Dr. Keith S. Taber
Publication:
Taber, K. S. & Student, T. A. (2003)
How was it for you?: the dialogue between researcher and colearner
Westminster Studies in Education, 26 (1), pp.33-44.
Abstract:
Detailed enquiry into the learning process requires in-depth case
studies of individual learners, which involves the 'subjects' in considerable
time commitments, and the risk of exposing their personal limitations as learners.
Case studies into learning can be informative for the researcher, but could
also be threatening to the researched. The present article considers a research
project where a key principle was that the 'research subjects' should feel
that they were benefiting from being involved in the research. The students
who committed time to the project were considered to be colearners. The core
of the article is a dialogue constructed around one colearner's comments,
as a narrative device to illustrate the frustrations and rewards of being
the 'subject' of the research process. The extent to which the composed text
can be considered to represent the authentic voice of the colearner is discussed.