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Spante, M., Garraway, J., Winberg, C., Noffemela, F. & Duma, P. T. (2024). Activity theory as a tool for reimagining workintegrated learning: Conducting contradiction analysis. In: Karsten E. Zegwaard & Jenny Fleming (Ed.), Refereed Proceedings of the5th WACE International Research Symposium onCooperative and Work-Integrated Education, 2024,University West, Sweden: Work-integrated learning andthe sustainable knowledge society. Paper presented at The 5th WACE International Research Symposium on Cooperative and Work-Integrated Education,12-14th of June, 2024, University West, Trollhättan, Sweden (pp. 258-263). Waterloo, Canada: Wace Inc.
Open this publication in new window or tab >>Activity theory as a tool for reimagining workintegrated learning: Conducting contradiction analysis
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2024 (English)In: Refereed Proceedings of the5th WACE International Research Symposium onCooperative and Work-Integrated Education, 2024,University West, Sweden: Work-integrated learning andthe sustainable knowledge society / [ed] Karsten E. Zegwaard & Jenny Fleming, Waterloo, Canada: Wace Inc. , 2024, p. 258-263Conference paper, Published paper (Refereed)
Abstract [en]

In this research project, academics with expertise in work-integrated learning (WIL) and Cultural Historical Activity Theory (CHAT) in South Africa and Sweden collaborated on knowledge development to enhance WIL practices. The cross-border CHAT-inspired ‘contradiction analysis’ workshop collaboration aimed to enhance understandings of the difficulties which universities experience in conducting WIL, and how such difficulties may be addressed and potentially overcome. The methodology used to conduct this research drew on CHAT as a tool to highlight contradictions within the structure and processes of WIL. In short, the elements of the activity system (Figure 1) which guide the analysis refer to what the participants understand they are working on making happen within the university (the object or raw material); what they are using to do this work (tools); who else is involved with working on the object (community); and how the work of the participants (the subjects) is governed by the rules/culture they operate in, and how the roles are divided up and who holds the most authority (division of labour or DoL) (Engeström, 2015). The structure of each contradiction analysis workshop was as follows:

1- Participants were given an introductory course on CHAT through being initiated into the activity system mode of analysis (Fig 1);

2- Each participant drew a triangular depiction of their WIL system and populated the activity system elements (Fig 1);

3- Participants identified two to three main contradictions in their system and shared these with the group as a whole;

4- Participants Collectively discussed the emerging contradictions; 5- Participants reflected on the contradiction analysis process.

A key aspect to this research was encouraging the workshop participants to understand WIL in all its often-contradictory material and social relations, and that participants themselves were multi-voiced thus requiring some form of ‘polyphonous orchestration’ (Engeström, 2015, p. 248). Such dialectical thinking also encouraged participants to identify contradictory pressure points, not as barriers to progress, but as opportunities for future changes. When seen in this way the relatively time-limited CHAT workshops set the scene as an easy and accessible introduction to change laboratory work towards the development of new and improved WIL concepts and processes. A change laboratory is a CHAT-inspired methodology in which workshop participants collectively raise issues from working life and, through the use of CHAT tools, develop their agency to transform these issues into potentially productive outcomes. A key component of agency development is participants’ recognition of difficulties as historically influenced and systemic contradictions within their organization (Sannino & Engeström, 2017). The need for change laboratory work emerges in organizations as they confront increasing complexity in their interconnectedness with other work units and with broader societal issues (Engeström and Sannino, 2010), and are in need of major transformations (Virkkunen & Newnham, 2013). However, organizational members do not necessarily recognize what is at stake nor that they have the potential to provoke change through collective, agentic and often lengthy processes such as the change laboratory. Dinh and Sannino (2024) suggest that an activity theory analysis of current workplace contradictions can impel organizational members to confront difficulties and embrace the possibility of embarking on a change laboratory to challenge the status quo. In this article the authors support the above authors’ submission through the scrutiny of a number of activity theory-inspired ‘contradiction analysis’ workshops in which participants expressed motive and interest to move further with a fullscale change laboratory. There were two main research questions:

1- Did the contradiction analysis workshops assist practitioners in gaining a systematic understanding of WIL issues?

2- Were the WIL practitioners inspired to embark on more large-scale change laboratory work?

Altogether five two-hour contradiction analysis workshops were conducted in 2023 at university WIL units and academic conferences/seminars attended by WIL practitioners in which participants grappled with pressing WIL issues in their institutions. The contexts and locations of the workshops were different but, in each case, the same process of conducting contradiction analyses was followed. Despite these contextual and geographical differences many similar contradictions and suggestions for ways forward for WIL practices emerged

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
Waterloo, Canada: Wace Inc., 2024
Keywords
activity theory, reimagining, contradiction analysis, work-integrated learning, WIL
National Category
Work Sciences Learning Pedagogy
Research subject
Work Integrated Learning
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:hv:diva-22434 (URN)978-1-7386618-2-4 (ISBN)
Conference
The 5th WACE International Research Symposium on Cooperative and Work-Integrated Education,12-14th of June, 2024, University West, Trollhättan, Sweden
Available from: 2024-09-16 Created: 2024-09-16 Last updated: 2024-10-21Bibliographically approved
Wihlborg, E. & Spante, M. (2024). For the Fun of IT: In Search for Sensemaking of Digitalization Training Program for Leaders in Schools and Pre-schools in Sweden. In: Marius Rohde Johannessen, Csaba Csáki, Lieselot Danneels, Sara Hofmann, Thomas Lampoltshammer, Peter Parycek, Gerhard Schwabe, Efthimios Tambouris & Jolien Ubacht (Ed.), Electronic Participation: 16th IFIP WG 8.5 International Conference, ePart 2024, Ghent, Belgium, September 3–5, 2024, Proceedings. Paper presented at 16th IFIP WG 8.5 International Conference, ePart 2024, Ghent, Belgium, September 3–5, 2024 (pp. 83-98). Springer
Open this publication in new window or tab >>For the Fun of IT: In Search for Sensemaking of Digitalization Training Program for Leaders in Schools and Pre-schools in Sweden
2024 (English)In: Electronic Participation: 16th IFIP WG 8.5 International Conference, ePart 2024, Ghent, Belgium, September 3–5, 2024, Proceedings / [ed] Marius Rohde Johannessen, Csaba Csáki, Lieselot Danneels, Sara Hofmann, Thomas Lampoltshammer, Peter Parycek, Gerhard Schwabe, Efthimios Tambouris & Jolien Ubacht, Springer, 2024, p. 83-98Conference paper, Published paper (Refereed)
Abstract [en]

The local practice of digitalization in schools is a key component of digital inclusion and literacy policies in most states. However, despite all good ambitions of educational digitalization there are several challenges when it comes to implementation. This paper will elaborate on and contribute to the understanding of implementation of digitalization in governmental settings using an inductive approach with a specific focus on responsibility and sensemaking in mandatory versus voluntary implementation requirements.

This paper presents a case study with a mixed-method approach to examine how a Swedish local government, in charge of public education, initiated and implemented a program to enhance the competence of all school leaders in leading digitalization. This program was undertaken despite differences in digital governance requirements in schools and preschools at the time. The case study illustrates the importance of connecting sensemaking theory in implementation processes to enhance the awareness of meaningful realization of digital government in local practices. Additionally, this paper highlights the methodological implications of such theoretical approaches.

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
Springer, 2024
Series
Lecture Notes in Computer Science
Keywords
IT, Digitalization, Training program, Leader, School, Pre-school, Sweden
National Category
Information Systems, Social aspects Learning Work Sciences
Research subject
Work Integrated Learning
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:hv:diva-22722 (URN)10.1007/978-3-031-70804-6_6 (DOI)001308595100006 ()2-s2.0-85202625685 (Scopus ID)978-3-031-70803-9 (ISBN)978-3-031-70804-6 (ISBN)
Conference
16th IFIP WG 8.5 International Conference, ePart 2024, Ghent, Belgium, September 3–5, 2024
Available from: 2024-12-06 Created: 2024-12-06 Last updated: 2025-01-16Bibliographically approved
Spante, M. & Moffitt, P. (2024). Manifesting learning in the workplace: an activity theoretical study of professional learning in preschool using active learning classrooms. Journal of Workplace Learning, 36(9), 72-87
Open this publication in new window or tab >>Manifesting learning in the workplace: an activity theoretical study of professional learning in preschool using active learning classrooms
2024 (English)In: Journal of Workplace Learning, ISSN 1366-5626, E-ISSN 1758-7859, Vol. 36, no 9, p. 72-87Article in journal (Refereed) Published
Abstract [en]

Purpose: The purpose of this study is the development of a methodology that draws on activity theory (AT) to assess educators’ and leaders’ professional learning in a pre-school setting.Design/methodology/approachThe paper reports on a case study of professional development in an active learning classroom (ALC) where 20 professionals participated in a one-day writing workshop. AT was used to analyse the writing workshop as well as data from reflective writing, video recordings, interviews and surveys.

Findings: The paper shows that professional development is significantly influenced by a range of mediating technologies used in educational spaces such as the ALC. The mediated practice breaks normal work practice in the pre-school activity system and division of labour roles, and hierarchical positions and professional relationships. Such a break is considered to facilitate a manifestation of professional learning. However, it also poses a risk for organisational disruptions emphasising the need for diagnostic understanding when an ALC should be used for capturing workplace learning.

Practical implications: Structured writing workshops – taking place in ALCs – provide a suitable forum that breaks with routines, accelerates collective reflections and articulation of negotiated meaning and produces a common ground across hierarchical roles supporting collective professional development in the activity system.

Originality/value: Unlike previous research focusing on student perspectives, this study views these spaces as settings for professionals to recognise and solve developmental problems. It suggests that structured writing workshops in ALCs can accelerate collective reflection and support collective professional development across hierarchical roles.

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
Emerald Group Publishing Limited, 2024
Keywords
Mixed methodologies, Qualitative, Continuing professional development, Activity theory, Workplace learning, Active learning classroom, Educational spaces
National Category
Pedagogy Pedagogical Work Learning
Research subject
Work Integrated Learning
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:hv:diva-22725 (URN)10.1108/jwl-02-2024-0047 (DOI)001326657900001 ()2-s2.0-85205349552 (Scopus ID)
Note

CC-BY 4.0

Available from: 2024-12-06 Created: 2024-12-06 Last updated: 2024-12-06
Nilsson, E., Björkum, K. & Spante, M. (2024). Vänligt och värdigt i Västervik: Professionsdriven utveckling för humanistisk hantering av hemlöshetsproblematik i kommunal verksamhet. Västervik: Campus Västervik
Open this publication in new window or tab >>Vänligt och värdigt i Västervik: Professionsdriven utveckling för humanistisk hantering av hemlöshetsproblematik i kommunal verksamhet
2024 (Swedish)Report (Other academic)
Abstract [sv]

Detta är en rapport som beskriver genomförandet av ett så kallat »Change Laboratory« inom ramen för ett samverkansprojekt kring bosociala frågor, med särskild inriktning på hemlöshet och risk för hemlöshet, i Västerviks kommun. Rapporten inleds med bakgrund till projektet och en beskrivning av hur »Change Laboratory«, den använda metoden, valdes ut och planerades. Därefter följer ett teoriavsnitt och en metodbeskrivning som syftar till att ge läsaren förståelse för vad som är centrala utgångspunkter i ett »Change Laboratory«. Sedan följer en beskrivning av metodens användning utifrån önskan om att stärka den lokala förankringen och handlingskraften mellan verksamheter som arbetar med bosociala frågor i Västerviks kommun. Vidare följer beskrivningar av genomförandet av »Change Laboratory«, session för session. Kopplat till genomförandet finns också ett resultatavsnitt som sammanfattar vad som genererades av sessionerna. Rapporten avslutas med en sammanfattning av centrala slutsatser samt med en framåtblick som beskriver vad arbetet som gjorts i »Change Laboratory« kan bidra med för ett fortsatt kommunalt samverkansarbete kring hemlöshet och risk för hemlöshet.

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
Västervik: Campus Västervik, 2024. p. 106
Series
Forskningsrapport ; 1
Keywords
hemlöshet, bosocial, samverkansprojekt
National Category
Social Work Learning
Research subject
Work Integrated Learning
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:hv:diva-21662 (URN)978-91-985421-9-6 (ISBN)
Note

Forskningsgrupp

I genomförandet av »Change Laboratory« i Västervik har en forskningsgrupp ansvarat för arbetet. Facilitator, ansvarig för att leda genomförandeprocessen och respektive session, har varit Maria Spante som är forskare vid Högskolan Väst och expert på metoden. Elinor Nilsson och Klara Björkum, båda forsknings- och utvecklingskoordinatorer vid Campus Västervik, har stöttat arbetet genom att medverka vid samtliga sessioner, dokumentera arbetet samt genomföra de så kallade mellansessionsanalyserna. Campus Västervik och Högskolan Väst har en sedan många år en nära samverkan gällande såväl forskning som högre utbildning. I detta samverkansforskningsprojekt förenas kunskaper och erfarenheter från de båda verksamheterna i ett gemensamt upplägg.

Campus Västerviks Forskningsmiljö

Campus Västervik inkluderar en forskningsmiljö med inriktning mot innovativ välfärd och social hållbarhet på landsbygd. Välfärd och social hållbarhet definieras brett och sammanfattar samtliga aspekter av att bo, leva och verka på landsbygder. I forskningsmiljön utförs forskningsprojekt, utvecklingsprojekt och kompetenshöjande aktiviteter och insatser av forskare, forskarstuderande och forskarassistenter. I vårt genomförande samverkar vi med regionala aktörer och nationella lärosäten. Landsbygdens behov styr oss, detta gör att vår verksamhet anpassas och modifieras efter det som gynnar landsbygden.

Available from: 2024-05-30 Created: 2024-05-30 Last updated: 2024-06-17
Sofkova Hashemi, S., Hipkiss, A.-M., Spante, M., Tallvid, M., Andersson Varga, P. & Widigson, M. (2023). Tema, rum och digitalisering i ny skolverksamhet: Slutrapport från projektet Digiflex Didaktisk Design i Samverkan. Göteborg: Göteborgs stad med Center för skolutveckling, Göteborgs universitet och Högskolan Väst
Open this publication in new window or tab >>Tema, rum och digitalisering i ny skolverksamhet: Slutrapport från projektet Digiflex Didaktisk Design i Samverkan
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2023 (Swedish)Report (Other academic)
Abstract [sv]

Sveriges befolkning ökar och med det följer om- och nybyggnation av skolor med förväntningar på innovativa skolmiljöer som erbjuder god arbetsmiljö för elever och lärare och främjar en modern, elevcentrerad och elevaktiv pedagogik. Detta projekt var baserat i en sådan nybyggd skola som erbjuder flexibilitet i variation av rum och öppna ytor, flyttbara möbler och digital teknologi i sin utformning.

Syftet med projektet har varit att utveckla förståelse för den nybyggda skolans lärmiljö och studera hur skolans flexibla rumsliga och digitala ramar påverkar lärares undervisning och elevers kunskapsutveckling med utgångspunkt i följande frågeställningar:

1. Hur används skolans fysiska och digitala rum i lärares undervisningsdesign?

2. Hur kan elevers kunskapsutveckling stöttas genom rumslig och digital undervisningsdesign?

3. Hur utnyttjas fysiska och digitala rum för att lyckas med det kompensatoriska uppdraget?

Projektets har tillämpat co-design metoder, en kombination av aktionsforskning och design-baserad forskning, där lärare och forskare systematiskt och tillsammans studerat förändring och utveckling av undervisning i skolans lärmiljö över tid. Projektet har fokuserat på lärares didaktiska planering, undervisning och reflektion, möblering och rörelse i och mellan rummen, användning av digitala resurser, anpassning till elever samt ledarskapets roll. I utvecklingen av undervisningsdesign ingick kollegial planering, uppföljning, reflektion och re-design av undervisning i workshopsformat utifrån en tidigare utvecklad meta-tänkande modell för didaktisk design kallad Tanketärningar. Undervisningsdesignen har prövats i småskaliga interventioner och studerats genom observationer av lärares och elevers praktiker. En återkommande enkät har använts för att fånga lärarnas individuella röster. Dessutom genomfördes samtal och intervjuer med lärare och ledare på skolan.

Resultaten visar på att skolans flexibla rumsliga och digitala lärmiljö ställer nya krav på lärare att tänka organisatoriskt runt elevflöden och digitala resurser i undervisningen. Lärares varierande rumsliga inramningar av undervisningen mellan fri rörlighet och statiska arrangemang ger möjligheter till olika relationsbyggande. Skolans goda digitala infrastruktur erbjuder lärarna ett multimodalt planeringsstöd och flexibilitet i feedback och anpassning av innehåll till eleverna. Dock kan den digitala undervisningen även framkalla hårt paketerad och ”klicka-sig-fram” undervisning som minskar lärares handlingsutrymme och elevinflytande. Lärare skolar in elever till en strukturerad flexibilitet för att hantera rumslig och digital variation som uppfattas även ge utrymme att möta eleverna individuellt när andra elever i gruppen arbetar mer självständigt. Samtidigt är inte lärmiljön anpassad för elever som kräver en högre grad av didaktiskt ledarskap.

Samverkansambitioner har utmanats under projektets gång av coronapandemin men också oregelbundenheten i möten utöver workshoppar. Personalomsättning har påverkat relationsbygget mellan lärare och forskare över tid. Verksamhetens kollegiala arbete i lärarlag och ämnesövergripande undervisning utifrån ett fokus på tematiskt arbete har visat sig utmana lärarrollen, främst i de högre årskurserna. Projektets resultat pekar tydligt på vikten av kollegial samsyn och ledarskapets roll i det pedagogiska arbetet. Flexibiliteten behöver tolkas och kräver omfattande kollektiv planering i lärarlag som behöver ges tid och handlingsutrymme.

Projektets resultat har spridits kontinuerligt genom skolans webbsida, vetenskapliga publikationer, presentationer och workshoppar på forskningskonferenser, föredrag i Göteborgs stad som listas i slutet på rapporten. En film har samproducerats om arbetet med tanketärningsmodellen. Under projektets gång producerades sex examensarbeten på lärarutbildningarna och en masteruppsats inom informatik. Masteruppsatsen skrevs om till ett vetenskapligt prisbelönt bidrag.

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
Göteborg: Göteborgs stad med Center för skolutveckling, Göteborgs universitet och Högskolan Väst, 2023. p. 29
Keywords
Pedagogisk utveckling, lärande, samverkan
National Category
Pedagogical Work
Research subject
Work Integrated Learning
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:hv:diva-21958 (URN)
Available from: 2024-06-24 Created: 2024-06-24 Last updated: 2024-06-24
Spante, M. (2023). The Critical Role of School Leaders Inambitious Pedagogical Strategies. In: Marlos Varonis Evangeline (Litsa) & Pyrini, Anastasia (Nancy) (Ed.), CommunicationTechnologies in Education: Proceedings of ICICTE 2023. Paper presented at The International Conference on Information Communication Technologies in Education (ICICTE 2023) (pp. 1-8). ICICTE
Open this publication in new window or tab >>The Critical Role of School Leaders Inambitious Pedagogical Strategies
2023 (English)In: CommunicationTechnologies in Education: Proceedings of ICICTE 2023 / [ed] Marlos Varonis Evangeline (Litsa) & Pyrini, Anastasia (Nancy), ICICTE , 2023, p. 1-8Conference paper, Published paper (Other academic)
Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
ICICTE, 2023
Keywords
Pedagogic work, School leaders
National Category
Pedagogical Work
Research subject
Work Integrated Learning
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:hv:diva-21959 (URN)978-9918-0-0253-5 (ISBN)
Conference
The International Conference on Information Communication Technologies in Education (ICICTE 2023)
Available from: 2024-06-24 Created: 2024-06-24 Last updated: 2024-06-24
Spante, M. (2023). Workshop: Activity Theory as a Tool For Reimagining WIL: Conducting Contradiction Analysis. In: : . Paper presented at The International Conference on Information Communication Technologies in Education (ICICTE 2023). ICICTE
Open this publication in new window or tab >>Workshop: Activity Theory as a Tool For Reimagining WIL: Conducting Contradiction Analysis
2023 (English)Conference paper, Oral presentation only (Other academic)
Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
ICICTE, 2023
Keywords
Work-integrated learning, activity theory
National Category
Learning
Research subject
Work Integrated Learning
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:hv:diva-21960 (URN)
Conference
The International Conference on Information Communication Technologies in Education (ICICTE 2023)
Available from: 2024-06-24 Created: 2024-06-24 Last updated: 2024-08-30Bibliographically approved
Spante, M. (2022). Break the habit: Using an active learning classroom to promote collective reflection in and on action at the workplace. In: Evangeline Marlos Varonis (Ed.), ICICTE 2022 Rhodos, Greece July 7 to 9: Conference Programme. Paper presented at ICICTE 2022 International Conference on Information Communication Technologies in Education, Rhodes Greece 7 to 9 July (pp. 20-21).
Open this publication in new window or tab >>Break the habit: Using an active learning classroom to promote collective reflection in and on action at the workplace
2022 (English)In: ICICTE 2022 Rhodos, Greece July 7 to 9: Conference Programme / [ed] Evangeline Marlos Varonis, 2022, p. 20-21Conference paper, Oral presentation with published abstract (Other academic)
Abstract [en]

Routine and projects had dominated work models for preschool staff in a Swedish municipality. To break such patterns, a process approach was initiated promoting continuous competencedevelopment. Organizing practices in the initiative focused oncombining language development among the young childrenwith relevant use of digital tools, develop pedagogical modelsfor inclusion of young children at the same time as using digital tools, and furthermore how to develop leadership modelsto enable the staff to integrate and maintain the process approach in everyday practice.

After two years of continuous effort, the common experience was positive but when trying to present the experience forstakeholders outside of the organization, such as responsibleschool politicians, there was a frustration linked to the lack of language for the positive experience of professional development and enhanced organizational quality. Activity theory was used as a point of departure for designing anactivity with the aim to collectively moving from the abstractto the concrete in being able to verbalize what the experiencewas manifested by.

A writing seminar in an active learning classroom (ALC) wascreated to collectively produce texts for concrete descriptionsand specified explanations of the positive learning experience.The result of the writing seminar suggests that the ALC roomin combination with the interaction within and betweenparticipating groups activated what Engström refers to as Expansive learning, when moving from the abstract notion ofsuccess to the concrete articulation of performed activities.Furthermore, the active learning classroom with several largescreens and walls to write on was seen as an essential toolsupporting the expansive learning in the preschool context whenconceptualizing learning. The study conclude that reflective practice needs to be materialized in concrete activities andwriting seminars in active learning classrooms is suggested as a spearhead model for such activities.

Keywords
preeschool, active learning classroom, expansive learning
National Category
Work Sciences Learning
Research subject
Work Integrated Learning
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:hv:diva-19640 (URN)
Conference
ICICTE 2022 International Conference on Information Communication Technologies in Education, Rhodes Greece 7 to 9 July
Available from: 2023-02-03 Created: 2023-02-03 Last updated: 2023-02-10Bibliographically approved
Spante, M., Egelström, M., Hofling, S. & Källerfelt, S. (2022). Online Change Laboratory: Att utveckla metod och verksamhet tillsammans. In: : . Paper presented at LINA WEEK 40, 3-7 OCTOBER, 2022, University West, Sweden.
Open this publication in new window or tab >>Online Change Laboratory: Att utveckla metod och verksamhet tillsammans
2022 (Swedish)Conference paper, Oral presentation only (Other academic)
Keywords
arbetsintegrat lärande, bedömning
National Category
Learning
Research subject
Work Integrated Learning
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:hv:diva-19932 (URN)
Conference
LINA WEEK 40, 3-7 OCTOBER, 2022, University West, Sweden
Available from: 2023-05-08 Created: 2023-05-08 Last updated: 2024-04-18Bibliographically approved
Thomée, S., Allard, K., Gunnarsson, M., Martinsson, P., Larsman, P. & Spante, M. (2022). Phubbing at work: Mobile phone behavior in social contexts at the workplace and associations with the psychosocial work environment. In: Kevin Teoh, Fiona Frost, Jasmeet Singh, Maria Charalampuos, Miguel Muñoz (Ed.), 15th EAOHP Conference 2022: Supporting Knowledge comparison to promote good practice in occupational health psychology. Book of Proceedings.. Paper presented at 15th Congress of European Academy of Occupational Health Psychology, 6-8 juli, Bordeaux France (pp. 589-589).
Open this publication in new window or tab >>Phubbing at work: Mobile phone behavior in social contexts at the workplace and associations with the psychosocial work environment
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2022 (English)In: 15th EAOHP Conference 2022: Supporting Knowledge comparison to promote good practice in occupational health psychology. Book of Proceedings. / [ed] Kevin Teoh, Fiona Frost, Jasmeet Singh, Maria Charalampuos, Miguel Muñoz, 2022, p. 589-589Conference paper, Poster (with or without abstract) (Other academic)
Abstract [en]

Background: Phubbing (from phone and snubbing) is the phenomenon of interacting with one'ssmartphone rather than with physically present persons. The smartphone entices multitasking,we can quickly find ourselves mentally elsewhere and in communication with others than wherewe physically are. This means changed behaviors also in traditionally social contexts at work.Breaks at work give an opportunity to recover, but also to chat and socialize with co-workers –a social exchange that seems to be positive for developing collegial cohesion and trust, andfacilitates access to collegial social support. In pilot interviews with safety representatives in the electrical trade, concerns were raised that preoccupation with mobile phones in the breakrooms contributed to reduced social communication in working groups, impaired communication aboutwork tasks and the work environment, less commitment to work, and reduced access to socialsupport. These factors, by extension, may have significance for occupational safety and health,socialization, and productivity. In this research project granted by the Swedish Research Council for Health, Working Life and Welfare, we explore mobile phone behaviors, especially phubbing, in social contexts of working life.

Objectives: To explore the occurrence of phubbing in social contexts at workplaces, e.g., in thebreakrooms, how phubbing at work is perceived on different levels in the organization andwhich norms are at play. Further objectives include whether phubbing is associated with socialwork environment factors such as organizational commitment and social support, and whetheror not phubbing at work is an issue that needs to be addressed.

Methods: The project has an exploratory approach and combines qualitative and quantitativemethods. Ongoing studies include a) surveys in workplaces in the electrical trade, health careand dentistry, b) interviews with employees, managers, and HR, in the said trades, and c) asurvey to members of the Swedish Electrical worker union (N=13000). Studies a-c map mobilephone behaviors during the working day, perceptions about these behaviors, their causes andconsequences, and the presence of norms and policies regarding mobile phone use at work.Based on these studies, a longitudinal survey in a random sample from the Swedish workingpopulation (n=6000) is planned to examine associations between “phubbing” at work and socialenvironment factors, at baseline and after 6 months.

Results: This is an ongoing study. Preliminary results will be presented at the conference, ifaccepted.

Keywords
phubbing, smartphone, work-integrated learning
National Category
Information Systems, Social aspects Work Sciences
Research subject
Work Integrated Learning
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:hv:diva-19638 (URN)978-0-9928786-6-5 (ISBN)
Conference
15th Congress of European Academy of Occupational Health Psychology, 6-8 juli, Bordeaux France
Funder
Swedish Research Council
Available from: 2023-02-02 Created: 2023-02-02 Last updated: 2023-02-14Bibliographically approved
Organisations
Identifiers
ORCID iD: ORCID iD iconorcid.org/0000-0003-3203-7062

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