Life History Research In Educational Settings [Paperback]

It has long been recognised that life history method has a great deal to offer to those engaged in social research. Indeed, right from the start of the twentieth century, eminent sociologists such as W.I. Thomas, C. Wright Mills and Herbert Blumer have suggested that it is the best, the perfect, approach for studying any aspect of social life. In recent years, life history has become increasingly popular with researchers investigating educational topics of all kinds, including: teachers' perceptions and experiences of different areas of their lives and careers; curriculum and subject development; pedagogical practice; and managerial concerns. Life History Research in Educational Settings sets out to explore and consider the various reasons for this popularity and makes the case that the approach has a major and unique contribution to make to understandings of schools, schooling and educational experience however characterised. The book draws extensively on examples of life history research in order to illustrate theoretical, methodological, ethical and practical issues.Introduction
Developing life histories
Techniques for doing life history
What have you got when you've got a life story?
epistemological considerations
Studying teachers' life histories and professional practice
Life stories and social context
storylines and scripts
Questions of ethics and power in life history research
Confronting the dilemmas
Bibliography
Index.
Ivor Goodson is Professor of Education and Professional Development, University of East Anglia (UK), and the Margaret Warner Graduate School, University of Rochester (USA).

Pat Sikes is Lecturer in Education, at the University of Sheffield.