Abstract
This thesis is about facilitating experiential research (Heron J, 1981a) projects with young people in a college of further education. The author is a teacher responsible for the delivery and assessment of Personal and Social Development and Core Skills programmes on youth training and vocational education courses. The work describes an initial attempt to humanise the craft curriculum by using quantitative and qualitative research methods. The book Human Inquiry (Reason P. and Rowan J. eds, 1981) became an inspirational source book for doing research with students rather than on them. The main focus of the thesis describes and evaluates the author's attempts to undertake experiential inquiry using a customised vehicle called the co-operative experiential assignment. A manual and work book was devised over time to help the teacher and students manage this process. The 11 case studies featured in the dissertation highlight the positive outcomes and areas of concern in utilising experiential assignment work as a learning and personal development process. The study findings are analysed on 3 main fronts. First, from the perspective of the author as teacher/researcher/person - ME-SEARCH. Secondly, from the perspective of teacher and student engaged in mutual inquiry - WE-SEARCH. Thirdly, the potential importance of the findings to the wider academic community is discussed under the umbrella term - RE-SEARCH. Holistic models of the case studies are presented using an analytical method called Dynamic Conceptual Analysis (Kontiainen, 1991). The thesis concludes that experiential research in the form of a competently facilitated co-operative experiential assignment offers a coherent and innovative educational methodology and practice. Recommendations are made to continue embedding experiential inquiry within a wider programme of course team and organisational development.