Identity Curation in Intercultural Learning: The Role of Artefact Elicitation in a Participatory Narrative Inquiry

As Lithuania transitions from a multi-track to an inclusive system, changes in teacher training are needed to better respond to diversity within learning spaces. This study explores the application of a Participatory Narrative Inquiry (PNI) design in a multicultural Master’s pedagogical course aimed at developing future teachers’ intercultural competence. Identity curation techniques were tested through the application of elicitation methods to narrative artefacts during student reflections on their personal identities, in response to the lack of “identity-safe school practices” (Steele & Cohn-Vargas, 2013) in the Lithuanian education system. PNI here is a research strategy and intervention with pedagogical implications. The project employs the multicultural story framework ‘TARMAC’, developed by Ward & Keck (2021), which facilitates dialogical discussions among learners with cross-cultural backgrounds. Participants engage in the creation of narratives and artefacts (e.g., collages, maps, digital stories), followed by narrative research through the elicitation of these artefacts (via autoethnographies, interviews, and focus group discussions). Through identity curation, this process yielded useful data on intercultural development, offering classroom-ready tools and insights into how participants’ experiences shaped the learning environment. Artefact elicitation as a research methodology, allows participants to actively engage in the research process and propose their own views and solutions. From a pedagogical perspective, the elicitation process encourages deeper student reflection and self-understanding. The project’s participatory and co-creation process embodied a transformative learning model for all participants. The study also reflects on the intersectional and plural roles experienced by student-teachers and participant-researchers across local and foreign contexts.