Carina Wikman
Contact
Name and title: Carina Wikman
ORCID0000-0003-2758-1784 Länk till annan webbplats.
Workplace: Department of Special Education Länk till annan webbplats.
Visiting address Room F1259Albanovägen 28
Postal address Specialpedagogiska institutionen106 91 Stockholm
About me
I am a lecturer in Special Education and earned my PhD at Stockholm University in 2023. My professional background includes working as a teacher, special education teacher, and special educator in both primary and secondary schools. This experience has shaped my commitment to issues concerning teacher-student relationships, students’ social and emotional learning, and how the classroom climate can support learning and development. I have also participated in a research school focused on early interventions in preschool and the early years of schooling.
My research focuses on interactions and relationships between teachers and students, and how these influence students’ learning, well-being, and social-emotional development. I am particularly interested in the social climate of the classroom, teachers’ ethical approaches, and how schools can work systematically to create safe and supportive learning environments.
My doctoral dissertation, Social Climate and the Student in the Learning Environment: Advances in Assessment, Observation, and Coaching (2023), comprises three studies. The first study examined an instrument used to assess students’ prosocial behavior. The second study explored associations between students’ self-concept, prosocial behavior, well-being, and academic achievement, including potential gender differences. The third study evaluated an intervention in which teachers engaged in self-assessment (MAVIS), observation (CLASS), and coaching in order to improve the social climate in the classroom.
In my postdoctoral project, I have examined the concurrent validity of EduCAT (formerly the MAVIS protocol) by analyzing the correlations between EduCAT scores and those from the established observation tool CLASS. The results contribute to a deeper understanding of how these tools can be used in combination to assess and enhance classroom climate.
I have also participated in an evaluation of the educational initiative Berättarministeriet, focusing on how two of its school-based programs impact teaching practices and student development.