Student Narratives as Tools in Research and for Professional Development in Teacher Education

Author(s):

Aslaug Kristiansen(presenting / submitting)Åse Haraldstad(presenting)

Conference:

ECER 2014

Network:

10. Teacher Education Research

Format:

Paper

Session Information

10 SES 06 B, Narrative and Visual Methods in Teacher Education Research

Paper Session

Time:

2014-09-03

15:30-17:00

Room:

B223 Sala de Aulas

Chair:

Shosh Leshem

Contribution

In the ongoing project we focus on the improvement of teacher qualifications by challenging the novice teacher students to consciously process their own stories and experiences. Teacher educators typically ignore the novice’s prior knowledge. Prior knowledge could serve as a filter through which the students respond to teacher education (Bullough,1991, Brandsford, 2000). Our aim is to improve teacher qualifications by challenging the beginner student’s experiences and to raise the students’ awareness of key experiences from their previous years in school. We have found narratives and metaphors to be appropriate for the articulation of student’s often tacit knowledge.

In our presentation we will differentiate between two perspectives. First, present narratives as a tool in our research. Findings will be presented below. Secondly, investigate how basic values and perspective in the student narratives could be transformed or strengthen through an inquiry process the first semester (a study in progress). To develop a professional identity implies to look back into the past but also to imagine the future. In the here and now situation the past and the future comes together (Augustin 2009). A narrative approach embraces both the private and the professional identity of a teacher. The two part of the identity ought to be well integrated (Grevholm 2014).

Method

In the beginning of the semester (2012, 2013) we asked the beginner students to write about a meaningful event - a situation that had made an impression of she/he as a student. The narratives were analyzed by a linguistic model inspired by the work of William Labov,1997) and sorted in different plots to a total of 181 narratives. The material divided itself into a few large narrative structures – two main groups to begin with – that described either a positive or negative plot. We called the negative plots for deterrence narratives (total 41), understood as significant events characterized by «I don’t want to turn out like this». The positive plot (total 106) was further developed through identifying four clearly divided subgroups: • Social welfare narratives (total 33) – narratives that showed many variations of social welfare and care in accordance with the model: problem/help/solution • Professional help narratives (total 23 ) – narratives that showed many variations of professional strength and help in accordance with the model: problem/help/solution • Creativity narratives (total 42) – narratives with a strong method focus, especially emphasizing untraditional and practical methods (the plot must be developed here) • Incomplete narratives (total 8) – narratives that started poorly, either for the teachers or students, but which had a happy ending! Dynamic narratives in accordance with the model: start/conflict/successful conclusion.

Expected Outcomes

How can the narratives contribute to improve the teacher qualifications? The collected narratives often describe relationships, and reveals basic values and feelings. In that way they express a personal involvement. To tell a story and to listen to it call for imagination and attention (Henriksen,1994). In different discussions during the semester the narratives are told and shared by the students. “To put the text on the table” implies a process of reification (Hermandsen, 1994). The texts “on the table” give the participants a common focus for addressing the different questions in the plots and to throw light on the questions by adding relevant educational theory. During the first semester (2013) the students are encouraged to “re-think” and to “think with” their fellow students about the dilemmas involved. For further investigation we have collected student’s essays from the inquiry process. The interpretation and the findings will be ready, May 2014.

References

Literature Augustin (2009) Confessiones. Innleiing, merknader og etterord av Hermund Slaattelid. Oslo: Samlaget. Boullough (1991), ”Exploring Personal Learning Metaphors”. In Preservise Teacher Education”, Journal of Teacher Education: 42:43. Brandsford (Ed.) (2000), How people learn. Washington: National Academy Press. Grevholm, Barbro (2014), “Matematical Moments in a Human Life: Narratives on Transformation”. (In, Press). Henriksen, Jan-Olav (1994), “Etikk og fortelling”. Forelesning. KULT-gruppa. Møreforskning, Sæbø. Hermandsen, Mads, Ole Løw and Vibeke Petersen (2013), Kommunikation og samarbejde – I professionelle relationer. København: Akademisk Forlag. Labov, William (1997), “Some further steps in narrative analysis”. In Special issue of the Journal of Narrative and Life History (http://www.ling.upenn.edu/wlabov/sfs.html). Nov. 2013.

Author Information

Aslaug Kristiansen (presenting / submitting)

University of Agder

Department of Education

Kristiansand

Åse Haraldstad (presenting)

University of Agder

Instituite for Education and Humaniora

Søgne

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