Paradoxes of the narrative method in researching learning in situ

Abstract

Scientific interest in everyday learning, or learning in situ, has been growing in the last twenty years, and so new research methods have been developed implicitly. This paper presents the importance of biographical and narrative methods in the research of everyday learning. The life story narratives are analysed and the usefulness and heterogeneousness of the narrative method are demonstrated. Special attention is paid to the sensibility, sympathetic listening, and empowerment of the narrator. The narrative method makes it possible to explore experiences and reflexive meaning making.  It seems easy to use, but during the research process the researcher has met with many paradoxes, which he deals with in the last part of the paper.