On July 3-4 2007, the Centre for Visual Methodologies and Social Change hosted an interdisciplinary symposium on self-study in teaching, learning and researching for social change. The symposium was held in Durban at the Campbell Collections. Presenters came from Christopher Nxumalo Primary School, the Durban University of Technology, the Family Literacy Project, Isibonelo Secondary School, McGill University, the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Education, the University of KwaZulu-Natal, and the University of Technology, Sydney. This two-day symposium explored the practice of self-study in teaching, learning and researching for social change. Although self-study has longstanding philosophical antecedents, it has only fairly recently begun to take shape as a distinct movement in the social sciences. Presenters looked at the practice of self study across disciplines, in a variety of genres (such as visual and arts-based inquiry, participatory research, practitioner inquiry, action research, narrative inquiry, auto-ethnography, life history and oral history) and by a range of individuals and groups (including teachers, health-care workers, students, activists, community workers, academics, researchers and policy-makers) that are interested in working for social change. The themes of the presentations included self-studies of teachers and teacher educators, researching self and taboo/sensitive subjects, and bringing awareness of self to teaching and learning. There were a range of presentation media, including performance, film, and visual arts.

Some of the presenters’ comments on the symposium were:

Thanks for the privilege of participating in what was a great conference! -- Peter Aubusson, University of Technology, Sydney

The symposium provided a relaxed and safe atmosphere where we could openly, freely and confidently share our experiences. The array of presentations, from descriptive to critical were very well presented. I particularly enjoyed the varied formats and structure that each individual decided to use....somehow linked to who they are as people and their experiences...the staid structure was removed...great! – Angela James, University of KwaZulu-Natal

The symposium was exciting and educational. I learnt so much from different presentations. As a novice, this symposium whetted my appetite. I am dying to attend another one. -- Erasmus Mnguni, Durban University of Technology

The symposium was funded by: the Dean of the Faculty of Education, McGill University; the Dean of the Faculty of Education, University of KwaZulu-Natal; the School of Language, Literacies, Media, & Drama Education, University of KwaZulu-Natal; and the National Research Foundation