Do visual methods help us to broaden our understandings of research data?
Visual approaches to educational research are increasingly being recog-nised but their role and function within discourses about traditional research methodologies is contentious. The Centre is committed to exploring the implications of using visual methods on data collection, analysis and dissemination of results. A particular strand of enquiry is around the way in which visual data fits into understandings of qualitative and quantitative research theory.
Do Visual Methods help us see learning differently?
Visual approaches have commonly been associated with the pupil voice agenda and suggested as a useful elicitation tool. Centre members are at the forefront of this debate exploring the insight provided, the inclusivity and the general appropriateness of visual means of expression for children to convey their ideas about education and learning.
How can visual methods sup-port consultation agendas?
Using visual methods removes the barrier of literacy somewhat from the research process, the methods can also be used in the same way across groups and therefore exploration of the ways they can promote inclusive consultation is fundamental to the Centre’s current approach.
“There are differences in the profi-ciency and characteristics of the images, but where the pupil has managed to get across their thinking, the overall ideas are powerful and worthy of note. Indeed, the uncon-strained nature of the task used for data collection does seem to have been influential in allowing the pupils to show joined up thinking in this area of thinking about learning, which does not appear to be represented in the literature so far.” (Wall and Hall 2008)
To download a poster detailing our current theme, please click here.
If you would like to commission such research, or find out more about our current projects in this area, please contact Kate Wall.