Researcher and experiences of adults in biographical research – based on andragogical projects

ABSTRACT

On examining today’s research practices in the area of social sciences, one can perceive a distinct interest in biography. Observation of the lives of individuals, (re)cognising social micro worlds from the perspective of individual biographies, and analysis of – and searching for – meanings of individual life experiences are subjects of great interest as well as confidence among researchers. It is also noticeable that researchers, with even greater attention and concern, are turning their attention to the methodological legitimacy and correctness of the projects they undertake. This is especially important when there is a necessity to problematize and further specify the methodological identity of the biographical approach. The article is a contribution to the discussion concerning the nature and types of so-called biographical research conducted in the area of andragogy – which may adopt at least three differing forms: biographical, auto/biographical and autobiographical approaches.

It is also our intention to reflect on the research process as a learning process, experienced by the researcher-andragogue. These reflections are based on the individual experiences of researchers acquired during the Microworlds of motherhood and Life between the notes projects, in which the biographical and auto/biographical approach was applied.

KEYWORDS:

• Biographical research
• autobiographical research
• auto/biographical research
• qualitative research
• non-formal learning

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes

1. Materials regarding this cognitive activity can be found on: http://www.music.edu.pl/.

2. Materials from the Pryszmont-Ciesielska’s projects can be found on: http://mikroswiaty.enda.pl.

3. ‘The philosophical workshop of researcher’ is formed by the selected types of learner’s (self)knowledge: researcher’s intellectual conditions (ontological, anthropological, epistemological assumptions), researcher’s axiological conditions (researcher’s world of values, respondents’ world of values, ethics of the research), researcher’s autobiographical conditions (Pryszmont-Ciesielska, 2008).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Joanna Anna Golonka-Legut

Joanna Anna Golonka-Legut, PhD, graduate of the University of Wroclaw; works in the Adult Education Department at the Institute of Pedagogy at the Faculty of Historical and Pedagogical Sciences; member of the Andragogical Academic Society. Scientific interests: andragogy and adult education, informal learning, biographical learning, pop culture and popular music as an area of informal learning of adults, music-inspired reflection on adulthood, methodology of social research, qualitative research including the biographical approach.

Martyna Pryszmont-Ciesielska

Martyna Pryszmont-Ciesielska, PhD, graduate of the University of Wroclaw; works in the Adult Education Department at the Institute of Pedagogy at the Faculty of Historical and Pedagogical Sciences; member of the Andragogical Academic Society. Scientific interests: andragogy and informal adult education; methodology of social research, qualitative research including the auto/biographical approach, research using art, performative ethnography and research strategies with photography.