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How materialities and space–time travellings in class can breathe new life into Swedish secondary school Natural Science sexuality education
Stockholm University, Faculty of Humanities, Department of Teaching and Learning.ORCID iD: 0000-0003-0441-5660
Stockholm University, Faculty of Humanities, Department of Teaching and Learning.ORCID iD: 0000-0002-2518-3400
2024 (English)In: Cultural Studies of Science Education, ISSN 1871-1502, E-ISSN 1871-1510, Vol. 19, p. 481-498Article in journal (Refereed) Published
Abstract [en]

In this study, we investigate the phenomenon of Swedish Natural Science sexuality education. These classes tend to provide factual knowledge, focus on the negative outcomes of sexuality, be heteronormative and include little time for discussion—like much school sexuality education across the world—and this study aims to contribute ideas about new becomings of Natural Science sexuality education. Baradian theorising was used to explore how materialities and space and time travels within the classroom can challenge often-dominant perspectives. Data were produced in a secondary school and consist of teacher-researcher discussions and participatory observations in class. A futuristic case introduced students to spaces, times and materialities that not only helped the group move beyond a medical focus but also made the sexuality education more student centred. The participating teachers suggested imaginary lust-oriented scenarios for the 15–16-year-old students as an entrance to more preventive messages in teaching. A taken-for-granted heterosexual premise was also challenged with gender-neutral words and pronouns, an exercise on how to use both condoms and dental dams, and a time travel into future possibilities for reproduction and parenting. The acknowledgement of spacetimematter intra-activity in teaching thereby enabled new becomings of Swedish Natural Science sexuality education. However, although this study suggests how dominant medical and heterosexual perspectives can be challenged, it also made visible the absence of cultural, religious, asexuality and disability perspectives in Swedish sexuality education. 

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
2024. Vol. 19, p. 481-498
Keywords [en]
Natural Science sexuality education, Secondary school, Sweden, Barad, Spacetimematter
National Category
Didactics
Research subject
Subject Learning and Teaching
Identifiers
URN: urn:nbn:se:su:diva-214413DOI: 10.1007/s11422-024-10227-1ISI: 001280644000001Scopus ID: 2-s2.0-85200055853OAI: oai:DiVA.org:su-214413DiVA, id: diva2:1733590
Funder
Swedish Research Council, 2019-03962Available from: 2023-02-02 Created: 2023-02-02 Last updated: 2025-02-20Bibliographically approved
In thesis
1. Becomings of Swedish secondary sexuality education: Enactments in natural science subjects and interdisciplinary teaching about pornography
Open this publication in new window or tab >>Becomings of Swedish secondary sexuality education: Enactments in natural science subjects and interdisciplinary teaching about pornography
2023 (English)Doctoral thesis, comprehensive summary (Other academic)
Abstract [en]

This thesis is about Swedish secondary sexuality education with a particular focus on the becomings of natural science and pornography education. Recent scrutiny of the knowledge area has stressed the need for teaching to include student perspectives, cover more than mere medical and biological knowledge, and be more affirmative. Accordingly, the main aim of this thesis has been to investigate the becomings of lower and upper secondary sexuality education with a practice-based approach. A second aim has been to explore how the onto-epistemological framing could contribute to new understandings of what sexuality education could be and to make proposals for the teaching and learning of the knowledge area. Here, the theoretical positions offered by Karen Barad and Donna Haraway were used in analysis of teacher and student discussions on various phenomena related to sex and sexuality. The four studies forming the basis of this thesis further build upon engagements with four different schools—two lower and upper secondary settings, respectively. Data were produced through notes and audio recordings where the teachers discussed the construction of sexuality education, or from actual teaching in a class and student interviews. Study I engages with the teaching of genital anatomy and upper secondary students’ notions of virginity. The results suggest that teaching should engage with a variety of perspectives, for example, traditions, norms, and values with regard to virginity. Study II focuses on upper secondary student engagements with contraceptive methods, in particular, the use of hormonal contraception and a mobile phone contraceptive application. The results show the need for teaching to problematise possible side effects of various contraceptive methods, and contraceptive responsibility. Study III breaks with the natural science framing and engages with an interdisciplinary teacher collaboration concerning education about pornography. The topic came into being as somewhat troublesome, having had too great a focus on the teaching, and it is therefore suggested that the topic be part of a wider context addressing gender equality, relationships, sexuality, communication, and consent. Study IV returns to the teaching of natural science sexuality education, but from a more general perspective. In this study, the teachers found ways to invite students to be part of the unfolding of the teaching and to challenge heterosexual and sex-negative premises common in sexuality education in Sweden and worldwide. Overall, in the four studies, sexuality education was enacted as a highly relational and explorative practice. Encounters with primarily the material world, but also time and space, further made teaching more student centred. It is suggested that sexuality education moreover not only be taught as a medical and biological phenomenon, but also in entanglement with perspectives on culture, religion, history, tradition, and societal norms.

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
Stockholm: Department of Teaching and Learning, Stockholm University, 2023. p. 96
Keywords
Swedish sexuality education, practice-based approach, lower and upper secondary school, Karen Barad, Donna Haraway, student participation, material engagements, relationality, pornography education, virginity, contraceptive methods, science education
National Category
Didactics
Research subject
Science Education
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:su:diva-214415 (URN)978-91-8014-188-8 (ISBN)978-91-8014-189-5 (ISBN)
Public defence
2023-03-27, Vivi Täckholmsalen (Q-salen), NPQ-huset, Svante Arrhenius väg 20A, and online via Zoom, public link is available at the department website, Stockholm, 13:00 (English)
Opponent
Supervisors
Available from: 2023-03-02 Created: 2023-02-05 Last updated: 2023-02-27Bibliographically approved

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Planting-Bergloo, SaraArvola Orlander, Auli

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