Abstract
In this chapter, I play with Jacques Derrida’s discussion and use of the postcard, of envois, and take up Jasper Johns’ invitation to “Take an object, do something with it, and then do something else with it” as I share reflections on a research project that engaged children as researchers. I bring together multiple texts of the research space – anecdotal postcards to J (Jacques and Jasper), reflective musings, and theoretical marginalia – that at once inform and guide each other in conversation as I meditate on the role/s of the participatory researcher, the opening (and closing) of a reciprocally respectful research space, and deconstruction at work within curricular research and the curriculum of research.
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Notes
- 1.
Different fonts in the chapter denote different yet conversing texts. Postcards are written in Times, reflective musings are bolded in Book Antiqua, and theoretical marginalia are in American Typewriter.
- 2.
The Cool Researchers and participating students chose their own pseudonyms to protect confidentiality.
- 3.
EQAO assessments are large-scale standardized tests that are administered to Ontario students in grades 3, 6, and 9.
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Jagger, S. (2024). Postcards from the Field: Reflections on Being Participant/Researcher in Participatory Research. In: Trifonas, P.P., Jagger, S. (eds) Handbook of Curriculum Theory, Research, and Practice. Springer International Handbooks of Education. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-21155-3_58
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