Abstract

Photography can be applied to life stories, making photographs a way to trace self in the world. In this case study, we explore Jade’s autobiographical inquiry and investigate the visual expressions she created in an introductory photography course. Jade’s story brings us into conversation about issues of childhood sexual abuse, and while her photographs do not recreate events, her compositions represent her ongoing self-reflection. Jade demonstrates through pinhole photography the transformative shifts possible in the postsecondary classroom: How students can move from storying to becoming; and how students find ways into experiences that move from silence and the deeply private to voicing in public forums through visual expressions. The complexity of her art and life writing remind us as educators that inquiry into the everyday lived experiences of students can help reform understandings of teaching and learning.

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