Research/Learning Workshop: Challenges of a Participatory and Multi-Perspective Strategy of Research on Learning
Author(s):
Petra Grell
Conference:
ECER 2010
Network:
27. Didactics - Learning and Teaching
Format:
Research Workshop

Session Information

27 SES 11 B, Research/Learning Workshop: Challenges of a Participatory and Multi-Perspective Strategy of Research on Learning

Research Workshop

Time:
2010-08-27
14:45-16:15
Room:
M.B. SALI 12, Päärakennus / Main Building
Chair:
Petra Grell

Contribution

Participatory qualitative research on the topic of Learning is not prevalent, but there are huge benefits as well as special challenges linked to it. The author developed a methodological approach of qualitative research, which is based on participation and a multi-perspective approach in that it combines various qualitative methods and integrates the use of images. It has been developed in the context of research on adults’ resistance to learning in continuing education, and it is called "Forschende Lernwerkstatt" (Research/Learning Workshop). It has been successfully used in different studies on learning and teaching (Faulstich/Grell 2004, Grell 2005, Barre/Greb/Hoops/Grell 2008) and recently documented in the well-established German Handbook of Qualitative Research in Educational Science (Grell in Friebertshäuser/Langer/Prengel 2010), also positively reviewed in FQS/FQR (Bahn 2009). But so far it has not yet been discussed in an international context.

The aim of the proposed workshop is to discuss this approach of research on learning and teaching and to compare it to similar approaches in European educational research.


The meta-theory, underlying this approach, is the Critical Theory. The learning theories which are referred to are the theories of Klaus Holzkamp (1993), Yrjö Engeström (1987/1999) and Lave/Wenger (1991). Learning is conceived of as a special form of social action.

 

Method

The Research/Learning Workshop is based on participation and a multi-perspective approach. A collective critical but also self-reflective analysis of a recent situation and interaction in a teaching-learning-environment is a fundamental part of the approach. One could compare it to a kind of action research (Kemmnis/McTaggert 2000), even though there are limitations of participation. It combines different ways of data collection (group discussions, writing, visual methods). The process of analyzing the data starts during the workshop (with the whole group) using hermeneutics, and is later on elaborated by the researchers using a reflected combination of grounded theory and hermeneutics. A special method was developed to analyze the images/collages (Grell 2006).

Expected Outcomes

My findings are that implementing participation and multi-perspectives in qualitative research on learning gives a huge boost (1) to the learners and (2) to the quality of the research results. Moreover, it seems to be perfect for sensitive issues, such as conflicts in teaching and learning or resistance to learning. But there are some special challenges, e.g. for involved institutions: conflicts arise if highly motivated learners start to reorganize the teaching-learning-process on their own. A crucial research problem of participation in research on learning and teaching is that the circular process of data analysis combined with the variety of collected material/data is leading to some complicated questions concerning the documentation and transparency of the quality criteria.

References

Bahn, Chr. (2009) Review: Petra Grell (2006). Forschende Lernwerkstatt. Eine qualitative Untersuchung zu Lernwiderständen in der Weiterbildung [A Research Workshop in Learning. A Qualitative Investigation into Resistance to Learning in Further Education] In: Forum Qualitative Sozialforschung/Forum Qualitative Research. Vol. 10, No. 2. Online: http://www.qualitative-research.net/index.php/fqs/article/view/1281 Barre, K.; Greb, U.; Hoops, W.; Grell, P. (2008): Innovationsbereitschaft unter Praxisdruck. [Willingness to implemtent an innovative Approach under the conditions of everyday work (in vocational training)] In: Berufs- und Wirtschaftspädagogik Online. Bwpat Spezial 4 - Hochschultage Berufliche Bildung 2008. [16 pages] Online: http://www.bwpat.de/ht2008/ws09/barre_etal_ws09-ht2008_spezial4.shtml Engeström, Yrjö (1987/1999) Learning by Expanding: An Activity - Theoretical Approach to Developmental Research. German Translation, Marburg 1999 Friebertshäuser, B.; Langer, A.; Prengel, A. (Ed.) (2010): Handbuch Qualitative Forschungsmethoden in der Erziehungswissenschaft. 3rd Ed., [Handbook Methods of Qualitative Research in Educational Science] Weinheim, München Grell, P. (2006): Forschende Lernwerkstatt. Eine qualitative Untersuchung zu Lernwiderständen in der Weiterbildung [A Research Workshop in Learning. A Qualitative Investigation into Resistance to Learning in Further Education]. Münster (Waxmann). Grell, P. (2010): Forschende Lernwerkstatt. In: Friebertshäuser, B.; Langer, A.; Prengel, A. (Ed.): Handbuch Qualitative Forschungsmethoden in der Erziehungswissenschaft. 3rd Ed., [Handbook Methods of Qualitative Research in Educational Science] Weinheim, München, p. 887-896. Holzkamp, K. (1993): Lernen. Subjectwissenschaftliche Grundlegung [On Learning. A subject-scientific basis]. Frankfurt a.M. (Campus) Kemmnis, Stephen; McTaggert, Robin (2000): Participatory action research. In: Denzin, N. K. ; Lincoln, Y.S. (Ed.): Handbook of Qualitative Research. 2nd Edition. Sage Publications. p. 567-605. Lave, J; Wenger, E. (1991): Situated learning. Legitimate peripheral participation. Cambridge

Author Information

Petra Grell
University of Potsdam
Erziehungswissenschaft
Potsdam

Update Modus of this Database

The current conference programme can be browsed in the conference management system (conftool) and, closer to the conference, in the conference app.
This database will be updated with the conference data after ECER. 

Search the ECER Programme

  • Search for keywords and phrases in "Text Search"
  • Restrict in which part of the abstracts to search in "Where to search"
  • Search for authors and in the respective field.
  • For planning your conference attendance, please use the conference app, which will be issued some weeks before the conference and the conference agenda provided in conftool.
  • If you are a session chair, best look up your chairing duties in the conference system (Conftool) or the app.