Suchergebnisse

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to reflect on what it means to be an academic in contemporary times and particularly how the value associated with being a researcher has changed in currency over time.Design/methodology/approachBased on Cavarerro's work about stories of the narrated self, in which revealing self narratives are viewed as a vehicle for uncovering (self) identities, this paper reveals the pitfalls associated with trying to change focus and direction and attempts to reinvent oneself in times that are characterized by a return to the essentially conservative conventions of educational research. Neo‐liberal, market driven, utilitarian models of education dominate the contemporary research landscape. What constitutes evidence is under debate. How evidence is obtained and analysed is subject to traditional definitions which may not have direct relevance to contemporary phenomena in post‐modern times. Those in positions of power reduce performance to minutiae and constantly want prescriptive teaching to produce observable outcomes. Yet, is this possible in environs that are formed by individuals in a multiplicity of contexts, cultures and locations? What does this mean for research which focuses not only on the lived experiences in classroom but the recognition that no two classrooms are the same and the quest for the identification of a "good teacher" is like that of the holy grail?FindingsThis paper reveals the pitfalls associated with trying to change focus and direction in academic research. The author has reinterpreted the driving procedure – look in the mirror, indicate and then (if it is clear) move – in her career to being reflective and reflexive about where she has come from, signaling that she wants to change or shift her position and then attempting to make the move. This process of change is continuing and not always continuous.Originality/valueThe article reflects a personal story that is intended to resonate with audiences experiencing similar contexts in contemporary academic life.

PurposeThe purpose of this article is to contribute to the research methodology literature that arose out of the (new) sociology of childhood and the UN Convention of the Rights of the Child (1989) with regard to conducting ethical research with children rather than on children. In particular, this article reflects on the development of a method (learning dialogues).Design/methodology/approachLearning dialogues were designed to enable children to share their responses to prompts about specific aspects of their lifeworlds. This was one method used to produce the data corpus which also included a large-scale survey, classroom ethnographies and (video) re-enactments of children's lives after school.FindingsThe piloting of the learning dialogues took place in several iterations and a particular form was used for the main study. The original idea and development of the learning dialogues highlights they were both a rich source of data that complemented the other data sources in the study and an activity that children indicated that they enjoyed. The authors discuss the practicalities involved with adapting a qualitative method to different settings and to projects with large numbers of children.Originality/valueThe conceptualisation of the learning dialogues as sources of personal documentation about aspects of children's lifeworlds was unique to this research. In thinking about the learning dialogues as one source of data within a broader project, the research aimed to be more inclusive of all participants in contributing to the findings produced in the project.

Abstract
The ongoing civil war in Syria has displaced many citizens who have fled the violence in order to seek sanctuary and asylum in Europe. As they seek refugee status, they are living in liminal spaces in transit countries, in the hope that they will be relocated on a permanent basis to a new country. In many instances, family members have gone before them and are already 'settled' in new countries. The remaining family make the perilous journey out of Syria, in the hope that they will be reunited with their family members and accorded refugee status. In this article, we share the stories of five Syrian children (aged from 11 to 15 years of age) temporarily housed in the LM refugee centre near the town of Lehaina (Myrsini Ileias, Peloponnese, Greece). We asked them about their concept of 'home' and, using a narrative methodology, we present their personal stories of their reconstructions of 'home' while they are located in this liminal space. How do they share stories of their original homes? What are their lives like in this and the other unfamiliar places that they have found themselves in? What do the young refugees make of their 'new homes'? What challenges do they face? These are just some of the issues that we explore here in these narratives of a search for a 'new' home.

Despite nearly three decades of the use of new technologies in education, schools seem to have remained impervious to significant change. Heritage curriculum and traditional pedagogies persist and, indeed, are dominant in school contexts, which seem to be embedded in the past, rather than preparing children for their future lives. Pockets of innovation illustrate that transformation is possible and comes with the added benefits of renewed student enthusiasm and engagement in learning. Yet, systemic changes are limited in a global context that is dominated by high stakes testing and the neo-liberal agenda. This article explores the potential for change. Focusing on the early years, which are the foundation of schooling, we report on data from a study using iPads for learning with kindergarten children in Australia (4 and 5 years of age). The data support the contention that new technologies offer the possibility for new learning by enabling young children to embark on investigations and explorations that were not possible in previous eras. In this article, we focus on transformations and explore the potential of the iPads to encourage playful explorations for investigating, reflecting, making meaning, knowledge building, and communicating ideas to a shared audience.