Pedagogics and Special Needs (the PS-group)

The PS-group is a research group at the Department of Education at Uppsala University. The group frequently publish in international journals and is one of the leading research environments in Sweden in research about inclusive educating and the work of special educational staff. In addition, research is carried out in several other research areas (see below for each members personal presentation).

The research area Pedagogics and Special Needs focus difficulties that emerge in education in different historical, social and cultural settings where teaching, learning and socialisation takes place. Contexts for empirical studies are the whole educational system from preschool to higher education but also work life and informal settings.

Contact

Gunilla Lindqvíst

Seminars

The PS-group runs a seminar. At the seminar research about inclusive and special education is presented, discussed and analysed. The relations between special education and areas such as pedagogics, didactics and educational sociology are also focused. Special attention is given to the implications of research with regard to the work of teachers and special needs educators. PS is used in letters in order to make an addition, Post Scriptum, which is made after the letter is written and signed. Often such PS contains important information that can change the interpretation of the whole letter. We regard it as a demanding yet suitable metaphor for our work at the seminar.

For program and content, please contact Gunilla Lindqvist.

The International Web Seminar on inclusive education

The PS-seminar also organise the web-seminar series “International seminar on inclusive education” where leading researchers in the field are invited to present their research.

For information about the seminar please contact Gunilla Lindqvist or Gunnlaugur Magnùsson

Networks

Researchers are part of several networks, e.g. with the University of Agder in Norway, Åbo Akademi in Finland and with the University of Groningen in the Netherlands. Recently Niklas Norén together with researchers from Finland and Holland received a grant for developing a network of researchers studying communicative disabilities.

Interaction with Society

Several resesearchers in the PS-group is involved in cooperation/interaction in different forms with different parts of the society, mainly the school system. Gunilla Lindqvist has e.g. recently been responsible for a research circle focusing inclusion.

Claes Nilholm, former professor at Uppsala university and leader of the PS group had a blog where central themes in educational and special needs were analyzed and discussed.

Go to the blog