The ‘Lifeline’ is a technique that can be used to develop the life history of the people to be analysed.
In this research, the ‘lifeline’ has been used to analyse the migration trajectory of the young people we have worked with in Spain.
Biographical methodology is not just a means of understanding the reality of people and groups at risk, but has several added values that make it a very appropriate study strategy with enormous potential from a socio-educational point of view.
For its part, the ‘lifeline’ is a very simple technique, governed by the logic of time (chronology), which makes it possible to visualize the most important milestones in a person’s life graphically. Below is an image of one of the lifelines that were made in the LEMA project.
As can be seen, this ‘lifeline’ began to be elaborated in a rudimentary manner based on meetings with the subject of study, where he was asked to make a life journey from his beginnings until the time of the interview, highlighting the most significant moments according to the focus of the study.
Once this initial work had been completed, the ‘lifeline’ was drawn up with the help of computer programmes that allowed the information to be clarified and presented in a more appropriate way. By way of example, above right is the first slide of a ‘lifeline’ prepared using the Prezi programme.
For a more exhaustive explanation of the biographical methodology that frames the ‘lifeline’ as a technique of enquiry and socio-educational intervention, we recommend the readings listed in the following section, elaborated by members of the LEMA project:
Herrera-Pastor, D. & Frost, N. (2021). Basic epistemology of biographical research: a review based on the extraordinary life history of a young offender. Revista Latinoamericana de Metodología de las Ciencias Sociales (Relmecs) 11(1), e086. https://doi.org/10.24215/18537863e086
Herrera-Pastor, D., Mancila, I. y Kushner, S. (2017). A cross-narrative analysis in biographical inquiry. A research note. The New Educational Review, 48, n. 2, 285–296. DOI: 10.15804/tner.2017.48.2.23
Herrera-Pastor, D. y De Oña-Cots, J.M. (2021). Investigación biográfica: método de aprendizaje extraordinario. Dos casos de empoderamiento y resiliencia [Biographical research: an extraordinary learning method. Two cases of empowerment and resilience]. En M.T. Castilla (coord.). Metodologías emergentes en educación superior (en prensa). Barcelona: Octaedro.
Mancila, I., Soler, C. y Herrera-Pastor, D. (2020). Relatos docentes: experiencias y reflexiones sobre la inclusión en Educación Superior [Teachers’ stories: experiences and reflections on inclusion in higher education]. En C. Monge-López y P. Gómez-Hernández (ed.). Claves para la Inclusión en Educación Superior (297–333). Madrid: Síntesis.
Herrera Pastor, D., Páez Robles, C., Páez Robles, D., Porras Martínez, M., Ríos López, F., Sánchez Fuentes, A. y Vázquez Franco, Á. (2016). Sin rastro de educación inclusiva en la biografía escolar de Raúl [With no trace of inclusive education in Raul’s school biography. Story and vignettes produced by a group of students]. Revista Interuniversitaria de Formación de Profesorado 87 (30.3), 137–155.
Rivas Flores, J.I. y Herrera Pastor, D. (coords.) (2009). Voz y educación. La narrativa como enfoque de interpretación de la realidad [Voice and education. Narrative as an approach to interpreting reality]. Barcelona, Octaedro.
Herrera Pastor, D. (2009). Memorias de la escuela. Revisión del formato autobiográfico [School memoirs. Review of the autobiographical format]. En J.I. Rivas Flores y D. Herrera Pastor (coords.). Voz y educación. La narrativa como enfoque de interpretación de la realidad (37–54). Barcelona: Octaedro.
González Monteagudo, J., Herrera Pastor, D. y Padilla Carmona, M.T. (2019). Abordagens biográfico-narrativas com estudantes universitários não-tradicionais [Biographical-narrative approaches with non-traditional university students]. En A.C. Pestana Fragoso y S.C. Andrade Teodosio (editors). Dos “Novos Públicos” do Ensino Superior aos estudantes “não-tradicionais” no Ensino Superior (59–77). Coimbra (Portugal): CINEP.
Contact: Ph.D., Associate Professor Ditte Tofteng, Copenhagen University College DITO@kp.dk
