Exploring the development of identity as a lifelong and lifewide learner through the pursuit of an interest in permaculture

Abstract

This dissertation explores the development of identity as a lifelong and lifewide learner through the pursuit of an interest in permaculture, emphasizing the value of informal, self-directed learning outside formal academic settings. Grounded in social constructivism and holism, the study adopts a subjective, interpretivist, and exploratory approach to self, using permaculture as both a metaphor and a foundation for a transformational inner journey. The research questions explore how my interest in permaculture has contributed to the growth and development of my identity as a lifelong and lifewide learner, how reflection on this process has shaped how I engage with the world, and what this journey has taught me about who I am and who I am becoming. The research approach was fluid, emergent, and organic, incorporating a unique blend of narrative, self-study, autobiographical, and reflective methodologies. Methods included journalling, engagement with critical friends who supported re-storying and reframing, and observation, with a recursive approach to data analysis. Themes of learning to sit with uncertainty and trusting and relaxing in the learning process emerged from my multi-year reflective journal, where I shifted between my own voice and the voices of others. I challenged myself to move from reading to active learning, navigating the tension of control, and contemplating paradoxes. This research contributes to the current body of literature by offering a novel methodological approach and unique insights that highlight considerations for supporting learners in their self-directed journeys towards identity development as lifelong and lifewide learners.