In the literature review I summarize some of the work already undertaken in fields that are relevant to this research. The section explores communication theory, learning theory, and the use of narratives in adult education.
In the methods section, I discuss how I collected the data to answer the research question, What happens when the use of student narrative is introduced into an upgrading English classroom? I describe the participants, the technique itself, how the data was collected and analyzed, and ethical considerations.
The data analysis section is divided into three chapters. In the first one, I look at how the use of students’ personal narratives enhanced their learning of course content. In the second chapter, I look at how the use of this technique enhanced student engagement with one another and with the course itself. In the final chapter of the data analysis section, I examine the sense of classroom community that developed as a result of using students’ personal narratives.
In the last section, I conclude with recommendations and further questions.