Individual Development Plans in the Swedish Comprehensive School: Supporting High Quality Learning and Equity, or Rote Learning and Social Reproduction?

摘要

In Swedish compulsory school, individual development plans (IDPs) are mandatory for all students up to 6th grade. The purpose is to summarize and facilitate pupils' learning and tune instruction to national standards. In this study, 233 IDPs drawn up for 5th grade pupils were analyzed with focus on qualities that have been found to impact students' learning and learner identities. The results show that the IDPs rarely display the qualities that would make them effective as tools for enhancing students' learning, and that there is a gender difference in the quality of the documents, as well as differences regarding the pupils' academic background.