Unge SPS-studerende på sygeplejerske- og socialrådgiveruddannelsen - En kritisk teoretisk undersøgelse af pres og faglig anerkendelse

Abstract

This thesis explores the experiences of young students receiving Special Pedagogical Support (SPS) in relation to the pressures created by a performance-oriented society, the competition state, and acceleration, as it relates to the pursuit of achieving academic recognition. This thesis furthermore seeks to investigate the role of SPS in mitigating the impact of these pressures faced by the SPS-students. The target group is limited to young SPS-students on the nursing- and social worker-educations on VIA UC. This thesis is furthermore grounded in critical theory, as our chosen theoretical framework. With an emphasis on critiquing broader structures, institutional practices and societal norms, critical theory allows us to question the underlying assumptions of the educational and societal system to benefit a group of vulnerable citizens. In the education system today, there is an increasing focus on performance and competition. Students are often expected to excel academically, whilst navigating an accelerated and fast-paced private life. These pressure points can be particularly challenging to navigate for students who require special support on the grounds of a functional impairment such as ADHD, ADD, depression, anxiety or dyslexia. This leads to the research questing this thesis seeks to answer: “How do the SPS-students experience the pressure exerted by the competition state, the performance-oriented society and acceleration in regards to the achievement of academic recognition, and what role does the Special Educational Support (SPS) have in supporting these students in handling this pressure?”. The study employs a qualitative approach with the use of 6 semistructured qualitative interviews with young SPS-students, as well as a 7th interview with the chairperson of a student network, with a focus on students with special challenges or functional impairments. This thesis also employs knowledge from existing research, based in the area to back up and discuss its findings. Through an analysis of our empirical data, with a theoretical base in Honneths (2006) theory of recognition, Pedersens (2011) competition state, Petersens (2016) performance-oriented society and Rosas (2014) theory of acceleration, we make the following conclusions: Young SPS-students experience a significant pressure from contemporary societal norms and structures. The performance oriented culture and the implied element of competition in a society in rapid acceleration contributes to experiences of inadequacy and pressure. This pressure impacts the basis on which the students seek and achieve academic recognition. The presence of SPS appears to provide a crucial element of support and assists the SPS-students in handling said pressure. However, the data suggests that while SPS is a beneficial element, there are certain areas where this system of support could be adjusted to better live up to the needs of these vulnerable students. On the basis of this, we discuss the, at times, deficient access to SPS. This thesis contributes to an at times under-researched area, and highlights the necessity for holistically oriented support systems. Lastly we refer to new knowledge in the form of the Danish government's recent proposal to shorten the nursing and social worker educations, which on the basis of this thesis would be severely unsound.

A master thesis from Aalborg University

Unge SPS-studerende på sygeplejerske- og socialrådgiveruddannelsen - En kritisk teoretisk undersøgelse af pres og faglig anerkendelse

[Young SPS-students on the nursing- and social worker education - A critical theoretical analysis of pressure and achievement of academic recognition]