12 - Sweden - Teaching methods
The teachers decide what methods to apply as well as what teaching
material to use. Students normally pay for books and reading material
whereas the institution provides laboratory equipment etc. Students are expected to participate
actively in group and laboratory work as well as in seminars. ICT and
computers are important aids in all higher education.
The institutions themselves determine how courses are
to be organised. There are courses structured by discipline and courses
of an inter-disciplinary nature. In some education programmes (e.g.
teacher education and nursing) some of the education is located at a
workplace. A number of institutions of higher education have close
co-operation with companies and industries in the region; degree work
may be carried out in companies and theoretical studies can be blended
with practice.
The language of instruction is usually Swedish,
but a large part of the course literature is in English, and therefore
a good knowledge of both Swedish and English is essential.
Instruction is also provided in alternative ways for example through problem-based learning
problembaserad inlärning (pbl)
where groups of students from different programmes e.g. medicine,
health sciences and physiotherapy solve complex tasks together.
Eurydice - the information network on education in Europe
Date: 2009