Life History Collage as a Method to Explore Learning, Knowing, and Meaning

• In Event: Roundtable Session 57
  In Roundtable Session: Making Meaning Together: Unraveling the Research Value of Thinking Through Art Making

Abstract

This paper advances a novel qualitative research approach using life history collage. Rather that utilizing an interview protocol to enter into a participant’s story, life history collage invites participants to create a longitudinal collage of significant life events around a theme such as learning, relationships, or identity. The longitudinal nature of the collage situates and prioritizes significant life events with images, words and elements chosen to represent events and circumstances. Each image within the collage contains rich and nuanced storylines that invite exploration by both researcher and participant. Meanings and subtexts are revealed as participants describe their collage and the choices they made regarding image and representation.

Author

• Susan Seymour, Utah Valley University