Photovoice as Needs Assessment: Findings from UCEA

• In Event: AERA Graduate Student Research-in-Progress Roundtable Session 2
  In Roundtable Session: Applications of Participartory Action Methods in Education Research: Literacy, Needs Assessment, Intergenerational Dynamics, and School Mental Health (Table 7)

Abstract

Photovoice as participatory action research (PAR) is an effective methodology for conducting needs assessment (Wang & Burris 1997). This study reports findings from the UCEA 2023 participatory action research session titled "PhotoVoice as Needs Assessment - Real-time Participatory Action Research." During UCEA, participants engaged as researchers to critically examine the UCEA conference using photovoice methodology to respond to questions about their conference experience. The data was used in real time during the session to identify themes and stories from the conference. This study presents those findings and models photovoice as an effective method for continuous improvement needs assessment. Photographs are powerful conveyors of message (Merriam, 2009). How can these messages be analyzed and leveraged in efforts toward school (and conference) improvement?

Author

• Meghan Beth Buchanan, Texas State University