The Affordances and Constraints of Visual Methods in Early Childhood Education Research: Talking Points from the Field

Abstract

<div class="page" title="Page 1"><div class="section"><div class="layoutArea"><div class="column"><p><span>Visual methods are increasingly being developed and used in early childhood research. The literature strongly suggests the affordances of visual methods; still, such methods are not unproblematic. Through a critical reading of literature pertinent to visual methods in early childhood research (i.e., involving children from birth to age 8), including multimodal </span><span>literacy literature, this paper offers six discussion points to </span><span>promote critical conversations among educational researchers </span><span>about visual methods. The points pertain to the de nition of </span><span>visual methods, their potentialities in early childhood research, children’s rights and participation in research, authenticity and </span><span>children’s voices, methods for interpretations of visual texts </span><span>elicited from children, and ethics and assent. Aggregated, the points suggest the need for the enactment of critical, dialogic relationships between methods and methodologies, adults and children, and researchers and research participants. </span></p></div></div></div></div>

Understanding Children’s Drawings as Sociomaterial Assemblages of Voice during Pandemic Times

“…In all forms of visual research methods, whether they involve videos, photos or drawings, Rose emphasizes that the researcher should "take images seriously" (2016), consider the social effects of the images, and consider their own ways of looking at the images, and how it might differ from what was intended by the photographer/artist. Heydon et al (2016) point out that "[t]he meaning of text is never singular, nor is it produced in a vacuum." They look at the work of Rose ( 2016), who "describes three sites of making meaning from text-the site of text production, the site of the text itself, and the site of viewing/reading-and states that researchers must give attention to each of these sites when trying to interpret text or understand its interpretation" (Heydon et al, 2016).…”

“…Heydon et al (2016) point out that "[t]he meaning of text is never singular, nor is it produced in a vacuum." They look at the work of Rose ( 2016), who "describes three sites of making meaning from text-the site of text production, the site of the text itself, and the site of viewing/reading-and states that researchers must give attention to each of these sites when trying to interpret text or understand its interpretation" (Heydon et al, 2016). In looking at Rose's work, we propose that, although teachers must give attention to these sites, reviewing the text must be multi-voiced, taking into account not only the researcher's interpretations, but also those of teachers and, most importantly, the students themselves.…”

“…Researchers need to be considering this when determining methods of communication, as some groups have more access than others. Additionally, researchers must balance allowing children to have a voice while also acknowledging that they are not able to fully consent in the ways that adults are able to consent (Heydon et al, 2016). Thus, researchers must be knowledgeable about both children and research methods in order to effectively and ethically work with them and select appropriate methodologies (Heydon et al, 2016;Robinson, 2021).…”

Photographs as a Research Tool in Child Studies: Some Analytical Metaphors and Choices

“…Yet, current discussions about the use of photography (and perhaps other visual techniques/methods) in child and youth research seems to take a celebratory stance on the use of photographs and it is less often that we find more critical and reflexive discussions of photographic/visual research with children that, in addition, to highlighting the affordances and possibilities of photographs also discusses some of the interpretive and methodological challenges related to using photographs (e.g. Baker & Smith, 2012;Heydon, McKee, & Phillips, 2016). In this paper we draw from our own research experience to uncover some of the complexities and tensions that emerge in research and data analysis processes when using photographs.…”

Using Individualized Photobooks to Enhance 3- and 4-Year-Old Children’s Science Identity Through a Science Outreach Program

“…The term 'visual methodologies' refers to the collection of methods used to understand and interpret images, including photographs and videos, that have emerged from anthropology and sociology (Glaw et al, 2017). The affordances of visual methods have been highlighted in research with children: capitalising on children's multimodal meaning making, positioning children as capable communicators, acknowledging children as experts in their own lives, providing children with a voice, building understanding of children's lived experiences, positioning children as co-researchers, and upholding children's rights (Clark, 2011;Heydon et al, 2016;Rose, 2016). The use of visual methods encourages a postmodern perspective of childhood, where children are considered "knowledgeable, competent and powerful members of society" (Einarsdottir, 2006, p. 525).…”