Abstract

 This essay argues for narrative competence as an underlying skill neglected in educational policy makers’ calls for enhanced literacy through improved reading, writing, numeracy and working with digital technology. This argument is presented in three parts. First, a genealogy of the narrative is presented by looking at understandings of narratives with respect to changes in technology and socio-cultural relations. Three technological forms of the narrative are examined: the oral, written and image based narrative. Second, revisiting Bernstein, narrative competency is connected to pedagogic practice. The focus is upon code recognition and the rhythm of narrative in a classroom context. Third, a proposal is made to develop narrative competence as a research programme capable of exploring literacy in an age of open learning. The core assertion of this essay is that when narrative is understood in a multi-directional, multi-voiced and multi-punctual sense, opportunities are created for a pedagogic practice that is in tune with the demands placed upon youth and their relationship to changing technologies. This makes the exploration of connections between narrative competence, pedagogic practice and technology the central focus of this essay.
Highlights
It is not uncommon for educationalist policy makers to claim legitimacy for their work by connecting it with the desire to enhance literacy through learning and acquiring specific skills and competencies
The argument made has been that if this understanding of narrative is combined with an awareness of changing technology and socio-cultural relations, it will be possible to re-conceptualise literacy
Normally understood to include reading, writing, oral expression and numeracy, as well as the use of digital technology will be re-positioned to rest upon a competence in narratives
Summary
It is not uncommon for educationalist policy makers to claim legitimacy for their work by connecting it with the desire to enhance literacy through learning and acquiring specific skills and competencies. Seminar.net - International journal of media, technology and lifelong learning Vol 1 – Issue 2 – 2005 have been formulated.’ If this is the case, it will mean that learning to identify, understand, interpret, create and communicate narratives with plots, that are, as I shall argue, potentially multi-accented, multi-directional and multipunctual will be essential to an enhancement of literacy. It is important to note in defining narrative competency in terms of identifying, understanding, interpreting, creating and communicating plots, my position is closer to the one proposed by Fisher (1987: 65, 75, 115-116) He argued that all humans acquire narrative competence in the course of socialization (becoming a ‘universal faculty and experience’), but that it entails forms of argumentative rationality. My final goal is to propose a research program capable of exploring and elaborating narrative competence (Part III)
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