Footprints


Following footprints of resilient youth: successful educational trajectories and transition into higher education

  • About the project in media
  • Journal articles
  • Video about results
  • Conference presentations
  • Results in a miniformat
  • The research team

Aim of the project

The research project aims to examine the mechanisms and factors that contributed the academic success of students from different social backgrounds. In this study we will focus on how these students attained academic disposition that allowed to them to embark on a successful academic trajectory. In collecting the data we will elaborate with different qualitative data collection techniques to capture the complex interplays between resources, strategies these students activated to embark on the successful academic career. that examines how high-achieving students in Sweden decode upper secondary school practices and embark on a successful educational career.

The project is longitudinal with a duration of four years covering 52 students’ transitions from year 2 in upper secondary school and into higher education or the labour market. We interviewed the participating students three times over the course of the project: at the beginning of their second year, at the end of their third year and finally when they had graduated. We have also interviewed one person in each student’s social network who has been particularly important for the student during their studies. 

The research team

Ali Osman (PI), Associate professor, Stockholm University, email: ali.osman@edu.su.se
Professor, Carina Carlhed Ydhag, Stockholm University, email: carina.carlhed@edu.su.se
Professor Niclas Månsson, Södertörn University, email: niclas.mansson@sh.se

The project is funded by Swedish Research Council 2017-2023

Peer-reviewed articles

Osman, A., Carlhed Ydhag, C., & Månsson, N. (2022). I fotspåren av motståndskraftiga unga: lyckade utbildningsvägar och inträdet i högre utbildning. [Following footprints of resilient youth: successful educational trajectories and transition into higher education]. I Vetenskapsrådet (Red.) Resultatdialog. Kortfattade resultat från forskning finansierad av Vetenskapsrådets utbildningsvetenskapliga kommitté, pp 67-71.

Carlhed Ydhag, C., Månsson, N., & Osman, A. (2021). Momentums of success, illusio and habitus: high-achieving upper secondary students’ reasons for seeking academic success. International Journal of Educational Research 109. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijer.2021.101805

Osman, A., Månsson, N. & Carlhed Ydhag, C. (2021). The significance of significant others: the perspective of high-achieving students of immigrant background. Nordic Journal of Transitions, Careers and Guidance2(1), 27–39. DOI: http://doi.org/10.16993/njtcg.36

Månsson, N., Carlhed Ydhag, C., & Osman, A. (2021). I skuggan av kulturellt kapital. – om konsten att omforma habitus för skolframgång [In the shadow of cultural capital – the art of transforming habitus for school success]. Nordic Studies in Education 41(2), 130–147.doi.org/10.23865/nse.v41.2353

Osman, A., Carlhed Ydhag, C., & Månsson, N. (2020). Recipe for Educational Success:  A study of successful school performance of students from low social cultural backgroundInternational Studies in Sociology of Education. https://doi.org/10.1080/09620214.2020.1764379

Submitted

Månsson, N. & Osman, A. (submitted). Designing a research project: The pitfalls of implementing deskwork research design.

Conferences

Osman, A., Carlhed Ydhag, C., & Månsson, N. (2022). Tracing the Dynamics, Composition and Nature of Social Networks in Educational Success of Students with Different Social Backgrounds. Session Title: 14 Online 24 A: School-related Transitions – Secondary and Beyond. Presentation at the ECER European Conference on Educational Research conference, 1-10 Sep 2022.

Carlhed Ydhag, C., Månsson, N. & Osman, A. (2020). Momentums of success and habitus: High-achieving upper secondary school students’ reasons to seek success in school. Presented in NW 4, at NERA, 4-6th March 2020, University of Turku Finland.

Osman, A., Månsson, N. & Carlhed Ydhag, C. (2020). The significance of significant others: the perspective of high achieving students from different backgrounds. Presented in NW 18, at NERA, 4-6th March 2020, University of Turku, Finland.

Carlhed Ydhag, C., Månsson, N. & Osman, A. (2019). Roadmaps and momentums of success: Upper secondary school students’ motivations and experiences of how to succeed in school. Presented at the conference ‘Critical perspectives on agency and social justice in transitions and career development’, in Copenhagen 23-24 October 2019.

Osman, A., Carlhed, C & Månsson, N. (2018). Following the Footprints of Resilient Youth: Mapping Social Networks of High Achieving Students in Upper Secondary School. Presentation at the ECER European Conference on Educational Research conference “Inclusion and Exclusion, Resources for Educational Research“, 3-7 Sep 2018, Bolzano; Italy

Osman, A., Carlhed, C & Månsson, N. (2017).   Following the Footprints of Resilient Students: Challenges in Mapping Social Networks of Students in Upper Secondary School, “Transitions, career learning and career management skills. Multi-disciplinary and critical perspectives”, October 19-20, 2017, Stockholm University

About the project in media

The media material is mainly in Swedish, it is new articles, web news, participation in radio shows and video production in relation to the Agenda 2030 sustainability goals.

Carina Carlhed Ydhag participates in national radio show Nordegren och Epstein, 26th October 2020. Listen to the interview

Video about results

In a 10 minutes video two of our participants tell us about how they succeed in school and how they motivated themselves. Ali Osman and Carina Carlhed Ydhag described the main results from the project (in Swedish with English subtitles).

Results in a miniformat

Here information about the projects aim, method and results are available in a mini poster, download pdf here: