HISTORICAL FICTION AND BOOK CLUBS AS CRITICAL PUBLIC PEDAGOGY: A QUALITATIVE STUDY OF ADULTS RE- LEARNING HISTORY
Open Access
- Author:
- Heiserman, Janelle
- Graduate Program:
- Adult Education
- Degree:
- Doctor of Education
- Document Type:
- Dissertation
- Date of Defense:
- March 13, 2019
- Committee Members:
- Dr. Elizabeth Tisdell, Dissertation Advisor/Co-Advisor
Dr. Elizabeth Tisdell, Committee Chair/Co-Chair
Dr. Felicia Brown-Haywood, Committee Member
Dr. David Witwer, Committee Member
Dr. Karin Sprow-Forte, Outside Member - Keywords:
- historical fiction
critical public pedagogy
non-formal learning
adult education
book clubs
historical education
adult historical education
re-teaching history
critical historical fiction
critical history
teaching history critically - Abstract:
- The purpose of this qualitative research study is to explore how readers of critical historical fiction who participate in book groups or online reading forums perceive that the literature and the discussion of it has affected their learning and reshaped their historical understanding. In particular, the study focused on participants reading and discussing Ken Follett’s The Century Trilogy. This study was grounded in two theoretical frameworks related to adult learning: critical public pedagogy and non-formal learning. The methodology of this study included 16 interview participants, chosen through purposeful criteria, of having both read The Century Trilogy and discussed it in a face-to-face or online book groups. Documents from a sample of goodreads.com online discussion forums were also a source of data. Data was analyzed by using the constant comparative method. The findings of the study were grouped into two main areas: findings in connection to the literature, and findings relating to new learning and further curiosity. Findings in connection to the literature centered on to the learning resulting from emotional reactions and new information about historical events, as well as emotional connections to characters. Findings relating to new learning and further curiosity center on the fact that readers: sought out further knowledge through fact checking and further references, made connections between historical events and current events, and engaged in further learning through critical dialogue in book groups, including recognizing the liberal perspective and some historical omission of the author. They did come to a new and more critical understanding of history from reading and discussing these books. This study concludes with a discussion of the findings in light of the theoretical frameworks; critical public pedagogy and non-formal learning. It also discusses the limitations and offers suggestions for further research and offers implications for adult education practice.