Coming to a Better Understanding of Educative Relations through Learning from Individuals' Representations of their Action Research

Abstract

In this paper I develop a theoretical perspective about educative relations based on an analysis of my personal response to the different forms of its representation in the research accounts of four student-collaborators. By 'form of representation' I mean a dynamic way of presenting the meaning of one's research that makes it possible to admit the 'struggle' of learning. It has two components: an intra-subjective dialectic and an intersubjective dialectic. The intra-subjective dialectic is the process through which ones own understanding is transformed as one engages in the struggle to represent what one meansin a lesson plan, a reflective diary, a research report, a fictionalised story, a rich picture, a drama, an interview-the number of different forms of representation is unlimited. The inter-subjective dialectic is an engagement with the imagined or actual responses of others, so that the 'struggle' is transformed into 'argument'. I use a reflective, self study method located within an action research perspective. The paper is intended to show both the 'intra' and 'inter' subjectivity of my own learning as I try to represent my developing personal meaning of educative relation that is stimulated by the ways in which others have represented theirs. My student-collaborators are engaged in individual inquiries that are remarkable for showing educative relation through original and unique forms of representation. I have chosen to pick out Victoria Perselli's moral dilemma, Madeleine Mohammed's cameo of her educational emotional awareness, Zoe Parker's autobiography of her learning, and Kay Johnson's capacity to relate to others as one of many 'players'. The paper concludes with a discussion of educative relation, the promise of new forms of representation, and reflective practice, action research and self study.