Middle adolescents’ experiences in exploring identity: a phenomenological case study in Denmark

While the notion of identity has been developed over the course of decades from the perspectives of sociology, psychology and education, not until 2011 that Schachter & Rich (2011) constructed a framework for Identity Education (IdEd) for educational experts and practitioners. To date, however, there has been a lack of research made into the practical aspects of this framework. The current study was conducted with the purpose of filling this gap. An identity-exploration program was designed based on the IdEd framework and other theories offering criteria for identity-enhancing curriculum. Three participants attended this program, which include four two-hour sessions. Following the program’s completion, participants were interviewed about their experiences with the program and about their more general self-exploration process. The participants’ discourses gave empirical insights into how the theoretical IdEd framework operates in reality. Another purpose of this study was to experimentally investigate a new approach of meaning-making at a particular school context: the Ranum Efterskole College (REC) in Denmark. During seven-month teaching practice at this school, the author observed that despite showing many indicators of an optimal identity-enhancing environment, the school offered a lack of opportunities for reflection regarding identity development. This program was therefore designed and implemented as a beneficial contribution of the variety of other meaning-making approaches offered by the school. The study used phenomenological methodology, which helped the author enrich and deepen her understanding about how middle-adolescents who participated in the research experienced their self-exploration process. The study’s findings revealed that the experimental program positively influenced the participants in terms of enhancing their self-awareness, diversifying their perspectives through interaction with others, increasing their self-confidence, being more engaged with simplified activities, and creating connections with other participants. The findings thus revealed significant elements of an identity-enhancing program for middle-adolescents, according to the participants’ perspectives. The elements were: a) the approach, b) participants, and c) atmosphere. The approach was elaborated in more detailed categories that include diversification, guidance, individualization, reflection, interaction and doable activities. Last but not least, the findings shed light on factors that participants conceived as barriers constraining their self-exploration process. These factors were identified as distractions from social activities, others’ opinions and the lack of facilitation from parents and schools. The presented findings of this study contribute empirical knowledge to identity-educational-related theories. Researchers and experts who are interested in this field could use these findings to develop further knowledge in interventions in identity-exploration. Meanwhile, educators could use them as a reference as to how they could implement better approaches in identity-exploration in school context