Adapting to the digital age: a narrative approach

Abstract

The article adopts a narrative inquiry approach to foreground informal learning and exposes a collection of stories from tutors about how they adapted comfortably to the digital age. We were concerned that despite substantial evidence that bringing about changes in pedagogic practices can be difficult, there is a gap in convincing approaches to help in this respect. In this context, this project takes a “bottom-up” approach and synthesises several life-stories into a single persuasive narrative to support the process of adapting to digital change. The project foregrounds the small, every-day motivating moments, cultural features and environmental factors in people's diverse lives which may have contributed to their positive dispositions towards change in relation to technology enhanced learning. We expect that such narrative approaches could serve to support colleagues in other institutions to warm up to ever-changing technological advances

Using social media to support teaching and learning in higher education: an analysis of personal narratives

“…Although the previously mentioned studies for investigating SM used many different research approaches, narratives are not often encountered. One of the studies (Cousins and Bissar 2012) revealed the reflections on experiences of lecturers using the digital technology. This was performed by listening to the referred lecturers' life stories.…”

A Narrative Research Approach: The Experiences of Social Media Support in Higher Education

“…We believe that while there is an intensive use of Web 2.0 and social media in education especially in higher education, there is a need to discover and understand lecturers' stories regarding integration of social media into their way of teaching and their students learning outside the classroom walls. One such research conducted [15] aimed to understand faculty reflections during the process of adapting digital technologies by listening to their life stories.…”

Creative practices: thinking and thriving together

“…In narrative forms, educators can creatively probe their practice, their commonalities, and differences in a deeper way (Langer, 2016). By telling stories, academics might reflect on their teaching and attitudes to educational technology (Cousins & Bissar, 2012). The process of creating a shared account of work encourages creativity, but also collegiality and community (Vallis & Lopomo Beteto, in press).…”