Some Research Perspectives on the ArctiChildren Project from a Swedish Horizon Eva Alerby Arne Forsman Kerstin Öhrling

What can we do to improve our knowledge and understanding of school children's health and well being?

We want to share some methodological perspectives on research within schools.

Developing collaboration between the researchers and the schools. A close relationship between researchers, the school staff, schoolchildren and parents is desirable during the project in accordance with what Tiller (1999) suggest.

Ethical considerations Written and oral information was given to the staff at the school, to the parents of the children in the class and to the children themselves. The participation was entirely voluntary. Approval for carrying out the research was received from the local Research Ethics Committee, Luleå University of Technology.

In the Swedish part of the project, the decision was taken to use a qualitative research paradigm to gain an understanding of schoolchildren’s and staffs lived experience of the classroom intervention.

Research context The research took place in one school class, with 20 children in grade four. In accordance with what Park (2001, p.88) describes, participatory research was in this project seen as a form of praxis helping to “actualize our potentials and develop ourselves as a human community”.

Research context The whole research process was going on over two terms The intervention was implemented during one month within the second term.

Well-being Interventions It was decided that it was the children who should set the agenda. Allowing children being partners of classrooms activities Creating a supportive learning environment Learning by deep reflection

Learn to listen According to Mead (1976) is significant speech an action that is influencing the individual herself and this effect for the individual is also influencing her speech – supporting the development of self.

Thank You!