Labrie, McBride, Porco, and Witczak

Narrative Inquiry and Literary Métissage as Media for Educational Change

Martin Labrie, Judith McBride, Sebastien Porco, and Kristen Witczak, Riverside School Board, Saint-Hubert, Québec, Canada.

Abstract:

Our Pecha Kucha presentation to the Action Research Network of the Americas (ARNA) 2016 conference described aspects the oft-potholed journey of The Narrative Inquiry Group, a community of educators engaged in voluntary, embedded, self-directed professional development in Québec, Canada. We are guided in our inquiries by various methodological approaches including action research (McNiff, Lomax & Whitehead, 1996), professional conversation (Rust, 1999), arts-based (Barone & Eisner, 2012) and narrative (Clandinin & Connelly, 2000) inquiry strategies, fine-tuned in life writing and literary métissage (Hasebe- Ludt, Chambers & Leggo, 2009). Our results consist of productions representative of our selves, values, learning and practice. Our inquiries map the path of individual and collective problem-framing and solution, and illustrate the value of being self-critical within the safety of a learning community, and the pitfalls that lie beyond. Here, we describe ongoing and endless inquiries, and hope to inform other’s research and practice, and those with an interest in teacher learning, of the probability of constraints and the possibility for change through such professional development endeavours.

Key words: teacher research, narrative inquiry, life writing, literary métissage