The transforming power of narrative in teacher education

The focus of this study is to examine pre-service teachers’ experiences of learning through narrative inquiry that gives insight into how teachers’ development and knowledge construction can be improved. The article begins by inquiring into the learning culture in the Hong Kong context and explaining how the examination system affects knowledge construction. Then it discusses the use of narrative curricula to promote students' thinking and self-reflection. A case, explored through a teacher educator's interpretations of experience, is presented to demonstrate how narrative inquiry is able to change the learning habits of pre-service teachers and what it can do to transform them into active learners. This article argues that narrative inquiry method with its constructivist stance, offering opportunities for students to make sense from their past experiences can facilitate change and learning. Copyright © 2012 Edith Cowan University.