My Living Educational Theory Grounded In My Life:
How can I enable my communication through correspondence to be seen as
educational and worthy of presentation in its original form?
This thesis is submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements
of the University of Bath for the degree of Master of Arts
HILARY SHOBBROOK
ABSTRACT
In the process of writing, this dissertation has developed a dialogue which
goes some way towards explaining my own educational development. It thereby
reveals my living educational theory which is grounded in my own life. I
have engaged in dialectic enquiry which is progressed through ongoing dialogue
and represented mainly in the form of correspondence. In the course of my
dialogue, I have explored the possibility of using correspondence as a means
of educational research as well as a means of representing that research.
I have included the University criteria for judging a dissertation as a
subject of my debate in order to enable me to come to terms with such criteria
in the context of this account. I hold the view that my personal and professional
practice are inextricably linked to each other and to my life as a whole.
I therefore insist that my enquiry must be natural and authentic, and fit
in with my life. The result has been the discussion of the criteria within
the text of an informal letter.
My contribution to educational theory has been in my attempt to show you
my living educational theory grounded in my life. I have done this by providing
an example of the dialogue and dialectic that is part of my life and, within
this, explaining its centrality and value to me.
