Värdeladdade utvärderingar – en diskursanalys av förskolors systematiska kvalitetsarbete

The primary interest of the thesis is to analyse how values are discursively constructed in the systematic quality work that takes place in kindergartens. The purpose is to contribute with increased knowledge about the values that are expressed through the quality work, and how these values can be understood in relation to the way the quality work in the kindergarten is carried out.

Research questions:

1. How are values expressed in assessments of kindergarten organisation?
2. What type of discursive patterns and discourses are constructed in the assessments of kindergarten organisation?
3. How is the relationship between values and discourses expressed in assessments of kindergarten organisation?

The critical discourse analysis revealed a goal rational discourse, a market-oriented discourse, a relational discourse, a moral discourse and a developmental psychology discourse in the textual material. These discourses affect the kind of values it is possible to express and the way the quality work is carried out. The goal rational discourse is the dominant discourse in the material, while the discourse on developmental psychology seems to be limited by what is seen as being desirable for kindergarten as an organisation. The author further argues that the discourses fit into a power structure in which the goal rational and market-oriented discourses become superior and place the other discourses in a subordinate position. 

The author has carried out a critical discourse analysis of documents that are designed in connection with systematic quality work in 17 Swedish kindergartens in the period 2014–2015. The documents aimed to provide a comprehensive assessment of kindergarten quality.

Davidsson, M. (2018). “Värdeladdade utvärderingar – en diskursanalys av förskolors systematiska kvalitetsarbete”. Akademisk avhandling. Linnéuniversitetet.