Remembering Why: The Role of Story in Educational Research

Authors

  • Marni Binder School of Early Childhood Education, Ryerson University

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.37119/ojs2011.v17i2.82

Keywords:

story, educational research, theory and practice

Abstract

This paper examines the role of story in educational research as an empowering method of inquiry. By stepping back and remembering why, the author retells a professional story of practice between her and a colleague, exploring Vivian Gussin Paley’s story play in a Grade 1/2 inner city classroom. Moving in and through past and present experiences illustrates the need for story in researching professional practice, the significance of story as a powerful research tool, and the profound understanding of teaching and learning that unfolds as a result of such collaborations. Story creates an ethos in the teaching and research community, uniting theory and practice into a visible partnership.

Keywords: story; educational research; theory and practice

Author Biography

Marni Binder, School of Early Childhood Education, Ryerson University

Marni Binder is an Assistant Professor in The School of Early Childhood Education, and in the MA program in Early Childhood Studies at Ryerson University, Toronto, Canada. Prior to Ryerson, she worked in the preservice and graduate programs at The Faculty of Education, York University. Marni also taught extensively with primary-aged children in schools in the Regent Park community of Toronto.

Marni has been a keynote and has presented at international conferences on topics such as imagination and education, children’s art and literacy, and the multimodal narratives of young children. Current research is exploring the storytelling curriculum and children’s voice with a junior and senior kindergarten class. As well she is exploring how artistic narrative experiences inform and shape children’s identity texts and literacy acquisition, through multimodal forms of expression.

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Published

2013-01-11

Issue

Vol. 17 No. 2 (2011): Summer 2011

Section

Articles

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