Rational Reflection On Educational Narrative Research

As a new method of educational research, educational narrative research has been widely concerned since it came out in western countries in 1980s. At the end of 1990s, educational narrative research was introduced to China. It is combinated with the educational practice of nation and numerous products have been produced because of the teachers'professional development in the background of curriculum reform. It is necessary to handle coherently and reflect rationally for educational narrative research under the circumstances. On one hand, we can regard educational narrative research as a whole through coherent handle; on the other hand, we can look at it with more rational eyes through cautious reflection.In this paper, I try to figure out the basic questions of educational narrative research, including the definition, origination and course by analyzing theories. I will find out the problems existed in educational narrative research, revealing the causes and coming up with strategies to solve the problems by researching classical cases. I draw conclusions as followed through researching:Firstly, being a pattern by which human beings express their experience and being a tool of taking on meanings, narrative occupies an important position in human beings'life. Educational narrative research that derives from narrative begins with educational experience and stories. It shows the meanings and values of education by telling stories. Educational narrative research takes on a naturalism style, featuring with reflection, openness, explanations of meanings, and so on.Secondly, educational narrative research comes out in a special background. Postmodern philosophy, phenomenology, hermeneutics and narrative theory of literature are the theoretical bases of educational narrative research. The inner needs of educational research and teachers'professional development are the realistic causes from which educational narrative research is produced. Educational narrative research is widely applied in practice. There are three stages when it comes to practice. That is to confirm questions, collect materials and create narrative text.Thirdly, educational narrative research causes many problems because of the effects of the traditional thinking way, the reasons of method itself and subjective reasons of researchers. The main problems are lack of deep description and explanation, researchers'strong subjectivity and close. In order to solve the problems, researchers must have abroad horizon of across subjects, do researching in an open mind and reflect the method itself during the course of researching.Finally, educational narrative research has a big developing space. Being a research method, it will go along with the traditional method. Research codes and criteria norms will be more perfect. Qualitative research will be transcended. Grand narrative and experience narrative will equally talk with each other. Educational narrative research, as an expressing way, will show features of diversity and characterization on the influence of postmodern thinking. As a model of thinking, educational narrative research will take root in the field of education.