Thesis (MEdPsych (Educational Psychology)--University of Stellenbosch, 2010. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: In this research voyage of discovery, we story the voices of me (the research inquirer), my family and a teacher about our experience with a young woman with Autism Spectrum Disorder – my youngest sister Leyna.1 This is our attempt to give Leyna and (dis)ability a voice. Their voices have been silenced from research for too long. I try to explain a narrative research lens as a foundation for this document – one that views autism not as a disorder, but as a difference that needs to be embraced. People often live their lives according to the problem stories they tell themselves, and do not see the alternative stories that surround them every day. On this voyage I therefore tell our story to document the inspirational experiences that people with autism bring about in the lives of those supporting them. Little research that focuses on alternative stories about autism has been done on a global scale. Moreover, little research has been done on autism specifically in the South African context. This thesis relates the stories of the people involved in caring for my sister with autism. It brings a message of hope and suggests possibilities for future research voyages about autism. 1 Pseudonym / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: In hierdie navorsingsontdekkingsreis vertel ons 'n storie deur verskeie stemme te laat hoor: ek, die navorsingsondersoeker, my gesin en 'n onderwyseres vertel 'n storie oor ons ervaringe met 'n jong vrou met Outisme Spektrum Versteuring – my jongste suster Leyna.2 Hierdie is ons onderneming om vir Leyna en gestremdheid 'n stem te gee. Te veel stemme is al te lank deur navorsing stilgemaak. Ek probeer die narratiewe navorsingslens te verduidelik as 'n grondslag vir hierdie dokument – een wat outisme nie as 'n versteuring sien nie, maar eerder as 'n verskil wat aangegryp en gerespekteer moet word. Mense leef dikwels hul lewens uit op grond van die probleemgesentreerde stories wat hulle aan hulself vertel, en sien nie die alternatiewe stories raak wat hulle daagliks omsluit nie. In hierdie reis vertel ek dus ons storie om die inspirerende ervarings wat mense met outisme in die mense wat hulle ondersteun teweeg bring, te dokumenteer. Min navorsing wat op die alternatiewe stories oor outisme fokus is tot op hede op 'n globale skaal gedoen. Verder is daar nog min navorsing oor outisme spesifiek in die Suid-Afrikaanse konteks gedoen. Hierdie studie vertel die stories van die mense wat betrokke is in die versorging van my suster met outisme. Hiermee word 'n boodskap van hoop gebring en moontlikhede voorgestel vir toekomstige navorsingsreise oor outisme. 2 Skuilnaam is gebruik

This study explored the transformation of a teacher’s math identity. The researcher used narrative inquiry to live alongside the participant (Clandinin, 2013) as she experienced teaching in a pedagogically courageous way to make math meaningful to her students. Along the way the participant experienced cognitive dissonance but through intense collaborative professional reflection she persevered and evolved. The study addressed the questions: What factors influence a teacher’s motivation to grow and to make math meaningful to their students? What factors influence a teacher to commit to lifelong learning in math? Four themes emerged through the observations, journals, and reflective conversations including sharing of interim texts and the final narrative. The importance of the relationship with the researcher/coach, the trust that the participant had in the coach, the process, and herself, her desire for balance in her teaching life, and her improved sense efficacy led to her transformed math identity. / February 2017

American families moving abroad are often informed of the initial difficulties they will encounter as residents in a new culture; however, they may not recognize the possible subsequent effects on their children, when returning home to their native cultures during the repatriation process. The children who experience the effect of living in a new culture and eventually repatriating are known as Third Culture Kids (TCK). As globalization and expatriate populations increase, it is important that society becomes aware of the Third Culture community. This qualitative research study focused on analyzing the repatriation transition process of four Adult Third Culture Kids (ATCK) and explored the relationship between their emotional intelligence and their third culture and repatriating experiences. This dissertation provides a profile for what type of citizen a TCK may become upon repatriation. Framed within a narrative inquiry approach this study utilized the Listening Guide method of analysis in order to capture the participants’ final narrative portraits. Storied themes emerged from the final narratives providing evidence for this research study’s five main conclusions: (a) home is not defined by one physical location, (b) assimilation and repatriation do not equate, (c) emotional intelligence may be a factor in repatriation success, (d) Third Culture experiences influence civic engagement, and (e) there is one incident that is perceived as signifying the completion of repatriation. These findings offer a new perspective of the repatriating experience and provide insight for families entering the expatriate culture and returning home.

Made available in DSpace on 2016-04-28T18:23:17Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Tese2003.pdf: 2559274 bytes, checksum: 5945521fbc574fe87de2d48934d8b9ed (MD5) Previous issue date: 2005-04-11 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / This research aims at narrating and interpreting critically the implementation of a proposal curriculum which considered the possibility of teaching English at an undergraduate course (Letras) through material that trigged reflection and discussion about the teaching-learning process and about English teacher education. It is carried out considering the conception of curriculum as an event (King, 1983; Connelly & Clandinin, 1988), and through Narrative Inquiry paradigm (Clandinin & Connelly, 2000; Connelly & Clandinin, 2004). This way, it constructs and composes meanings for the stories lived by the teacher and the first year students. Using arts based language (Ely, Vinz, Anzul & Downing, 2001; Diamond, 1999), when interpreting and composing these meanings (Ely, Vinz, Anzul & Downing, 2001), a landscape of subversion, conflict and resistance is painted / Esta pesquisa tem como objetivo relatar e interpretar criticamente a implementação de uma proposta de currículo na qual se trabalha com a possibilidade de ensino de língua inglesa no curso de Letras a partir da utilização de material provocador de reflexão e discussão sobre o processo ensino-aprendizagem e sobre a formação do professor de Língua Inglesa. Partindo da concepção de currículo como evento (King, 1983, Connelly & Clandinin, 1988) e por meio da Pesquisa Narrativa (Clandinin & Connelly, 2000; Connelly & Clandinin, 2004) este trabalho constrói e compõe significados para as histórias vividas entre a professora pesquisadora e seus alunos do primeiro ano do curso de Letras. Na interpretação e composição desses significados (Ely, Vinz, Anzul & Downing, 2001), em uma linguagem com base em artes (Ely, Vinz, Anzul & Downing, 2001; Diamond, 1999), um panorama de subversão, conflitos e resistência é pintado

Globalization and international business increasingly require the services of skilled expatriates in overseas offices. Over the past 50 years, numerous studies have focused on various factors affecting expatriate adjustment, primarily through quantitative research, reaching no conclusions on what factors in cross-cultural training would guarantee expatriate success. Expatriate failure has high personal and organizational costs. The purpose of this study was to use the qualitative methodology of narrative inquiry to investigate the adjustment, transition, and repatriation experience as a holistic process. Two theoretical constructions, Bandura's social learning theory, applied to the learning process in an international assignment, and social identity theory, represented key factors in the expatriate experience. The overarching research question investigated the distinct factors that contributed to the overall success or failure of an expatriate. Narrative inquiry, and open-ended questions, allowed the participants to reveal their stories. Participants (N = 14) were selected using criterion and convenience sampling. Interviews were recorded, transcribed, and coded into themes using an iterative process. Results established weak organizational support in the preparation and repatriation stages. Participants considered their assignments a success and exhibited strong self-efficacy and internal locus of control. The need for successful expatriate performance will continue to increase with globalization; findings in this study can contribute to the training, support, and repatriation of employees. The potential for social change includes the improvement in global business functioning and international understanding.

Looking to the places we live to inform our understandings of identity and belonging, this métissage of place-based stories draws on personal narratives and intergenerational stories to re/create meaning in new spaces and contexts. Through the interweaving of personal and academic stories, this research provides a space for critical engagement, creative scholarship and learning. The pedagogical possibilities of places and understanding of curriculum as both the lived experiences and knowledge/s that shape and in/form our identities and understandings. As newcomers, settlers, and treaty members, living on Turtle Island/North America, perhaps we must begin by looking at the places where we live and dwell, to better understand our responsibilities to both the land and peoples. Unsettling narratives that disrupt textbooks histories, and the re/telling of new/old stories. Using bricolage to gather up the fragments and/or pieces left behind – artefacts, memories and stories, I begin to re/trace the footsteps of my grandmothers - the re/learning his/her/stories, stories of shifting cultural identities and landscapes - and be/longing to places, while also examining how notions of be/longing are transformed through intergenerational stories and our connections to places. Stories that may help to move and guide us forward in a good way. From wasteland to reconciliation, this work examines the meaning of places to our lives and learning, as well as our responsibilities to land and peoples – those who came before, and the generations before us.

基於單一文化之困境與美學意識之衰微，台灣另類教育在二元對立的邏輯運作下，常遭受負面的誤解或打壓，普羅大眾對於另類學校學生最常見的質疑便是：「以後要怎麼跟人家競爭？」、「如何考基測？」、「出去有辦法適應嗎？」，為探究另類學校學生的生活世界及其進入體制內學校的跨體制經驗，本篇論文嘗試以敘說探究開採夏天—一位華德福學校學生的生命故事，從而了解其學習世界的變遷及內在的適應歷程。研究發現，華德福學校具備自由、對話、創造之特徵，以即興的學校圖像作為陶養創造性人格之可能條件，促使夏天在面對基測和進入體制的衝突中展現出自我組織的生命樣態，而即興美學中的自由遊戲精神與複雜思維，不僅啟示了教育引發創造的本質，同時也為另類教育學提供更多元的定位基礎。 / Because of the conformity of culture and the lack of aesthetics, alternative education in Taiwan is usually misunderstood or suppressed in the logic of binary dualism. The most common questions to alternative schools’ students are “How do they compete with others in the future?”, “How do they prepare for the basic competence test?”, and “Are they able to adapt to the life outside?” To investigate the life world of an alternative school’s student, Summer, and her experience of transferring to normal school, narrative inquiry is adopted in this research to understand the changes of the learning environments and her state of mind. According to the conclusion, the Waldorf school contains the characters of freedom, dialogue, and creation. And its picture of improvisation provides Summer with possible conditions for developing creative personality. As a result, she shows the attitude of self-organization when facing conflicts in the cross-boarder process. In addition, improvisation’s spirit of free play and complex not only reveal the essence of education as creation, but also provide alternative education with more diverse orientation.

The purpose of this qualitative study was to better understand how five choral music educators’ life experiences, prior knowledge, attitudes, values, beliefs, and understandings surrounding the formation of their musical selves have come to shape their professional practice. A secondary purpose of this research was to examine institutional context and governing ideologies of the choral music discipline. The study involved five choral music educators—including the researcher—of various ages, genders, and cultural backgrounds from Winnipeg, Manitoba. This research is grounded in what Beattie (1995) terms the dialectical and collaborative nature of narrative inquiry, but also looks to reflexive inquiry and life history methodologies (Cole & Knowles, 2000), as well as the practice of collective biography (Davies & Gannon, 2006) to shape its methodological framework. As such, autobiographical forms of self-study research are reconceptualized as collaborative self-study. Data collection methods included journal writing, personal in-depth interviews, and participant observation. In particular, regular focus group sessions, which included peer interviewing, played a central role throughout the research process. This forum allowed participants to share their musical life histories and interrogate each others’ narratives, thereby triggering musical memories and exposing the interconnectivity of musical pasts to current professional practice. Data is re-presented in rich narratives which trace the path of each participant’s musical life history in interaction with theory and relevant literature. Numerous themes, sub-themes, tensions, and epiphanal episodes (Denzin, 1994) are illuminated. Moreover, connections between participants’ experiences and resultant ways of knowing are exposed, and we are confronted with “the unexpectedness of universality” (Hofstadter, 2007, p. 242). Thus, our commonessence is revealed. Participant chapters are followed by a postlude featuring the researcher’s personal narratives, an examination of researcher voice, and questions regarding the practice of choral music education that have surfaced through reflexive analysis of the data. This research strives to be a model for personal professional development among choral music educators, and provides a template for future purposeful discussion in the choral discipline.

The purpose of this qualitative study was to better understand how five choral music educators’ life experiences, prior knowledge, attitudes, values, beliefs, and understandings surrounding the formation of their musical selves have come to shape their professional practice. A secondary purpose of this research was to examine institutional context and governing ideologies of the choral music discipline. The study involved five choral music educators—including the researcher—of various ages, genders, and cultural backgrounds from Winnipeg, Manitoba. This research is grounded in what Beattie (1995) terms the dialectical and collaborative nature of narrative inquiry, but also looks to reflexive inquiry and life history methodologies (Cole & Knowles, 2000), as well as the practice of collective biography (Davies & Gannon, 2006) to shape its methodological framework. As such, autobiographical forms of self-study research are reconceptualized as collaborative self-study. Data collection methods included journal writing, personal in-depth interviews, and participant observation. In particular, regular focus group sessions, which included peer interviewing, played a central role throughout the research process. This forum allowed participants to share their musical life histories and interrogate each others’ narratives, thereby triggering musical memories and exposing the interconnectivity of musical pasts to current professional practice. Data is re-presented in rich narratives which trace the path of each participant’s musical life history in interaction with theory and relevant literature. Numerous themes, sub-themes, tensions, and epiphanal episodes (Denzin, 1994) are illuminated. Moreover, connections between participants’ experiences and resultant ways of knowing are exposed, and we are confronted with “the unexpectedness of universality” (Hofstadter, 2007, p. 242). Thus, our commonessence is revealed. Participant chapters are followed by a postlude featuring the researcher’s personal narratives, an examination of researcher voice, and questions regarding the practice of choral music education that have surfaced through reflexive analysis of the data. This research strives to be a model for personal professional development among choral music educators, and provides a template for future purposeful discussion in the choral discipline.

The objective for this program of research was to retrospectively, narratively, and autobiographically examine how my professional identity shifted when I moved from the secret, safe space of my own classrooms to shared spaces with other teachers as a newly appointed Differentiated Instruction Facilitator. In education today, teachers increasingly share their classroom spaces with other professionals and often the shifts in identity of the people sharing spaces are not examined. In this inquiry, I examine my own identity by viewing the metaphorical dance floor of the Differentiated Instruction Project from both my position on the dance floor and from the balcony above. I inquire into the nature of my dancing relationships with many partners over two years on my middle and secondary school landscape and how these relationships changed how I understood myself as a teacher and as a facilitator. I look at the differentiated philosophy I was expected to deliver and the knowledge my colleagues brought into our time together and how these two knowledge realms interacted and shifted my own knowledge and, in turn, my relationships with my teacher partners and their students.<p> My professional identity within the Differentiated Instruction Project shifted often. In the beginning, I attempted to integrate voices of the conduit and their system and sacred stories with my own personal practical knowledge. In this inquiry, I explore the relationship between the conduit and my work inside classroom spaces. I inquire into the effect of stories on my own personal practical knowledge and the knowledge of my colleagues and their students. I examine the ways in which many dancers were positioned on my educational dance floor and the ways in which these voices shaped the voice of my identity. Finally, I imagine possibilities for living and reliving and then telling and retelling stories of shifting identities within shared spaces.