Photovoice as a Pedagogical Tool: Examining the Parallel Learning Processes of College Students and Preschool Children through Service Learning

Abstract

This study seeks to understand the effects of service learning on both young children and college students. Subsequently, quantitative and qualitative methods are employed to gain insight into how service learning coupled with a photovoice methodology can provide an empowering pedagogical practice for participants. Through the use of a Qualtrics survey and photovoice methods, this study examines the effects of service learning sampling 25 preschool age children and 39 undergraduate college students. Findings of this study provide an understanding and a platform for young children and college students to share their thoughts on service learning. Through reflection and dialogue from the participants, we begin to understand how alternative methods to education move beyond the realm of the classroom and collectively into the hands of the teacher, young children, and college students.

From Community to Individual. Re-Thinking Photovoice Methodology for Education Research

“…First, the subjects participating in research capture in situ their experiences (Hernandez, Shabazian, & McGrath, 2014;(Simmonds, Roux, & Ter Avest, 2015). Thus, the researcher gains access to an inner perspective of a social or individual http://dx.doi.org/10.15405/epsbs.2017.05.02.55 Corresponding Author: Loredana Manasia Selection and peer-review under responsibility of the Organizing Committee of the conference eISSN: 452 phenomenon.…”

“…In PVM, the participants are provided with disposable cameras to identify, document, and represent strengths, weaknesses, and concerns of their community (Sutton-Brown, 2014, p. 169) from an inner perspective. Since its inception, PVM has increased its popularity and has been applied to disciplines like psychology (Brunsden & Goatcher, 2007), education (Hernandez, Shabazian, & McGrath, 2014;Mulder & Dull, 2014;Stroud, 2014), nursing (Burke & Evans, 2011Leipert & Anderson, 2012), parenting, refugees, and other marginalized groups (Barlow & Hurlock, 2013;Simmonds, Roux, & Ter Avest, 2015).…”

“…An important observation to be made is that PVM gains credit to become a pedagogical tool (Hernandez, Shabazian, & McGrath, 2014;Mulder & Dull, 2014;Popa & Stan, 2013;Stroud, 2014). Leipert and Anderson (2012) directed nursing students to take photographs that expressed the perceived challenges and facilitators of rural nursing practice.…”

“…Hernandez and colleagues (2014) used photovoice to examine parallel learning processes of college students and preschool children. According to the authors, PVM allows young children to visually represent their thoughts and abilities while their abstract thought processes are still in their formative years (Hernandez et al, 2014(Hernandez et al, , p. 1948. For those young children, the photovoice methodology was adapted due to limited abilities of subjects to take photographs.…”

“…As described in a previous section, PVM studies were employed to research parallel learning in college students and preschool children (Hernandez, Shabazian, & McGrath, 2014). Recent research studies tend to apply photovoice as both a research and pedagogical tool (Cook & Buck, 2010;Harkness & Stallworth, 2013;Hidalgo, 2015;Stroud, 2014).…”