Participatory Visual Methodologies as a Modern Communicative and Evolving Educative Tool: Teacher-Researcher’s Perspective

• In Event: New research methods for improving education around the world

Proposal

Objectives
This paper studies participatory visual methodologies (PVM) and deconstructs the power they hold to give voice to participants. We came together as educators and researchers to conduct an autoethnographic study, unpacking the use of PVM and its potential to enhance learning and teaching practices. PVM aligns with the conference's theme as it empowers participants, equipping them with the tools to equally contribute to social change. In this paper we seek to answer: (RQ) What reflections can be drawn about using PVM as an equitable teaching tool?
Methodology
This qualitative text uses autoethnography to reflect on the benefits of PVM as a tool in education spaces. Autoethnographic research allows for individual experiences to be explored through a reflective process (Custer, 2014 in Baker, 2020). Self-study cases go beyond the self and draw on interactions with individuals and their environments to open spaces for conversations that would otherwise be silenced. Furthermore, reflexive work “illuminate[s] social and education challenges that have resonance beyond the self and can inspire context-specific, practitioner-led responses to those challenges” (Mitchell et al., forthcoming; Pithouse, 2007).
Theoretical Approach
PVM removes the barrier between participants and researchers as they co-construct knowledge through investigative practices. Visual methodologies seeks to create opportunities for :(1) community building and researching that inherently gives voice, agency, and power to participants, with (2) the main goal of exposing social and political issues as a way to open up discussion, offer solutions, and transform these issues (Mitchell et al., 2011). In this paper we utilize four forms of visual methodologies – cellphilming, photovoice, objects, haunting – to reflect on their scholarly significance.
Cellphilming. This is defined as films created on a cellphone (cell+film). The steps to cellphilming can be broken down into: brainstorming, length, storyboarding, audio, with different methods of recording: (1) one-shot, no edit, or (2) record-pause-record (Starr & Mitchell, N.D). It is important to highlight the significant role that the storyboard plays in cellphilming; "the storyboard allows participants to plan, organize, sketch, complete the story before video production (Mitchell et al., 2011). Once planned, participants are ready to film. Cellphilming aims to give voice and agency, mobilizing as a tool to expose social and political issues relevant to the day-to-day lives of participants.
Photovoice. Using the elicitation of images, photovoice encourages for pictures to be used to share participant stories and realities with peers (Mitchell, 2011). The term ‘photovoice’ was identified by Caroline Wang to describe a “type of grassroots policy…where populations, whose voices are often absent from policy, are given simple cameras to express their point of view on particular issue[s]” (Mitchell, 2011, p.51). Photovoice is based on the principle that images teach, pictures can influence policy, making it an integral method in using PVM (Mitchell, 2011).
Objects. Mitchell (2005) contends that “it is impossible to avoid the material world” (p.2). Human beings can develop certain links or relationships towards objects that can have hidden meanings, and studying these links is not easy or simple. This concept is known as object entanglement, in which an object cannot be merely accepted as is, but should be re-examined with consideration to its larger significance (Mitchell, 2015).
Haunting. Hauntology invites us to reconsider the images that leave lasting impressions, and the implications that these visuals can have for societal changes. Working synonymously with Spinoza’s theory of affect, “researchers analyze data, attending to the concept that to comprehend something in thought, a person must have a previous emotional relationship to the subject” (Hickey-Moody, N.D., p.7; Mitchell et al., 2018). Affect seems to be a powerful tool for all methodological approaches, as it reminds us to consider the appropriateness of images and words in correlation with emergent feelings. Lastly, hauntology encourages “an attentive type of looking, which questions our assumed truths about images and habitual modes of looking…elevating the personal and subjective” (Roberts, 2012, p.399).
Data & Analysis
In this text, fieldnotes were used as detailed reflections on observations and experiences. Fieldnotes are known “as a foundation [...] to archive and analyze data from multiple sources and to understand others’ stories, meanings, and practices, and enact and practice reflexivity” (Jang, 2020, p. 69; Jackson, 1990). Consequently, data was collected in three phases: in phase one we collected our fieldnotes as teacher-researchers in our classrooms separately. In phase two, we reflected on our independent fieldnotes. In phase three, we came together and reflected on common themes across fieldnotes. Thus, our data was analyzed thematically.
Findings & Significance
As educators-researchers engaged in graduate studies, we appreciated the educational potential of PVM when we partook in workshops that introduced us to this evocative teaching tool. In turn, we integrated it into 6th and secondary classes. Afterwards, we came to unite our reflections and findings identifying two themes: (1) PVM as a teaching tool, and (2) PVM as an empowering tool. (1) PVM as a teaching tool: briefly, we saw how various subjects can be delivered in unique ways. For example, after giving instructions about cellphilming, we assigned 6th graders to create a cellphilm about identity. Knowing the complexity of the subject, we saw how students – even in early ages – were motivated to plan, learn, and build their knowledge by creating a cellphilm. A second example can be found through secondary school student responses to the question “How would you re-imagine the world around you?”. Interestingly, commonalities emerged for students between objects and photographs that appeared in the videos. It was at that moment that the haunting effect of shared concerns illuminated the power that PVM has to inspire social change and unite marginalized populations who enter a space with unique baggage. (2) PVM as an empowering tool: From our fieldnotes, we saw the rich potential for PVM to allow students to reflect and share topics that impact their day-to-day realities, giving them the space to share and re-shape knowledge. Furthermore, this transformed the teaching dynamics in the classroom. Hence, we saw the significance of PVM in educational spaces to create equal opportunities to learn, share and build knowledge.

Authors

• SARAH AMODEO, McGill University

• Meghri Bakarian, McGill University