Browsing by Author "Triggs, Valerie"

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Open Access
An Afrocentric Cultural Study of Buum Oka Dance Yaounde and Perceptions of its Relevance to African (-Canadian) Students Between the Ages of 18 and 25 in the City of Regina
(Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research, University of Regina, 2017-04) Jing, Thomas; Montgomery, Ken; Carter, Claire; Triggs, Valerie; Kipling Brown, Ann; Lewis, Patrick; Welsh, Kariamu
This is an Afrocentric cultural study of Buum Oku Dance Yaounde in Cameroon and perceptions of its relevance to African (-Canadian) students between the ages of 18 and 25 in the City of Regina. The study is pitched against a national backdrop in which African (-Canadian) students experience disproportionately high school drop/push out rates. This is just one of many others problems associated with various forms of racist discourses and practices which harken back to the days of black enslavement. An enduring legacy of slavery and Western colonialism has been the continuous distortion of African history and culture, which are sometimes used to justify marginalization, injustice and various forms of oppression. An Afrocentric approach to this study seeks in part to counter colonial and oppressive discourses, thus serving as a tool for emancipation. The study ascertains whether the introduction and promotion of cultural practices such as Buum Oku Dance could serve as a tool for effective resistance and emancipation. Drawing mainly on written and oral sources, the inquiry has used Johnson’s (1986/87) “circuit of cultural production” of the dance, that is, its historical production, its representation and audience reception to determine to what extent such a dance could serve as tool for liberation. Its findings, based mainly on interviews of six students, three males and three females, from the City of Regina, illustrate the perceived relevance of the dance in creating community, reinforcing family values and traditions, promoting greater cultural and gender inclusion and equality, in asserting group identity and in combating low self-esteem and high dropout rates. These actions constitute forms of resistance which illustrate the possibilities of dance as a credible tool for human liberation from oppression.
Open Access
Be-Coming To Care: Teachers' Perspectives on Caring
(Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research, University of Regina, 2017-07) McCann, Lisa Marie; Hart, Paul; Mulholland, Val; Triggs, Valerie; Adeney, Robin
This research is a qualitative study aimed at growing towards a deeper understanding of how teachers be-come caring teachers. Using current thinking in affect studies, particularly the work of Massumi (1995, 2005) and Ahmed (2004), narratives are created to highlight the subtle gestures, miniscule slidings, and everyday occurrences that can be overlooked and that intimate the relationship between teacher and students. Through teachers’ own performance of their narrative and using the diffractive framework of Barad (2003) and Lenz Taguchi (2012), a flattening of the relationship between researcher, participants, theory, and data (Jackson & Mazzei, 2013) emerges and an opening is created to a difference, a movement, a newness, a change (MacLure, 2013). This study is aimed to render a clearer picture of affect and care in education that captures all the good being done, to open up new conversations about alternate thoughts about education, primarily where education is care.
Open Access
A Case Study of the Lived Experiences of Individuals: How Experiential Exercises Aid Entrepreneurship Teachers to Understand Intrapreneurship and the Art of Entrepreneurial Thinking
(Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research, University of Regina, 2018-05) Knight, Monica Lesley; Kesten, Cyril; Hart, Paul; Triggs, Valerie; Anderson, Robert; McEwen, Thaddeus
This research addressed a gap in our knowledge and understanding of if, how, and why experiential exercises might aid teachers to introduce to Entrepreneurship 30 an expanded understanding of the phenomena of entrepreneurship and the “art” of entrepreneurial thinking. A group of five Entrepreneurship 30 teachers attended a 2-day workshop where they were introduced by modelling to a series of experiential exercises. This was followed by a 6-week observation period with interviews. The case study represents the discovery, insight, and understanding of the lived experiences of the research participants as they rejected, adopted, or adapted the material into the curriculum. My research confirms that entrepreneurial thinking can be activated through experiential exercises, but it is not a simple matter to provide teachers with a toolkit of exercises and preliminary training and expect them to teach in this manner. Even experienced teachers with facilitation skills require the resource of expanded class time and administration support to teach the “art” processes of entrepreneurial thinking that require unique pedagogies and a teacher style that encourages students to progress from being passive attendees in classrooms to being participative in terms of discussion, deriving options for decision making and creativity.
Open Access
Celebration Of Authorship Program 2016-2017
(University of Regina Library, 2017) Ackerman, Jennifer; Ackerman, Katrina; Anderson, Robert; Arnal, William; Aziz, Madina; Blake, Raymond; Blakley, Janelle; Coleman, Cory; Dai, Liming; DeSantis, Gloria; Diaz, Joshua; Doke Sawatzky, Katie; Engel, Brenna; Gane, David; Gidluck, Lynn; Gottselig, Jared; Grant, Trevor; Grimard, Celine; Jaffe, JoAnn; Johnson, Dale; Juschka, Darlene; Kikulwe, Daniel; Hillabold, Jean; Mah, Jeannie; Marroquin, Rebbeca; McDonald, Anne; Meehan SJ, John; Nzunguba, lbio; Pete, Shauneen; Pirbhai-Illich, Fatima; Powell, Marie; Russell, Gale; Shami, Jeanne; Solomon, Michaela; Stringer, Kyrsten; Taylor, Caitlin; Triggs, Valerie; Vetter, Mary
Open Access
Contingent Employment at Saskatchewan Polytechnic: A Grounded Theory Study
(Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research, University of Regina, 2018-03) Janisch, Thomas Guenter; Bockari, Abu; Salm, Twyla; Triggs, Valerie; Hanson, Cindy; Campbell, Shelagh
This qualitative study investigated the experiences of five term contract employed instructors at Saskatchewan Polytechnic using the constructivist grounded theory methodology as discussed by Charmaz (2014). The theoretical framework for the study was informed by a review of theories pertaining to organizational behavior and contingent employment as well as the economic and professional development theoretical perspectives on contingent employment. Five participants were interviewed individually using open-ended interviews to elicit their views regarding their contingent employment arrangements. Grounded theory was chosen in an attempt to derive a theory based on the experiences of these five participants rather than trying to fit the experiences into existing theories. The findings showed six core theoretical concepts accounted for the experiences of the contingently employed staff: System Factors, Interaction With Others, Work Conditions, Internal Motivations and Assessments, Doing the Work, and Deriving Personal Benefit (Internal). Each of these core concepts consisted of a number of categories that interacted with each other in either a positive or a negative way, resulting in an overall impact on the participants’ experiences of the work situation. This interaction was examined through the lens of system dynamics (Sterman, 2000). These core concepts and their substantive categories suggest that supervisors, managers, and other organizational figures may have points of intervention to support and even to enhance contingently employed people’s work experiences. A number of possible recommendations for managers, organizations and employees were outlined. Suggestions for possible future research were also provided.
Open Access
Conversations Storied: Meeting New Students Who Arrive Carrying a Suitcase of Memories and a Backpack Over-Stuffed With Emotions
(Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research, University of Regina, 2016-09) McChesney, Elann Marie; Hart, Paul; Spooner, Marc; Triggs, Valerie; Mulholland, Valerie
Welcoming new students into schools and classrooms is a common occurrence in the lives of Canadian educators. The profile of the new student varies as does the reason for the school move. Some students may make many school changes; some students may only move once. Regardless of the reason or number of moves, they will all experience being the new student. This research study seeks to inquire into the experience of being a new student and opens with my own experience of a school move in the third grade. Literature is presented about mobility and considerations for researching with children. To better understand the experience of being a new student I met with five participants ranging in ages from 8–15 and engaged in conversation with them. I asked the participants what was helpful or not helpful for them as they sought to navigate their new school environment. In addition to our conversation, two of the participants chose to illustrate their first day experience. These participants indicated that this first day was not easy and had suggestions as to how to make the first day experience better. The purpose of this study is to help those of us who work with young people reflect on our practice, on our attitudes, and how we welcome new students into our classrooms. Suggestions from the research and children’s ideas are provided; however they are not answers, as each situation is unique. Keywords: narrative, mobility, education
Open Access
The Cosmopolitan Traveler: Rendering Self and Coming Out Through A/R/Tographic Vlogging
(Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research, University of Regina, 2019-07) L, T A; Triggs, Valerie; Salm, Twyla; Mulholland, Valerie; McNinch, James
Learning about the self in relation to the world assists educators in making a positive impact in and out of the classroom. Learning to love the world, love the self, and love the relationship with the world is important and emphasizes a celebration of differences, in ourselves and those around us. The purpose of this a/r/tographic (artist/researcher/teacher) study, which is organized by Irwin’s conceptual renderings, is to develop a deeper understanding of how perspectives of the self may be altered by having experiences of solitude through extended solo travel and documented by video blogs. The study took place in Sydney and the North Coast of New South Wales, Australia over the course of four months, September 2017 to December 2017. Pinar’s theory of cosmopolitanism provides a theoretical lens through which to develop a deeper understanding of the self in relation to the world and the world in relation to the self. This study is guided by four research questions: How does extended solo travel and experience with solitude alter perspectives of the self as a global/cosmopolitan citizen? How does moving abroad shift my perspectives of my own sexuality? How does accepting the self alter my perspectives of my own religion/spirituality? How might learning about the self have an effect on my educational practice? Using a/r/tography as a means of perspective, collecting and analyzing data, this study seeks to gain a better understanding of the self as a cosmopolitan teacher/citizen. For this study, cosmopolitanism is understood to be an awareness that the world thrives in differences through multiple interconnected ways, among them: sexuality, spirituality, and sustainability. Using vlogs (video blogs) and THE COSMOPOLITAN TRAVELER ii weekly reflections as a means of collecting data, I was able to analyze the self and identify overarching themes between each role of the self as artist, researcher, and teacher. The findings are represented under six a/r/tographic renderings to help organize the data and reveal more about the self in relation to Pinar’s conception of a cosmopolitan educator. The analysis of the vlogs and reflections reveals that moving to Sydney, Australia prompted and sustained my research and enabled me to learn more about the self in relation to sexuality and spirituality. The data revealed overarching themes in past and current experiences including confidence, complexity, patience, and shame. Learning to love myself and be confident in who I am revealed progression in the cosmopolitan self. Removing and stepping outside the self and spending time in solitude reflecting on experiences helped me understand how to celebrate my own differences and idiosyncrasies, as well as those of people around me.
Open Access
Exploring Contextual Factors and Trainee Characteristics: A Mixed Methods Study on Transfer of Training
(Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research, University of Regina, 2021-07) Rahman, Asif Ali; Bockarie, Abu; Triggs, Valerie; Nkongolo-Bakenda, Jean-Marie; Xu, Gong-Li
Developing strategies for the successful transfer of knowledge, skills and attitudes from a training and development program to the workplace remains a key challenge facing organizations, including those operating in developing countries such as Pakistan. Studies have found that in general employees transfer less than 10% of the training they acquire to their workplaces (Georgenson, 1982; Kelly, 1982; McGuire, 2014). McGuire argues that one of the reasons for the low rate of transfer of training relates to the isolated and peripheral nature of the training function and the fact that transfer of training is not built into the training program. Eraut (2004) argues that research on transfer of training might be particularly difficult because of the differences in context, culture and modes of training. Although some research relating to the transfer problem in organizations do exist in developed countries, there appears to be a paucity of such research in developing counties such as Pakistan; and thus, the rationale for the study. The purpose of this mixed methods study was to investigate the degree to which the media industry in Pakistan delivered training programs that facilitated the transfer of training before, during and after training and the way the relationship among these three activities influenced transfer of training in the industry. The study drew on the work of Baldwin and Ford (1988) who defined transfer of training as the application of knowledge, skills and attitudes learned from training on the job and subsequent maintenance of them over a period of time. Two bodies of literature were reviewed for the study. They were the framework of the transfer process by Baldwin and Ford as well as by Holton, and the theories that support training transfer in organizations. iv Using a convergent mixed methods design, the study utilized a survey questionnaire and semi-structured interviews with the 16 employees of eight media organizations in Lahore, Pakistan. 200 survey questionnaires were distributed among the employees of the eight media organizations and the response rate was 50.5%. The survey questionnaire sought to explore the trainee characteristics and contextual factors that influenced transfer of training before, during and after training as well as the participants’ suggestions to foster transfer of training. The findings revealed that trainee characteristics as well as contextual factors positively or negatively influenced training transfer before, during and after training. Eleven themes emerged from participants' interviews, and they generally reinforced the survey findings. It was the conclusion of the study that in addition to trainee characteristics and contextual factors, productive networking among trainees before, during and after training was a critical factor in the successful transfer of training in the studied organizations. The study concludes with some discussion of the implications of the findings for policy, practice and training transfer theory development. The recommendations arising from the findings and suggestions for further research are also presented.
Open Access
Exploring subjectification processes in environmental education: How environmental education researchers come to construct their environmental subjectivities
(Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research, University of Regina, 2017-02) Hart, Catherine Leigh; Montgomery, Ken; Wessel, Warren; Petry, Roger; Triggs, Valerie; Tupper, Jennifer; Whitehouse, Hilary
In this study I explore ways in which environmental subjectivities are formulated in and through developing discourses, practices and ways of interacting. Using the poststructurally-informed concept of environmental subjectivity and narrative approaches I explore how personal and academic positions and positionings are constructed for environmental education researchers through ongoing subjectification processes. My primary research question is How do postsecondary environmental education researchers come to construct their environmental subjectivities? Two sub-question guide this exploration of environmental subjectification processes: How did the participants come to construct their environmental subjectivities across the time and space of their life? and How does their current work – published work and faculty performance (reported and/or observed) provide evidence of their environmental identity as it evolves and is continuously involved in their repositioning work within the academy? I used guided conversations and participant writings to allow participants to speak for themselves as they describe their understandings of how they came to position themselves as environmental education researchers and how they articulate their environmental subjectivity and worldview. By examining these questions I present for readers the understandings participants have of their environmental subjectivities, enmeshed with their multiple subjectivities, and how the subjectification process works to constantly (re)position ones life and work in environmental education in a process of ongoing becoming.
Open Access
Exploring the experiences of women in leadership positions at a higher education institution in south-eastern Nigeria: A phenomenological study
(Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research, University of Regina, 2022-09) Ndulaka, Agnetha Chinaelo; Bockarie, Abu; Ji, Xia; Triggs, Valerie; Luhanga, Florence
This phenomenological study explored the experiences of five women in leadership positions at Michael University, which is a federal higher institution in Southeastern Nigeria. I embarked on this journey because of my interest in understanding how women who have broken the “glass ceiling” (Yukl & Gardner, 2020) experienced leadership at the studied institution. The theoretical framework for the study was guided by Joan Acker’s (1990) theory of gendered organizations. According to Acker, one of the processes in which organizations are gendered is through divisions of labor between men and women, including institutionalized means of maintaining those divisions in institutions. Further, Williams et al. (2012) indicate the theory of gendered organizations is used to explain the persistent gender inequality in the workplace, especially in issues relating to leadership. In addition to gendered organization theory, leadership theory was used as a theoretical framework for the study. The study employed phenomenology as research methodology and snowball sampling was used in recruiting the five participants. In addition, in-depth one-on-one semi-structured interviews was used in data collection and a thematic approach was used in data analyses and interpretation. The findings of the research revealed the participants had both positive and challenging experiences as women in leadership positions at Michael University. In addition, the study found that factors such as culture, gender roles, inadequate education/training, and family responsibilities continued to undermine the progress of women into leadership positions at the institution. The implications of the findings of the study for leadership policy development and practice at Michael University as well as the suggestions for further research and recommendations arising from the study are discussed.
Open Access
Faculty Engagement in Professional Development: A Bangladesh Case Study
(Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research, University of Regina, 2020-07) Shiddike, Mohammad Omar; Bockarie, Abu; Ricketts, Kathryn; Wickson-Griffith, Abigail; Triggs, Valerie; Agbo, Seth
Professional development for faculty members in higher education institutions is a normal part of their careers. Effective teaching depends on effective teachers, which in turn depends on the extent to which those teachers engage in professional development. The objectives of this study involved exploring faculty members’ engagement in professional development (PD) at the University of Dhaka in Bangladesh. Specifically, the study examined the nature and outcomes of professional development interventions at that institution, as well as the opportunities and challenges faculty members faced in relation to their engagement in professional development programs. The study uses the findings to offer some suggestions for best practices in faculty engagement in professional development programs at the University of Dhaka as well as similar universities across the country. The study is a qualitative exploration of the individual experiences and collective opinions of twenty faculty members about their engagement in professional development interventions at the University of Dhaka’s Center of Excellence in Teaching and Learning (CoETL) and the Institutional Quality Assurance Cell (IQAC). A case study methodology was adopted for this study with the goal of capturing the individuality of each case and ensuring that in-depth information on the cases was captured. In-depth one-on-one interviews were conducted with the twenty participants, who freely discussed their engagement in professional development. The study found that from the perspective of Bangladeshi higher education institutions, there were very limited scopes available for faculty members to engage in professional development. The study indicated that faculty members usually used traditional teaching strategies in large classrooms because of the deficiency of professional development programs and resources for all faculty members. In addition, due to that deficiency of professional development programs and resources, faculty members' academic achievements and professional advances were also undermined. Further, the lack of faculty member engagement in professional development undermined the reputation of higher education in Bangladesh. The study offers recommendations for higher administration policymakers, including the University Grants Commission (UGC), and university authorities, and provides suggestions for further research.
Open Access
Hermeneutic Phenomenological Inquiry: Risk and Protective Factors for the Left-Behind Children in the Northern Shaanxi Province, China With Gender Comparison
(Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research, University of Regina, 2021-07) Ge, Lin; Brown, Douglas; Durst, Douglas; Massing, Christine; Triggs, Valerie; McNaughton, Kathryn A.
The rapid industrialization and uneven regional development of China over the past few decades have forced a large number of young and middle-aged people in rural areas and small towns to leave their hometown and undertake burdensome manual jobs in urban areas. Many of them have become parents. Moreover, limited by the Chinese national residency registration system and the higher cost of living, it is hardly possible for migrant children to be incorporated in urban public education. These facts contribute to the widespread Chinese left-behind children phenomenon. Shaanxi province as one of the impoverished provinces in China is no exception concerning the aforementioned issue. This research presents the lived experience of left-behind children living in northern Shaanxi province, China through the lens of resilience theory. Herein a hermeneutic phenomenological inquiry is employed to identify inner and outer risk factors faced by those left-behind children who are in primary school stage and probe the protective factors (internal assets and external resources) they possess. This study attempts to excavate how these protective factors can moderate or reduce the repercussions of risk exposure on the Chinese left-behind children’s development. Unstructured observations, including on-site observations in the classroom, life, and interpersonal relationship, were conducted in 2018 and remote classroom observations were completed in 2020 due to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. Face-to-face and remote interview data were thus respectively collected in 2018 and 2020. Successively, there were fourteen 9-13-year-old left-behind children (seven females and seven males), eight guardians, and six teachers participating in interviews. Given the complexity and particularity of these groups of Children, remote pre-interview activities (e.g., visual metaphor and storytelling on WeChat) were specifically employed in 2020. These activities enabled the child participants to recall and select memories to share, diminishing the inequitable power relationship between the researcher and the ii A HERMENEUTIC PHENOMENOLOGICAL INQUIRY children. The findings display the experiences of this group, including the risk factors (i.e., internalized and externalized problems) and the promotive factors (i.e., internal assets and external resources). It is argued that the findings in the study may potentially serve as viable targets for prevention and interventions and socially inclusive education of left-behind children in China. Based on the findings, the researcher recommends specifically resilience-based interventions in policies and practices to intervene in the trajectory from risk exposure to associated negative effects, in facilitating a more supportive and inclusive life and educational process for this marginalized group in China.
Open Access
(Re)Claiming Play: An Individual and Community Movement Towards Playfulness
(Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research, University of Regina, 2021-04) Blaisdell, Whitney Danielle; Spooner, Marc; Triggs, Valerie; Lewis, Patrick; Hewes, Jane
This study aimed to closely examine what caregivers of children 9 years of age and younger perceive to be barriers affecting access to play. The current study is a lived inquiry (Dimitriadis, 2016) of my own experiences and of facilitated in-person conversations surrounding play, mostly with caregivers of children aged 9 years old and under. I also solicited hundreds of comments and submissions to a social media account surrounding this research. I used grounded theory methods to analyze the data, and founded a non-profit organization to aid in the application of some of the findings towards my own community. This study found that individuals can have great agency over the personal and systemic factors that appear to affect play. Awareness and prioritization of play is perceived to be the greatest catalyst to play and affects each of the following categories: The Cost of Play, Extracurricular Activities and Play, the Quality of Early Learning Environment, Mental Health and Play, and (Re)claiming a Playful Self. The participation in (re)claiming of a playful self, children’s play in early learning and school settings, community opportunities for whole wellness, and community opportunities for free play is a fundamental form of self and community compassion that lead to a greater sense of self and social justice. The current study adds to the study of play and accessibility through an autoethnographic, qualitative approach. It has also led to the creation of a website (Blaisdell, 2019) social media pages (Project Play YQR, n.d.), and some important community partnerships with other community-based organizations as a result of an action-orientation to the research. It also presents potential implications for community policy discussions and highlights the need for greater community education and awareness surrounding play.
Open Access
Re/Creating Worldviews with Children: Environment as an Integrating Context
(Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research, University of Regina, 2016-11) Gray, Michelle Lavonne; Ji, Xia; Massing, Christine; Triggs, Valerie
We are situated in experiences – many not of our own choosing, especially as children. These experiences have profound effects on our worldviews, our relationships, and our holistic learning and development. “Young children experience their world as an environment of relationships. These relationships affect every aspect of learning and development…If we believed that knowing requires a personal relationship between the knower and the known, our students [children] would be invited to learn by interacting with the world not by viewing it afar” (Palmer, 2007, p.8). It is, therefore, of prime importance for educators to consider the influences of the environment as an integrating context of children’s lives and learning. Furthermore, I argue that embedding the richness and diversity of the natural world in the classroom and implementing a nature-based pedagogy will lead to important benefits for children – benefits that include expanding children’s worldview development, strengthening their relationships with one another, supporting their holistic learning and development, and supporting their dispositions for learning. This research draws upon deep ecology as the theoretical framework and employs narrative inquiry as the methodological approach, along with ethnographic methods of data collection. Throughout the thesis, readers will be invited to explore a collection of photographic essays. These photographic essays will showcase an evolving relationship between children and the world of nature as experienced throughout a year in a Canadian preschool classroom.
Open Access
Ready or Not: Cooperating Teachers and Stories of Experience
(Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research, University of Regina, 2016-05) Lawson, Amy Larimer; Lewis, Patrick; Triggs, Valerie; Lessard, Sean
This narrative inquiry explores the stories and experiences of two cooperating teachers, “Journey” and “Isla.” Research puzzles being explored include wondering why educators may or may not choose to become cooperating teachers and what challenges and successes they may encounter along the way. It seeks to understand the various roles cooperating teachers must play, and explores the concept of “readiness” and what the phrase means in the context of cooperating teachers and mentorship. Support emerges as a central theme, emphasizing the relational nature of mentorship. Both participants discussed positive outcomes from their experiences as cooperating teachers, but acknowledged difficulties in supporting interns who were struggling. Questions about the pairing and assessment process arose. Both drew support from outside individuals in navigating these tensions, and both offer recommendations to consider for teachers becoming cooperating teachers and for the program as a whole. As a narrative inquiry, this research is not intended to provide a wide cross-section of perspectives, nor is it attempting to offer steadfast truths or information about program delivery. Instead, its aim is to present questions to linger with and consider as the profession moves forward in educating pre-service teachers. The intent of this study is to provide a space for voices of educators who have undertaken this necessary role in the hopes of better understanding how to support their work.
Open Access
Rooted: An inquiry into nature shaping pedagogy and sustenance on the professional knowledge landscape
(Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research, University of Regina, 2017-02) Herbison, Morgan Jane; Forsberg, Nicholas; Schaefer, Lee; Triggs, Valerie; Lessard, Sean; Rossow-Kimball, Brenda
This thesis is an autobiographical narrative inquiry (Clandinin & Connelly, 2000) into two research puzzles: First, how have experiences alongside nature shaped my personal knowledge landscape? Second, how is this knowledge negotiated on my professional knowledge landscape, and how does this negotiation shape or shift my pedagogy? With attention to Dewey’s (1938) theory of continuity and interaction in experience, Connelly and Clandinin’s (1988) conception of personal practical knowledge, and Connelly and Clandinin’s (1999) conception of stories to live by, I describe myself as a person who feels planted in nature. I also describe myself as a teacher of young children in school places. Clandinin, Schaefer and Downey (2014) conceptualize places inside-of-work as the professional knowledge landscape and places outside-of-work as the personal knowledge landscape. In this autobiographical narrative inquiry I inquire into moments of tension, as well as moments of narrative coherence (Carr, 1986), as I negotiate my personal knowledge landscape on my professional knowledge landscape (Clandinin et al., 2014). I illustrate the implications of this negotiation for my pedagogy, as well as possible implications for curriculum making, teacher education, and further research. Key findings from this research position nature as an animate teacher, show that nature itself reflects narrative conceptions of knowledge (Dewey, 1938), and illustrate that, while teachers live in tension (Aoki, 2005) as they navigate around competing and conflicting stories of school, there are possibilities for negotiating around tension to feel sustained, or rooted, on the professional knowledge landscape (Clandinin et al., 2014).
Open Access
University of Regina Community Authors 2016-2017
(Univeristy of Regina Library, 2017) Russell, Gale; DeSantis, Gloria; Blake, Raymond; Gidluck, Lynn; Triggs, Valerie; Dai, Liming; Arnal, William; Juschka, Darlene; Johnson, Dale; Ackerman, Katrina; Anderson, Robert; Grant, Trevor; Arnal, William; Powell, Marie; Hillabold, Jean; Nzunguba, Ibio; Gane, David; Pirbhai-Illich, Fatima; Pete, Shauneen; McDonald, Anne; Vetter, Mary; Kikulwe, Daniel; John Meehan, SJ; Jaffe, JoAnn; Jeanne Shami; Mah, Jeannie; Ackerman, Jennifer; Aziz, Madina; Blakley, Janelle; Coleman, Cory; Diaz, Joshua; Doke Sawatzky, Katie; Engel, Brenna; Gottselig, Jared; Grimard, Celine; Marroquin, Rebbeca; Solomon, Michaela; Stringer, Kyrsten; Taylor, Caitlin