From Research Assistant to Researcher: Being Wakeful in a Mentorship Journey About Methodology, Poverty, and Deficit Thinking

This article explores how insights and new knowledge were incorporated about narrative inquiry methodology, poverty, and deficit ways of thinking through a journey of mentorship. The experiences of a graduate student, as she journeys through the roles of a research assistant and graduate researcher, all the while being part of a positive mentorship experience, are relayed. The article describes the journey of an evolving researcher who becomes wakeful through the narrative inquiry methodology while engaged as a research assistant as well as a graduate student alongside her supervisor

Critical Mindset as a 21st Century Skill: Challenging Heteronormative Assumptions through Teaching High School Biology

This study focuses on the lived experience of an experienced biology teacher and their desire/ability to develop a gender-inclusive curriculum. Grounding on a narrative inquiry methodology, the narratives of our genderqueer high school biology teacher illustrate their beliefs about biology teaching and advancing students’ knowledge in ways that empower the students. The study highlights a need to teach biology in a way that develops students\u27 critical mindset as part of a 21st-century skill by emphasizing and weaving sociopolitical issues into their curriculum

Giving Voice to African American Women’s Authentic Lived Experiences with Public Assistance

African American women, welfare, and education and training are the focus of this research. Narrative Inquiry methodology was used to explore this qualitative study and it is grounded in the Africentric paradigm (Colin, III, 2010) utilizing the Womanist Epistemological Perspective (Sheared, 1994, 2010) for the unit of analysis. This study “gives voice” (Sheared 1994) to African American women authentic lived experiences (Colin, III, 2007) who have used the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program. Their stories highlight marginalization and oppression in access and utilization of the education and training activities in the temporary assistance program, capturing the women’s experiences from a polyrhythmic standpoint. In order for social welfare programs to be effective, women need personal development and quality adult education and training programs

Narratives of Black Identifying Newcomer Youth

This study seeks to explore and understand the unique and individual experiences of Black identifying newcomer youth in the United States. Current research related to the experience of newcomers is limited in regards to Black identifying newcomers. Through narrative inquiry methodology, this study seeks to share the experiences of Black identifying newcomer youth. It does this while recognizing the omnipresence of racism in the United States, and acknowledging the influence of life prior experience on identity development. The intent of this study is to help educators and community members better understand the integration and assimilation processes of Black identifying newcomers. This research showcases the necessity of understanding the individual and collective needs of Black identifying youth in regard to peer support, language acquisition and identity development

“No One Could Calm Him Down”: Mothers’ Experience of Autism Diagnosis and Obtainment of Resources in an Urban Public School District

The purpose of this study was to explore the experience of accessing autism diagnosis and resources in a Midwest urban public school district for diverse mothers of children with autism spectrum disorder. Method: We employed thematic analysis using narrative inquiry methodology to analyze the data from 9 mothers (n = 5 African American, n = 2 Hispanic, and n = 2 White) who participated in a focus group. Results: Three themes were identified by the researchers: (a) late medical diagnosis (subthemes: problems that parents didn’t perceive as signs of autism spectrum disorder, making comparisons to other siblings or children), (b) negative communication experiences (subthemes: husband and wife, parent and educational professionals), and (c) coping strategies (subthemes: resources, prayer). Discussion: The mothers’ narratives indicated a strong need for advocacy and parent–school partnership

Developing a supervisor identity through experiential learning

One of the critical tasks of academics in any research intensive university is the supervision of postgraduate students. Given the central role of this activity, how novice academics’ learn the supervision is significant. This paper was co-authored by three interdisciplinary novice academics in a research-intensive university, specifically in its school of education. The paper focuses on the novice supervisors’ learning of their supervision role. Through the narrative inquiry methodology, the narratives of the three participating novice supervisors, who are also co-authors of this paper, were solicited and examined. The study found the participating novice supervisors playing a proactive role in exploring different sources to harness knowledge pertaining to supervision. This proactive role was effective in enabling full control over their learning and cognition of themselves as supervisors, which in turn enhanced their ability to learn the role

When Bad Genes Ruin a Perfectly Good Outlook: Psychological Implications of Hereditary Breast and Ovarian Cancer via Narrative Inquiry Methodology

Scientists debunked the belief that breast cancer is always viral with the mid-90s discovery of the first hereditary genetic mutation linked to a significantly higher-than average chance of breast and ovarian cancer. This genetic condition, called Hereditary Breast and Ovarian Cancer (HBOC), passes the mutation from generation to generation in a family. Thousands of variations of such mutations exist, and carriers account for 10 to 15% of all breast cancer, and up to 20% of ovarian (Childers et al., 2017). In addition, genetic testing uncovered a rapidly rising number of healthy people (never had breast/ovarian cancer) who are also carriers, flooding healthcare providers seeking potential options to reduce their elevated risk. Those prophylactic measures are invasive, permanent and can cause physical—and emotional—scarring. As a newer medical phenomenon, few, if any, studies address the potential psychological implications, which include fear, anxiety, guilt, family tension, and more. Using narrative inquiry methodology, this study analyzes the authentic lived or felt experiences of individuals when they learn that they have inherited a mutation that significantly increases their risk of breast, ovarian and related cancers, and their choices that directly affect their effort to outrun a cancer that may never come. This dissertation is accompanied by the author’s MP4 video introduction and is available in open access at AURA: Antioch University Repository and Archive, http://aura.antioch.edu/ and Ohiolink ETD Center, https://etd.ohiolink.edu

Representing teachers’ voices: An ethnodrama of Mauritian teachers under times of curriculum reform

This article emphasises the motivation for a methodological representation choice that captures teachers’ voices in a small island developing state context during the introduction of a curriculum reform. The diverse voices of teachers, as they inhabit a context that gears towards compliance and managed intimacy demands, are explored through the representational choice of an ethnodrama. A narrative inquiry methodology led to an ethnodrama representation which protected the anonymity and confidentiality of participants and simultaneously revealed multiple forms of agencies in entangled spatial and temporal dimensions. The findings foreground teachers’ choice of agencies and representations serve different interests which are influenced by whom they dialogue with in specific spaces. Ending with a fictionalised future enactment of the ethnodrama, this article closes with teachers negotiating their agency and opening reflections for future research in new normal COVID-19 spaces

Exploring the Gender Divide: Perceptions of IT Professionals in New Zealand

The continuing shortage of IT professionals is a global problem and is exacerbated by the lack of women, representing nearly half the potential workforce, who are attracted to the industry. This paper contributes to the growing body of literature by examining the perspectives and experiences of both male and female IT professionals in New Zealand. Using a narrative inquiry methodology the study examines the perceptions of men and women regarding the inability of the IT industry to attract more female graduates. Data analysis is carried out through the lens of Individual Differences Theory to identify key factors influencing the make-up of the IT sector in New Zealand. The study finds that while there is a positive view of women‟s role in IT, there remains a powerful influence from stereotyping of the sector and those who work in it

The education of artistic vision: a collaboration between the community and the Academy

This paper investigates an established collaborative working relationship between two people working in the arts discipline area. One works in a voluntary arts organisation providing professional development for teachers, whilst the other is an arts academic preparing pre-service teachers for a primary teaching career. Both participants bring a range of skills, expertise and experience to their working collaborative relationship resulting in opportunities to engage the school, university and wider community in the arts. Narrative inquiry methodology has been utilised in order to provide rich insights into the elements which have contributed to the ongoing success of the collaborative relationship. The paper also explores the current context facing universities the challenges encountered by the collaborators in a climate of increasing performativity and accountability. The findings of this paper may assist those seeking to pursue university-community collaborations and provide insights into the characteristics of the collaborative process