How does storytelling within higher education contribute to the learning experience of early years students?

Authors

  • Sarah Flanagan Leeds Trinity University

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.1921/jpts.v13i2-3.822

Abstract

Background and rationale. Reading stories telling stories is a familiar practice within primary education; furthermore there is recognition that stories are used within higher education. This study seeks to understand how storytelling within higher education contributes to the learning experience of early years students. It is anticipated that a deeper understanding of stories and storytelling in this context will lead to a greater appreciation of this resource and its enhanced use.
Design/methods. A qualitative methodology was used. The participants included 45 early years students. All students involved in the study were employed as early years workers contributing to the care and education of children aged 0–5. Semi structured interviews and non-participant observations were completed to collect the data and thematic analysis was used in its interpretation.
Findings. Participants saw multiple contributions of story and storytelling including the facilitation of learning, the enhancement of reflective practice and the reinforcement of professional/group culture. Story and storytelling provided opportunities for relaxation, entertainment and had a significant social impact. Certain activities encouraged storytelling and the most engaging stories were those that the listener could relate to

Author Biography

Sarah Flanagan, Leeds Trinity University

Senior lecturer, Institute of Childhood and Education

References

Alterio, M. (2004) Collaborative journalling as a professional development tool. Journal of Further and Higher Education, 28, 3, 321–332

Bain, J. Ballantyne, R. Packer, J. and Mills, C (1999) Using journal writing to enhance student teachers’ reflectivity during field experience” Teachers and Teaching. 5, 1, 51-73

Bell, J (2010) Doing your research project; A guide for first time researchers in education, health and social science. Maidenhead, McGraw-Hill Open University Press

Boje, D. (1991) The storytelling organisations a study of performance in an office supply firm. Administrative Science Quarterly, 36, 1, 7-17

Bond, A. (ed.), 2006) Your masters thesis; How to plan, draft, write and revise. Abergele: Study Mates Limited

Boud, D. and Walker, D. (1993) Barriers to reflection on experience. in D. Boud, R. Cohen, and D. Walker (Eds.) Using experience for learning. Buckingham: SRHE and Open University Press

Braun,V. and Clarke, C. ( 2006) Using thematic analysis in psychology. Qualitative Research in Psychology, 3, 77-101

Bruner, J. (1986) Actual minds, possible worlds. London: Harvard University Press

Bruner, J. (1987) Life as narrative. Social Research, 54, 1, 11-32

Bruner, J. (1990) Acts of meaning. London, Harvard University Press

Bruner, J. (1991) The narrative construction of reality. Critical Inquiry, 18, 1, 1-21

Chan, E. A. & Chung, L.Y.F. (2004) Teaching abstract concepts in contemporary nursing through spirituality. Reflective Practice, 5, 1, 125-132

Clough, P. and Nutbrown, C. (2007) A students guide to methodology. London: Sage

Cohen, L. Manion, L. and Morrison, K. (2000) Research methods in education. (5thed.) London: Routledge Falmer

Douglas, K. and Carless, D. (2009) Exploring taboo issues in professional sport through a fictional approach. Reflective Practice 10, 3, 311-323

Drever E. (2003) Using semi structured interviews in small scale research: A teacher’s guide. Glasgow: The Scottish Council for Research in Education

Frid, I., Öhlén, J. and Bergbom, I. (2000) On the use of narratives in nursing research. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 32, 3, 695-703

Fund, Z. Court, D. & Kramarski, B. 2002. Construction and application of an evaluation tool to assess reflection in teacher training courses. Assessment and evaluation in higher education. 27, pp.485-499

Gabriel, Y. (2000) Storytelling in organisations. Oxford, Oxford University Press

Gibbs, G. (1988) Learning by doing: a guide to teaching and learning methods. London, F.E.U

Gold, J. and Holman, D. (2001) Let me tell you a story: an evaluation of the use of storytelling and argument analysis in management education. Career Development International, 6, 7, 384-395

Harrison, K. (2009) Listen: this really happened: making sense of social work through story telling. Social Work Education, 28, 7, 750-764

Kolb, D. (1984) Experiential learning: experience as the source of learning and development. Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice Hall

Lieberman, M. (2007) Social cognitive neuroscience: A review of core processes. Annual Review of Psychology 22, 415-450

Marton, F. and Booth, S. (1997) Learning and awareness. Hillsdale N.J.: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates. Cited in: Moon, J. (2010) Using story in higher education and professional development. London: Routledge

McDrury, J. and Alterio, M. (2002) Learning through storytelling: Using reflection and experience in higher education contexts. Palmerston North New Zealand, The Dunmore Press

McEwan, H. and Egan, K. (1995) Narrative in teaching, learning and research. New York: Columbia University , New York Teachers College

Moon, J. and Fowler, J. (2008) There is a story to be told: A framework for the conception of story in higher education and professional development. Nurse Education Today, 28, 2, 232-239

Moon, J. (2010) Using story in higher education and professional development. London: Routledge

Morgaine, C. (1999) Alternative paradigms and professionalizing childhood care and education: the Oregon example. Child Youth Care Forum, 28, 5-19

Noddings, N. (1996) Stories and affect in teacher education. Cambridge Journal of Education 26, 3, 435-448

Nutbrown, C. (2012) Review of early education and child care qualifications: Interim report. London: Department of Education available from

www.education.gov.uk> [Accessed 1.6.2012]

Propp, V. (1968) Morphology of the folktale. Austin: University of Texas Press

Ricoeur, P. (1984) Time and narrative volume 1. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press

Ricoeur, P. (1990) Time and narrative volume 3. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press

Robson C. (2002) Real World Research: A resource for social scientists and practitioner researchers. (2nd ed.) Oxford: Blackwell

Saxe, R. and Wexler, A. (2005) Making sense of another mind: The role of the right tempero-parietal junction. Neuropsychologia, 43 , 1391-1399

Schank, R. (1995) Tell me a story. Evanston IL.: North Western University Press

Schein, E.H. (1987) Defining organizational culture. in J. Shafritz and S. Ott (Eds..) Classics of organizational theory (2nd ed.) Chicago: The Dorsey Press. Cited in Bellot, J. (2011) Defining and assessing organizational culture. Nursing forum 46, 1, 29-37

Schön, D. (1983) The reflective practitioner. San Francisco: Jossey Bass

Silverman, D. (2006) Doing qualitative research. 2nd ed. London, Sage Publications

Taylor, C. (2006) Narrating significant experience: Reflective accounts and the production of (self) knowledge. British Journal of Social Work. 36, 189-206

Taylor, S. Fisher, D. and Dufresne, R. (2002) The aesthetics of management storytelling. Management Learning, 33, 3, 313-330

Walliman, N. (2005) Your research project. (2nd ed.) London: Sage

Webster, L. and Mertova, P. (2007) Using narrative inquiry as a research method: an introduction to using critical event narrative analysis in research on learning and teaching. London: Routledge

White, J. (1991) War stories: invitations to reflect on practice. in: R. Tabachnick and K. Zeichner (Eds.) Issues and practices in inquiry orientated teacher education. London: Falmer Press

Wilkinson, D. (Ed.) (2000) The researcher’s toolkit: The complete guide to practitioner research. London: Routledge Falmer

Wooffitt, R. (1992) Telling tales of the unexpected: The organisation of factual discourse. Hemel Hempstead: Harvester Wheatsheaf

Yin R. (2003) Case study research design and methods. (3rd ed.) London: Sage

Downloads

Published

2015-08-17

How to Cite

Flanagan, S. (2015). How does storytelling within higher education contribute to the learning experience of early years students?. The Journal of Practice Teaching and Learning, 13(2-3), 162- 184. https://doi.org/10.1921/jpts.v13i2-3.822

Issue

Section

Articles
Received 2015-08-17
Accepted 2015-08-17
Published 2015-08-17