How do I contribute to the education of myself and others through ...

Sequence 1 Values in Education1.2 Methodology‘Without the freedom to innovate beyond the range of models provided bytraditional social science research or action research, the practitioners in ourgroup may have been less effective than they ultimately were in serving thegrowth of professional thought, subsequent professional actions or theresolution of professional conflicts through their research.’ (Dadds & Hart,2001, p. 166-167)Within this section I am embracing Dadds & Hart (2001) claims to supportmethodological inventiveness within practitioner research. I refer to my own livingeducational theory (Whitehead, 1989) in order to explain and clarify my meanings. Iembrace action research as a way of accounting for my educational influence. Forfurther clarification of these key aspects of this thesis, please refer to the separatechapters on each.My own methodology is linked in many ways to my framing of the thesis title. Mymethodology emerges through the living experiences that I have. My methodology isthe processes that I am going through in order to try and understand and answer theresearch questions established within this thesis. My methodology is relational andaims to collect data through understanding the individuals that have contributed tomy growing understanding of myself.My methodology is both complex and simple: it is easy to explain and very difficult. Itis emerging alongside my practice and is responsive to the needs of my practice. Mymethodology accounts for my lived practice and aims to help me account for theminor miracles of my own practice, as Eisner (1988) comments:‘We are beginning to ask ourselves how we can see and describe the minormiracles of stunning teaching instead of prescribing how teachers should goabout their work.’ (Eisner, 1988, p. 19)My methodology also reflects Winter’s (1998) suggestion that within action researchinquiries the focus changes and responds over time to the circumstances that theresearcher finds him or herself in. My methodology seems to exist beyond me: itseems to morph and become what I need it to become. I think of it as a helpful friendthat sits alongside me and guides me through this maze, helping me to make somekind of sense of what I experience. Through my methodology I am accounting for thechoices that I have made and how these choices have influenced the work that I44