Creative
Inquiry, Personal and Professional
Development
Co-Director of the Centre for Arts-Informed
Research
Research
Interests
I. AREAS OF PREPARATION/SPECIALIZATION:
Areas include:
- Qualitative
(especially ethnographic, life
history, autobiographical/auto-ethnographical
approaches) and arts-informed
research approaches (including
alternative processes and forms
of representation)
- Environmental,
experiential and outdoor education;
philosophy of outdoor education
- Educational/school
architecture and notions of space/place
and perspective/pedagogy
- Teacher
and professional education and
development (secondary school
emphasis and elementary/primary
and middle intermediate school
interests, with special attention
to mature, second-career individuals/adult
learners), including parental
educating roles (parents as teachers
as in home education), and non-formal
education
- Cultural (especially
historical and social) foundations
of education
- Alternative, non formal education theory and practice
II. RESEARCH FOCI:
Foci include:
Research into elements of humans'
experiences of teaching, learning,
and being in natural landscapes-with
a focus on environmental autobiographies/ecological
identities
Research into the socialization
of home-educating parents, instructional
and curricular issues in home schools,
educational empowerment issues within
less privileged home school families,
and links between home-educating
families and public/private schools
Research into preservice and
beginning teachers' induction, socialization,
and development, particularly through
frameworks which consider the influence
of biographies/personal histories
and personal narrative constructs
of experience
Research into programmatic aspects
of teacher and professional education,
particularly the place and role
of field experiences in preservice
teacher education, and collaborative/inquiry
approaches to professional development
Research into aspects of the teacher
education professoriate, particularly
the junior professoriate and the
institutional and programmatic contexts
in which university teacher educators
work. Associated with this is exploration
into my own practices as a teacher
educator
Research into the human animal bond especially as it relates to the ends of the spectrum of experience - older adults' well being and growth and children's learning
Research into pedagogies associated with non-profit and charitable organisations
Research into academic workplaces
Consulting
Am available for consulting in any of the areas noted above and am interested in collaborative research activities with community-based groups or individuals.
Recent Graduate Courses
AEC 1103H Introduction to Qualitative Research
Methods in Adult Education
AEC 1108H Adult Learning
AEC 1178H Practioner/Ecological
Identity and Reflexive Inquiry
AEC 3131H Special topics in Adult
Education: Home Education as an
Alternative to Public Education
AEC 3171H Perspectives on Qualitative Research
AEC 3176H Sense of Place in Professional and Natural Contexts
AEC 3177H Arts-Informed Perspectives in Educational Reserach
Select Publications Titles
Peer
Reviewed Books
Daghighi-Latham S. & Knowles, J. G. (Eds) (Forthcoming 2010). The arts in organisation research. Creative explorations of the workplace.
Cole, A. L.,
& Knowles, J. G. (2009). Researching teaching: Exploring
teacher development through reflexive
inquiry. Halifax, Nova Scotia: Backalong
Books. (220 p.)
Knowles, J. G., Cole, A. L., &
Promislow, S. (2008).
Creating scholartistry: Imagining
the arts-informed thesis or dissertation
(Vol. 4, Arts-informed Inquiry Series).
Halifax, Nova Scotia & Toronto,
Ontario: Backalong Books & Centre
for Arts-informed Research.
Knowles, J. G., & Cole, A. L.,
with Presswood, C. S. (2008). Through
preservice teachers' eyes: Exploring
field experiences through narrative
and inquiry. Halifax, Nova Scotia:
Backalong Books. (374 p.)
Knowles, J. G., & Cole, A. L.
(Eds.) (2008). Handbook of the arts
in qualitative research: Perspectives,
methodologies, examples, and issues.
Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.
(800 p.)
Knowles, J. G., Luciani, T. , Cole,
A. L., & Neilsen, L. (Eds.)
(2007). The art of visual inquiry
(Vol. 3, Arts-informed Inquiry Series).
Halifax, Nova Scotia & Toronto,
Ontario: Backalong Books & Centre
for Arts-informed Research. (346
p.)
Cole, A. L., Neilsen, L., Knowles,
J. G., & Luciani, T. (Eds.)
(2004). Provoked by art: Theorizing
arts-informed research (Vol. 2,
Arts-informed Inquiry Series). Halifax,
Nova Scotia & Toronto, Ontario:
Backalong Books & Centre for
Arts-informed Research. (272 p.)
Neilsen, L., Cole, A. L., &
Knowles, J. G. (Eds.) (2001). The
art of writing inquiry (Vol. 1,
Arts-informed Inquiry Series). Halifax,
Nova Scotia & Toronto, Ontario:
Backalong Books & Centre for
Arts-informed Research. (312 p.)
Cole, A. L., & Knowles, J. G.
(2001). Lives in context: The art
of life history research. Walnut
Creek, CA: AltaMira Press. (262
p.)
Cole, A. L., & Knowles, J. G.
(2000). Researching Teaching: Exploring
teacher development through reflexive
inquiry. New York, NY: Allyn &
Bacon. (220 p.)
Cole, A. L., Elijah, R., & Knowles,
J. G. (Eds.) (1998). The heart of
the matter: Teacher educators and
teacher education reform. San Francisco,
CA: Caddo Gap Press. (496 p.)
Mayberry, M., Knowles, J. G., Ray,
B. D., & Marlow, S. E. (1995).
Home Schooling: Parents as Educators.
Beverly Hills, CA: Corwin Press
/ Sage Publications. (120 p.)
Knowles, J. G., & Cole, A. L.,
with Presswood, C. S. (1994). Through
preservice teachers' eyes: Exploring
field experiences through narrative
and inquiry. New York, NY: Merrill.
(374 p.)
Bullough, Jr., R. V., Knowles, J.
G., & Crow, N. A. (1991). Emerging
as a teacher. London, UK, &
New York, NY: Routledge. (224 p.)
Peer
Reviewed Books Translated
Mayberry, M.,
Knowles, J. G., Ray, B. D., &
Marlow, S. E. (2000, translated
into Japanese). Home Schooling:
Parents as Educators. Toyko, Japan:
Toshindo Publishing Co. Ltd. (170
p.)
Peer
Reviewed / Juried Chapters in Books
Knowles, J. G., & Cole, A. L.
(2009). Arts-informed
research. In L. Given (Ed.), The
Sage encyclopedia of qualitative
research methods. Thousand Oaks,
CA: Sage Publications.
Knowles, J. G., & Promislow,
S. (2008). Inspiration
to begin imagining inquiry: An invitation
and an introduction. In J. G. Knowles,
S. Promislow, & A. L. Cole,
(Eds.), Creating scholartistry:
Imagining the arts-informed thesis
or dissertation (Vol. 4, Arts-informed
Inquiry Series). Halifax, Nova Scotia
& Toronto, Ontario: Backalong
Books & Centre for Arts-informed
Research.
Sameshima, P., & Knowles, J.
G. (2008). Into artfulness:
Being grounded but not bounded.
In J. G. Knowles, S. Promislow,
& A. L. Cole, (Eds.), Creating
scholartistry: Imagining the arts-informed
thesis or dissertation (Vol. 4,
Arts-informed Inquiry Series). Halifax,
Nova Scotia & Toronto, Ontario:
Backalong Books & Centre for
Arts-informed Research.
Cole, A. L., & Knowles, J. G.
(2008). Preface. In J. G. Knowles
& A. L. Cole (Eds.), Handbook
of the arts in qualitative research:
Perspectives, methodologies, examples,
and issues (pp. xi-xvii). Thousand
Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.
Cole, A. L., & Knowles, J. G.
(2008). Arts-informed research.
In J. G. Knowles & A. L. Cole
(Eds.), Handbook of the arts in
qualitative research: Perspectives,
methodologies, examples, and issues
(pp. 55-70). Thousand Oaks, CA:
Sage Publications.
Knowles, J. G. & Promislow,
S. (2008). Using an arts methodology
to create a thesis or dissertation
development. In J. G. Knowles &
A. L. Cole (Eds.), Handbook of the
arts in qualitative research: Perspectives,
methodologies, examples, and issues
(pp. 511-525). Thousand Oaks, CA:
Sage Publications.
Knowles, J. G., & Luciani, T.
(2007). The art of imagining the
place of the visual arts in qualitative
Inquiry: An introduction. In J.
G. Knowles, T. Luciani, & A.
L. Cole (Eds.). The art of visual
inquiry (Vol. 3, Arts-informed Inquiry
Series) (pp. ix-xvi). Halifax, Nova
Scotia & Toronto, Ontario: Backalong
Books & Centre for Arts-informed
Research.
Sameshima, P., Sbrocchi, S., &
Knowles, J. G. (2007). Viewing the
Visual in Theses and Dissertations.
In J. G. Knowles, T. Luciani, &
A. L. Cole (Eds.). The art of visual
inquiry (Vol. 3, Arts-informed Inquiry
Series) (pp. 327-346). Halifax,
Nova Scotia & Toronto, Ontario:
Backalong Books & Centre for
Arts-informed Research.
Knowles, J. G. (2004). Constraining
mother: Corsetry, control, and comfort.
In S. Weber & C Mitchell (Eds.),
Not just any dress: Explorations
of dress, identity, and the body
(pp. 145-155). New York, NY: Peter
Lang.
Knowles, J. G., & Cole, A. L.
(2004). Research, practice, and
academia in North America. In J.
Loughlan, M. L. Hamilton, V. LaBoski,
& T. Russell (Eds.), The international
handbook of self-study of teaching
and teacher education practices
(pp. 451-482). New York, NY: Kluwer
Press
Knowles, J. G., & Thomas, S.
(2002). Artistry, inquiry and sense-of-place:
Secondary school students portraying
self-in-context. In C. Bagley &
M. B. Cancienne (Eds.), Dancing
the data (pp. 121-132) (a volume
in the Leslie College Arts and Learning
Series). New York, NY: Peter Lang
Publisher.
Knowles, J. G., & A. L. Cole
(2002). Transforming research: Possibilities
for arts informed scholarship? In
E. O'Sullivan, M. O'Conner, &
A. Morrell (Eds.) Expanding the
boundaries of transformative learning
(pp. 199-214), New York, NY: Palgrave.
Cole, A. L., & Knowles, J. G.
(2001). Qualities of inquiry: Process,
form, and 'goodness'. In L. Neilsen,
A. L. Cole, & J. G Knowles (Eds.)
(2001), The art of writing inquiry
(pp. 211-219). Halifax, Nova Scotia
& Toronto, Ontario: Backalong
Books & Centre for Arts-informed
Research.
Knowles, J. G (2001). Writing place,
wondering pedagogy. In L. Neilsen,
A. L. Cole, & J. G Knowles (Eds.)
(2001), The art of writing inquiry
(pp. 89-99). Halifax, Nova Scotia
& Toronto, Ontario: Backalong
Books & Centre for Arts-informed
Research.
Knowles, J. G., & Thomas, S
(2001). Insights and inspiration
from artist's work, envisioning
and portraying lives-in-context.
In Cole, A. L., & Knowles, J.
G., Researching lives in context:
The art of life history research
(pp. 208-214). Walnut Creek, CA:
AltaMira Press.
Knowles, J. G. (2001). Responsibilities
to community: Relationality and
mutuality with home-educating families.
In Cole, A. L., & Knowles, J.
G., Lives in context: The art of
life history research (pp. 137-144).
Walnut Creek, CA: AltaMira Press
Knowles, J. G. (2001). Endings,
writing the professor: Thomas. In
Cole, A. L., & Knowles, J. G.,
Lives in context: The art of life
history research (pp. 230-232).
Walnut Creek, CA: AltaMira Press
Knowles, J. G. (2001). Beginnings,
researching the professor: Thomas.
In Cole, A. L., & Knowles, J.
G., Researching lives in context:
The art of life history research
(pp. 1-5). Walnut Creek, CA: AltaMira
Press
Knowles, J. G. (1999). Looking back
on "getting out": Exit
and epiphany. In A. Neilsen (Ed.),
Daily meaning: Counter narratives
of teaching (pp. 119-133). Mill
Bay, British Columbia: Bendall Books.
Knowles, J. G., & Cole, A. L.
(1998). Setting and defining the
context. In Cole, A. L., Elijah,
R., & Knowles, J. G. (Eds.)
The heart of the matter: Teacher
educators and teacher education
reform (pp. 15-36). San Francisco,
CA: Caddo Gap Press.
Cole, A. L., & Knowles, J. G.
(1998). Reforming teacher education
through self-study. In Cole, A.
L., Elijah, R., & Knowles, J.
G. (Eds.) The heart of the matter:
Teacher educators and teacher education
reform (pp. 41-54). San Francisco,
CA: Caddo Gap Press.
Knowles, J. G., & Cole, A. L.
(1998). Reform and "Being true
to oneself:" Pedagogy, professional
practice, and the promotional process.
In Cole, A .L., Elijah, R., &
Knowles, J. G. (Eds.) The heart
of the matter: Teacher education
reform prospects (pp. 353-376).
San Francisco, CA: Caddo Gap Press.
Knowles, J. G. (1998). Home education:
Personal histories. In M. L. Fuller
& G. Olsen, (Eds.), Home-school
relations (pp. 302-330). New York,
NY: Allyn and Bacon.
Cole, A. L. & Knowles (1998).
The politics of epistemology and
the self-study of teacher education
practices. In Hamilton, M. L. (Ed.)
Reconceptualizing teacher education
(pp. 224-234). Washington DC: Falmer
Press.
Cole, A. L., & Knowles, J. G.
(1997). The role of inquiry in field
experiences within teacher preparation.
In Pirjo Nuutinen (Ed.) Tutkiva
Opettaja Kokemuksista Pedagogiikaksi/Researching
teaching (pp. 28-34). Joensuu, Finland:
University of Joensuu, Faculty of
Education.
Cole, A. L. & Knowles, J. G.
(in press, 1997). Teacher education:
Toward an inquiry orientation. In
A. Reali & G. Mizukami (Eds.)
Teacher Education in Brazil: Current
trends. Sao Carlos, Brazil: Federal
University of Sao Carlos.
Cole, A. L. & Knowles (1996).
The politics of epistemology and
the self-study of teacher education
practices. In the Proceedings of
The First International Conference
on Self-study of teacher Education
Practices (pp. 67-73). Self-study
of Teacher Education Practices Special
Interest group of the American Educational
Research Association with the assistance
of Queens University, Kingston,
Ontario.
Knowles, J. G., & Cole, A. L.
(1996). Developing practice through
field experience. In F. Murray (Ed.)
The teacher educator's handbook:
Building a knowledge base for the
preparation of teachers (pp. 648-688).
San Francisco, CA: Jossy Bass, Committee
on the Professional Knowledge Base,
American Association of Colleges
for Teacher Education.
Knowles, J. G., & Hoefler, V.
B. (1995). The student teacher who
wouldn't go away: Learning from
failure. In R. J. Kraft & J.
Kielsmeier (Eds.), Experiential
learning: In schools and higher
education (pp. 337-346). Boulder,
CO, & Dubuque, IA: Association
for Experiential Education &
Kendall / Hunt Publishing Co.
Cole, A. L., & Knowles, J. G.
(1995). Extending boundaries: Narratives
on exchange. R. Josselson &
A. Lieblich (Eds.) Interpreting
experience: The narrative study
of lives, (Volume 3) (pp. 205-251).
Sage Publications: Thousand Oaks,
CA. (Also listed as peer-reviewed
journal article.)
Cole, A. L., & Knowles, J. G.
(1995). Teacher development research:
A focus on methods and issues. In
S. Majhanovich (Ed.), Reforming
teacher education: Problems and
prospects (pp. 129-151). London,
Ontario: The Althouse Press, University
of Western Ontario.
Cole, A. L., & Knowles, J. G.
(1995). Methods and issues in a
life history approach to self-study.
In F. Korthagen & T. Russell
(Eds.), Teachers who teach teachers:
Reflections on teacher education
(pp. 130-151). London, UK: Falmer
Press.
Knowles, J. G., & Cole, A. L.
(1995). Writings about writing.
In F. Korthagen & T. Russell
(Eds.), Teachers who teach teachers:
Reflections on teacher education
(pp. 71-84). London, UK: Falmer
Press.
Cole, A. L., & Knowles, J. G.
(1995). Crossing boarders for teacher
development: Narratives of exchange
teachers. D. Thomas (Ed.), Teachers’
stories: Narratives of teacher development
(pp. 121-151). Buckingham, UK: Open
University Press.
Knowles, J. G. (1993). Life history
accounts as mirrors: A practical
avenue for the conceptualization
of reflection in teacher education.
In J. Calderhead & P. Gates
(Eds.), Conceptualizing reflection
in teacher development (pp. 70-92).
London, UK: Falmer Press.
Knowles, J. G. (1992). Models for
understanding preservice and beginning
teachers' biographies: Illustrations
from case studies. In I. F. Goodson
(Ed.), Studying teachers’
lives (pp. 99-152). London, UK,
& New York, NY: Routledge.
Theses Completions
As of 2010, 38 Doctoral students have completed their theses under my direct supervision. Of these, more than one third used an arts informed research perspective. In total I have served on over 90 thesis committees.
Supervision
I welcome inquiries about supervision from existing University of Toronto graduate students and potential applicants. I am particularly interested in working with thesis researchers who have grounded connections with one or more of my research or specialization interests and are willing to push the envelope with respect to the inquiry process and the representational forms that their work may exhibit. Creative expressions of the researching enterprise are highly valued by me. Feel free to submit to me ideas for research projects along with a recent CV and perhaps one example of artistic and/or written work.
I welcome requests to serve on supervisory committees in other institutions and regularly serve as an external reviewer of graduate thesis research completed at other institutions. I also welcome opportunities to mentor new and emerging scholars/researchers/academics who are situated at the University of Toronto and other institutions. I am particularly interested in the intersections of research and teaching practice and the ways that alternative (arts-related) orientations to research play out in professional lives. |
