Picturing School: Exploring Middle School Students' Perceptions of What Supports and Hinders Academic Success

• In Event: 18.072 - Roundtable Session 6
  In Roundtable Session: 18.072-15 - Pedagogical Approaches to Support Young Adolescents

Abstract

Photovoice (Hubbard, 1994; Wang, 1999) and photo elicitation (Ziller, 1990) were combined in this qualitative, participatory engagement study to explore students’ perspectives regarding what supports and/or hinders their academic success. Research questions included: (1) How do middle school students perceive what supports or hinders academic success; and, (2) In what ways do middle school students engage in visual photographing literacies to express and reflecting on their school practices? Preliminary analysis indicates students felt hard work, teachers, other students, and instructional resources supported their academic success; however, friends, teachers, and bullying could hinder that success. Students’ attitudes and motivation were also cited as influencing academic success (e.g., not liking a teacher or subject, issues with classmates, unhappy home situation).

Author

• Kathleen Marie Alley, Mississippi State University