningful way in mathematics and technology.

Keywords:

Programming, Programming education, Programming in compulsory school, Programming in mathematics, Teacher training.