Content area
Full Text
Abstract
This article focuses on the significance and the value of Bruner's narrative theory and its educational meaning since the theory of the structure of knowledge. Culturalism theory as new narrative theory based on the narrative mode of thought is highly appreciated as a model of teaching and learning. And the nature of narrative inquiry is discussed in view of a new mode of a curriculum research. Especially the meaning of narrative, the selection, and the organization of curriculum are analyzed in terms of various educational dimensions.
Key Words: narrative, narrative mode of thought, culturalism theory, cultural psychology, story making, curriculum theory
1. Narrative Mode of Thought and Its value
In Bruner's new educational theory, the key concept is narrative mode of thought. He explains its characteristics in comparison with the paradigmatic mode of thought. Narrative is a story or an account of an event in the stream of time. Narrative is composed of a series of events and sequence. Thus, narrative is featured by both the sequence of events and the story that those series of events produce. One notable thing is that stories can be interpreted in numeral ways unless they are explained. Unlike verified scientific theory or argumentation, stories are proved to be appropriate by 'likelihood'. Those stories focus on the intentional actions performed by human 'agents' rather than focus on physical world. Since those human actions are hard to predict, it is impossible to make a specific explanation of the intention behind those actions (Kang, 1998: 116-118).
Bruner (1985; 1986; 1987; 1996) premises two sets of thought mode while discussing on narrative mode of thought; paradigmatic mode of thought and narrative mode of thought. The mode of thought is not only a cognitive function, but a method to construct human experiences or phenomena. The former, structured as logical statements, is scientific knowledge with a causal relationship. Whereas the latter, structured as stories, is arbitrary and illogical. Humans have differently developed their experiences with their surroundings within different cultural bases. The former mode aims for explanation. The latter pursues interpretation, which requires understanding. Explanation premises causal existence and can physically be verified. As for the narrative mode of thought, however, seemingly existing meanings are judged by circumstantial relevance or probability. In...