Field Work Reflections: Journeys in Knowing and Not-Knowing

In this paper, I retrace my interest in narrative forms of inquiry. I begin by revisiting a series of research projects that I conducted early in my career, describing some of my own dissatisfactions with the methods I used at the time. I move on to a detailed reexamination of my first piece of narrative research, completed during my PhD. In that project I used a narrative pointed psychosocial method in an attempt to develop new knowledge in the field of drugs, ‘race’ and ethnicity. In the final section, I consider what I have learned from this approach in terms of knowing and not-knowing and how I have used this experience to explore different approaches to narrative inquiry. I finish by drawing out some lessons I have learned from these different studies, which I hope might be of relevance to other social work researchers

Enabling identity: The challenge of presenting the silenced voices of repressed groups in philosophic communities of inquiry

This article seeks to contribute to the challenge of presenting the silenced voices of excluded groups in society by means of a philosophic community of inquiry composed primarily of children and young adults. It proposes a theoretical model named ‘enabling identity’ that presents the stages whereby, under the guiding role played by the community of philosophic inquiry, the hegemonic meta-narrative of the mainstream society makes room for the identity of members of marginalised groups. The model is based on the recognition of diverse narratives within a web of communal narratives that does not favour the meta-narrative. It reports on the experiences of moderators and students from weak and excluded sectors of society in two countries whose participation in communities of philosophical inquiry gave them not only a “voice” but also a presence and identity

A multi-layered approach to surfacing and analysing organisational narratives : increasing representational authenticity

This paper presents an integrated, multi-layered approach to narrative inquiry, elucidating the evolving story of organisational culture through its members and their physical, textual, linguistic and visual dialogue. A dynamic joint venture scenario within the UK hi-technology sector was explored to advance understanding of the impact of transformation level change, specifically its influence on shared belief systems, values and behavioural norms. STRIKE – STructured Interpretation of the Knowledge Environment is introduced as an innovative technique to support narrative inquiry, providing a structured, unobtrusive framework to observe, record, evaluate and articulate the organisational setting. A manifestation of narrative in physical dialogue is illuminated from which the underlying emotional narrative can be surfaced. Focus groups were conducted alongside STRIKE to acquire a first order retrospective and contemporaneous narrative of culture and enable cross-method triangulation. Attention was given to non-verbal signals such as Chronemic, Paralinguistic, Kinesic and Proxemic communication and participants were also afforded opportunities to develop creative output in order to optimise engagement. Photography was employed to enrich STRIKE observation and document focus group output, affording high evidential value whilst providing a frame of reference for reflection. These tools enable a multiplicity of perspectives on narrative as part of methological bricolage. Rich, nuanced and multi-textured understanding is developed, as well as the identification of connections, timbre and subjugated knowledge. A highly emotional and nostalgic context was established with actors’ sense of self strongly aligned with the pre-joint venture organisation and its brand values, norms and expectations. Credibility and authenticity of findings is enhanced through data triangulation indicating traceability across methods, and from the contextual preservation attained through STRIKE. The multi-layered approach presented can facilitate researcher reflexivity and sense-making, while for the audience, it may be employed to help communicate and connect research findings. In particular, STRIKE demonstrates utility, quality and efficacy as a design artefact following ex-post evaluation. This systematic method of narrative inquiry is suitable for standardisation and alongside a diagnostic/prescriptive capacity, affords both researcher and practictioner value in its application

The sustaining possibilities of service-learning engagements

In this article, we explore two possibilities which arise from service-learning engagements, both from a narrative perspective. First, we consider the possibility that service-learning may be a sustaining experience for in-service teachers. And, second, we suggest that intentional inquiry into this experience for in-service teachers may foster the experience of sustaining themselves and of being sustained in their professional and personal lives. Through storying and re-storying our experiences during a service-learning engagement in Kenya over seven years ago and through storying the reverberations of these experiences in the intervening seven-plus years, we suggest that when attended to narratively, the interactions and situations encountered in intentional service-learning engagements through narrative inquiry give in-service teachers ways of sustaining themselves and being sustained as teachers

Penerapan Metode Inkuiri untuk Meningkatkan Keterampilan Menulis Karangan Narasi pada Siswa Smk

This study aims to "Improving narrative writing skills using inquiry methods SMK Negeri 5 Pontianak". The method used in this research is descriptive method using classroom action research conducted with two cycles consisting of planning, implementation, observation, and reflection for each cycle. Results obtained by students on pretest or before using inquiry method the average score of 69.76. The result of writing a student narrative essay on cycle I after using mind map method of inquiry of the average value 72,14. The increase of writing result of student narrative from pretest to cycle I is 2.38. Result of student short story writing in cycle II after using method of inquiry of mind of mean value 78,33. The improvement of writing result of student narrative from cycle I to cycle II is 6.19. Then it can be concluded that classroom action research using mind map method inquiry has succeeded in improving writing skill of narrative writing to students of SMK Negeri 5 Pontianak

Narrative Inquiry: Writing historiography

This article explores the contribution that narrative can make to more mainstream historiography. It is an approach that is better positioned to give readers an opportunity to understand and perhaps empathise with individual experiences, as a facet of a wider issue under inquiry. The article draws on a PhD narrative inquiry which uses narrative as method and text to investigate how people with Scottish and Irish backgrounds live out their connections to their cultural traditions in Aotearoa New Zealand. Planned as an exploration of the discursive construction of culture and identity, I came to see the inquiry as historiography, though different from mainstream western historiography. This commentary focuses on the explicit presence of the researcher/writer in the text, the use of longer interview narratives which can present issues of memory and perceptions of truth, and finally the importance of the reader or audience in narrative inquiry as an approach to history

Adapting to the digital age: a narrative approach

The article adopts a narrative inquiry approach to foreground informal learning and exposes a collection of stories from tutors about how they adapted comfortably to the digital age. We were concerned that despite substantial evidence that bringing about changes in pedagogic practices can be difficult, there is a gap in convincing approaches to help in this respect. In this context, this project takes a “bottom-up” approach and synthesises several life-stories into a single persuasive narrative to support the process of adapting to digital change. The project foregrounds the small, every-day motivating moments, cultural features and environmental factors in people's diverse lives which may have contributed to their positive dispositions towards change in relation to technology enhanced learning. We expect that such narrative approaches could serve to support colleagues in other institutions to warm up to ever-changing technological advances

Southern Disclosure: One Southern-and-Queer Middle School Teacher’s Narrative

This narrative inquiry is an autoethnographical account of one queer-identified middle school teacher\u27s career trajectory in the southern United States, and his struggle to navigate disclosure of his identity to students. Using a qualitative lens, the authors provide reasoning for the importance of middle school educators to have the ability to disclose their identities to students in order to cultivate an environment that is receptive to LGBTQ+ adolescents