This paper seeks to challenge the rhetoric of deficit that surrounds Atlantic Canada by employing an appreciative approach and discussing one key Atlantic Canadian, Rev. Moses M. Coady, adult educator and the founder of the Antigonish Movement. Coady's work was grounded in the Atlantic region, and his message of cooperation, community, and…

Life history or biographical approaches to research in lifelong learning may be particularly useful for researchers working from a social purpose and/or feminist perspective. Adult educators working from an emancipatory framework are often curious about factors that shape people's lives, both from an individualistic, biographical perspective and…

This article explores details of research that examined how the personal backgrounds of educators connected with organizational contexts to inform teacher practice within the area of adult English language teaching. Using life history as a research methodology and basing research on a framework of teacher authenticity, the primary goal of this…

All "friluftsliv," or "open-air living," is to some degree a "quest." This certainly applies to paddling the big, open waters, although William James (1981) originally used the term to deepen the understanding of the Canadian soul during expeditionary travel on the great northern rivers. James was inspired in his task…

Purpose: The paper aims to explore the emotion learning experiences of some Chinese immigrants in Canadian engineering workplaces. Design/methodology/approach: The paper is based on life history style interviews with 14 Chinese immigrant engineers and 14 key informant interviews. Findings: Research respondents constructed a competitive, masculine,…

This self-reflexive personal narrative charts the autoethnographic journey of an adult educator, exploring her own practices, values and beliefs about teaching. Drawing upon postmodern scholarship in reflexive literary methodologies, the author uses personal memoirs as a research text for engaging in a process of interpretation and…

Purpose: This paper discusses insights from a study of women working, or seeking or preparing for work, in the information technology (IT) field. At issue is how and whether alternative career pathways and informally acquired skills and knowledge, as well as the operation of gender in learning and work, are acknowledged by employers, colleagues…

Increasingly, urban and rural centers in Canada are receiving immigrants and refugees from countries affected by war. While it is important not to pathologize the effects that war and other catastrophes may have on individuals, it is also vital not to underestimate their impact on the ability of individuals to adjust to life in a new society. The…