In this blog post, I share my research journey, blending my pursuit of a Doctorate in Education (EdD) with being a neurodivergent researcher. I focus on a study exploring how neurodivergent educators use Twitter for professional practice. The primary objective with this study is to illuminate the multilayered dimensions of my own experiences as a neurodivergent educator, positioning them as the central axis for an authentic portrayal of the challenges and opportunities encountered by neurodivergent educators in their professional practice and engagement on Twitter.
This blog post navigates the nuanced terrain of the neurodivergent educator’s utilisation of Twitter, scrutinising both the expected and unexpected thematic elements. Furthermore, it underscores the pivotal necessity of refining the study methodology to substantially contribute to the broader discourse on inclusivity within higher education institutions.
Embarking on my research journey, I wholeheartedly embrace autoethnography as the primary methodology, using it as a powerful means to unveil the layers of my experiences as a neurodivergent educator (Adams et al., 2015). In this approach, I leverage my thesis’s multimodal aspects of voice and mixed media, allowing my lived experiences to be a primal focal point. Through the lens of autoethnography, I purposefully draw from my own journey, presenting an authentic and relatable viewpoint on the distinctive challenges and opportunities neurodivergent educators face in their use of Twitter for professional practice and socialisation (Scott & Gibson, 2023). Simultaneously, I actively engage with the neurodivergent educator community on Twitter, adopting a participatory research approach. This collaborative stance allows for a dynamic exchange with fellow educators, as together we seek to unravel the experiences, challenges and successes when navigating Twitter for neurodivergent individuals. Through participatory research, I bridge the personal and communal, intimately connecting my experiences with the broader context of the neurodivergent educator community (Hacker, 2013).
