Doing Critical And Creative Research In Adult Education

"Scholarship on adult education has fueled a high level of methodological creativity and innovation in order to tackle a diverse range of issues in a wide range of settings and locations in a critical and participatory manner. Adult education research is marked by the desire to do research differently and to conduct critical research with rather than about people which requires theoretical and methodological creativity. This entails a particular approach to how we seek to know the world in collaboration with people, to rupture hierarchical relations and to create new collaborative spaces of learning and research that encompass the diversity of people's life experiences. Doing Critical and Creative Research in Adult Education brings together both leading and emerging scholars in adult education research in order to capture the vitality and complexity of contemporary adult education research. This includes contributions on biographical, narrative, embodied, arts and media-based and ethnographic methods alongside the critical use of quantitative and mixed methods. This distinctive and rich methodological contribution has a general relevance and usefulness for all researchers and students in the social science and humanities, which draws attention to the importance of critical and creative participatory learning processes in human life and learning"--

Scholarship on adult education has fueled a high level of methodological creativity and innovation in order to tackle a diverse range of issues in a wide range of settings and locations in a critical and participatory manner. Adult education research is marked by the desire to do research differently and to conduct critical research with rather than about people which requires theoretical and methodological creativity. This entails a particular approach to how we seek to know the world in collaboration with people, to rupture hierarchical relations and to create new collaborative spaces of learning and research that encompass the diversity of people’s life experiences. Doing Critical and Creative Research in Adult Education brings together both leading and emerging scholars in adult education research in order to capture the vitality and complexity of contemporary adult education research. This includes contributions on biographical, narrative, embodied, arts and media-based and ethnographic methods alongside the critical use of quantitative and mixed methods. This distinctive and rich methodological contribution has a general relevance and usefulness for all researchers and students in the social science and humanities, which draws attention to the importance of critical and creative participatory learning processes in human life and learning.

This book responds to and informs, the rapid growth in adult, community, and further education in Ireland and beyond. Across 11 chapters, academic and practitioner insights are explored. There are chapters that focus on policy trends across the topics, some of which focus on current trends in policy and practice and some of which focus more deliberately on everyday practice. The book opens with perspectives from some further education students who comment on some of the themes raised. These lead into an introduction which describes the landscape of a complex, heterogeneous FET sector and outlines what the authors mean by critical perspectives on adult, community and further education in Ireland. This is followed by the philosophically oriented chapter one, written by Camilla Fitzsimons, that provides practical examples of possibilities for ‘engaged pedagogy’ amidst curricula that, on the surface appear far removed from the dimensions of power and privilege the book lays bare. In chapter two, experienced further and higher education practitioner, Sarah Coss offers a practical and thought-provoking account of the challenges of working creatively and dialogically with FE curricula whilst at the same time attending to the many bureaucratised demands of accreditation and quality assurance frameworks. Chapter three, written by Lilian Nwanze, builds a case for the importance of discussions about racism and white privilege in FE and proposes concrete actions to embody and anti-racist approach, the last of which is an emphasis on love. In chapter four, Jane O’Kelly presents a reflexive exploration of neurodiversity in adults and prompts us to consider whether their needs are recognised and accommodated in further education and training settings. In chapter five, Bríd Connolly explores ways in which a feminist egalitarian groupwork stance, can draw from social movements, adult and community education to create an FE pedagogy that challenges the status quo of education as a social institution. In chapter six, Eilish Dillon reflects on why a critical approach to global citizenship education (GCE) is important and introduces some debates about the meaning and implementation of GCE. In chapter seven, Jerry O’Neill’s partially-poetic chapter demonstrates a creative and critical approach to individual and group reflexive practices which, he argues, is core not just to the ongoing professional development of all FET practitioners and the sector itself, but can also be seen as form of practitioner-based creative research in itself. Leo Casey follows in chapter eight by exploring some of the overlooked connections between adult learning and digital literacy and argues for a policy balance between models of human capital and the interests of big technology and how teaching and learning for Digital World Literacy can value lifelong learning. In chapter nine, primary research by Eve Cobain, Suzanne Kyle and Susan Cullinane link community education to social movement theory and Ireland’s community development, anti-poverty movement of the 1980s and 1990s. They analyse the experiences of practitioners as they navigate the very different neoliberal oriented contemporary landscape. In chapter ten, Brendan Kavanagh, Francesca Lorenzi and Elaine Macdonald explore the process of teacher identity and (trans)formation of what they term ‘second career teachers’ within further education colleges. In chapter eleven, Camilla and Jerry highlight the very real challenges facing educators working in a field that is characterised by high levels of precarity and argue that realising a high-quality critical and sustainable, distinct professional pathway for emerging educators must become a policy priority for any government that is serious about recognising the value and potential of the FET sector. In the methodological spirit of adult education, this contribution closes with a group dialogue between authors from across these chapters as we look forward to the work to be done and consider our hopes for the future of FET.

This book discusses the current state of the art in research on the education and learning of adults, and how such research has been transformed through contemporary policy and research practices. Gathering contributions from leading experts in the field, the book draws on previous research, as well as new findings in order to provide a map of this research field and its contemporary history. The chapters address a number of questions, including: What constitutes this research field? What theories and methodologies dominate within the field? What “invisible colleges” are active in shaping this academic field, in marking out its contours and in transforming its contemporary battle zones? Who is publishing in the field and who is deemed worth citing? What is the relationship between the shift in state policy on adult education and the research that is conducted on the education and learning of adults? How has the research field changed over time in various western countries? What do these meta-reflections of the field tell us about possible future research endeavours? Rather than speaking from within the field, this is a book about the research field. The diversity of the chapters provide a fascinating resource for anyone interested in research on the education and learning of adults.

Feminist Critique and the Museum: Educating for a Critical Consciousness illustrates the potential of feminist adult education and research to critique but equally to encourage imaginative responses to traditionally patriarchal museum exhibition representations and practices.

This book offers original insights into cultural transformations of the sensory with particular emphasis on environments and technologies, articulating a special moment in the sensory history of urban Europe as people’s relationship with their environment is increasingly shaped through digital technologies. It is a much-needed addition to Sensory Studies literature with its firmly grounded empirical and theoretical perspectives. It provides radical and impactful food for thought on sensory engagements with urban environments. After reading the book, the reader will have a profound understanding of the original methodology of sensobiographic walking, as well as transdisciplinary and transgenerational ethnographies in different cultural contexts – in this case three European cities. The book is aimed at a large audience of readers. It is equally useful for social and human scientists and students finalizing their MA degrees or working on their doctoral or post-doctoral work, and essential reading for environmental planners, youth workers, city planners and architects, among others.

With contributions from over 80 of the biggest names and rising stars of the field, this Handbook is an essential resource for anyone interested in the contemporary, emerging, and evolving practice of mixed methods research and scholarship. Exploring new and novel applications of existing mixed methods research design practices, the handbook provides comprehensive integration guidance while showcasing how design innovations inspire and contribute to investigating previously under-researched social issues and populations. Through its unique focus on design and the diverse contexts in which mixed methods research is being applied, this Handbook prepares researchers for the changing conditions in which they will conduct studies. Newcomers and seasoned mixed methods researchers alike will find this Handbook a go-to source for tools to think and act ‘complexively’ and creatively in research design. Using accessible language and illustrative examples, this Handbook is written for those with various roles and experience in mixed methods research design. The in-depth discussions led by the interdisciplinary group of 11 internationally renowned editorial section leads project our collective thinking of mixed methods research design into the future across the following six sections: Section 1: Inspiring Diversity and Innovation in Mixed Methods Design Section 2: The Craft of Mixed Methods Research Design Section 3: Expanding Mixed Methods Design Approaches Section 4: Designing Innovative Integrations with Technology Section 5: Navigating Research Cultures in Mixed Methods Design Section 6: Exploring Design Possibilities and Challenges for Mixed Methods Research

This anthology presents the Nordic folk high school teacher through thirteen research articles combined under three themes: identity, work, and education, each part capped by overarching summary chapters. The folk high schools are given a central role in the democratic development of the Nordic region and are described as a significant influence on adult education globally, but there have been few regional research projects describing the schools. The inclusion of research covering five Nordic countries in a peer reviewed anthology makes this publication a unique portrayal, both of the schools' common identity and their national variations.