Eep! When I had to write a critical review early on in this course, one of the pointers given to us by a professor was to assess whether the research methodology was appropriate. I felt like quoting my younger son’s favourite expression: the what-now-who?

Then I learnt that I was going to have to adopt a research methodology of my own for my dissertation. Oh pants! How was I going to do that when I didn’t know what the blooming things are, let alone how they work? Well, gradually, things are becoming clearer. We do not yet have crystal, but we have moved away from mud!

We have spent time looking at each of a few different methodologies and exploring the extent to which they are practical (and even practicable) within the context of our situations. So I have diligently taken notes on positivism, interpretativism, case studies, interviews, personal construct psychology, experimental and quasi experimental design and observation. There are a few more methodologies to follow.

My current hot favourite thing at the moment, though, is Judith Bell’s book Doing your Research Project. I swear this book is going to save my hide. Not only does it have a lot to say about action research, it also has a lot of very accessible information about methodologies. I took the book with me on holiday recently (yeah, I know – it’s got sand in it, now!) and I found the section that will be the making of my dissertation, I reckon: Narrative inquiry and stories. I kid you not. Narrative. Stories. I can do that. I can so do that. I have done that all my life. I think in analogies and allegories. I have used them for 20 years as a teaching tool. I used to have my learners in stitches teaching absolute references in Excel by means of a story about ballet dancing toddlers. I am an (unpublished) author of several children’s stories and poems. My children used to beg me, “Read us a story out of your head, Mom!” Bell says: “narrative enquiry can involve reflective autobiography, life story or the inclusion of exerpts from participants’ stories.” I am a born story teller. And telling my own story, as I strive to improve my practice as a learning professional through the use of social media? Bring it on!

I read that section of Bell’s book on the plane going to Spain. The light went on for me. I read it again on the beach. The light stayed on. I know at least one person whose hair will stand on end if he has anything to do with a research project like this. I will just have to make sure that he doesn’t, I guess.