Sharing a Photovoice Experience: Ethics, Methodological Concerns,

& Opportunities

April 10, 2009SLED

Candace Kuby (crkuby@indiana.edu) Sarah Vander Zanden (svanderz@umail.iu.edu)

Outline

• Photovoice theoretical underpinnings• History of our work with Photovoice• Emerging ethical dilemmas• Discussion of (Non)Representational Logic

Photovoice aims to:

1) enable people to record and reflect their community's strengths and concerns

2) promote critical dialogue and enhance knowledge about issues through group discussions of the photographs

3)inform policy makershttp://www.sph.umich.edu/yvpc/projects/photovoice/

Theoretical Underpinnings

• Freire-raising critical consciousness• Feminist methodology- collective dialogue,

power accrues to those who have voice, set language, and participate in decisions

• Community photo documentary/Participatory action research (PAR) - activist photography

Photovoice: Related Researchers

• Dr. Caroline Wang, School of Public Health, MI • Dr. Mary Ann Burris, Michigan• Wendy Ewald, North Carolina

Sampling of Projects

History of our work…

Y650 Feminist methodology Photovoice projectNCTE 2008, whole day workshop with educators

-electronic communication and support for various projectsOSU-Expanding Literacies

-workshop discussing ethical dilemmasSLED-peer feedbackNCTE 2009, panel sharing various Photovoice projects with

teachers

The Art Show Opening

NCTE Research Experience

• How do educators navigate their daily experiences in the current educational climate?

• Group of NCTE educators from various U.S. cities and Australia (12 people)

• We envisioned a photovoice project – instead participants had other ideas.

• Wetpaint site & joint gmail account• Plans to present together at NCTE

Ethical Dilemmas • How do we share the experience of

participants in traditional publication formats?– Technology/gaze, fluidity/stability

• How do we communicate cohesion?– Laughter, transformational moments, etc.

• Who is privileged? – Selection of photos, transcripts shared, stories,

etc.

Dilemmas cont.

• What happens when goals differ?– NCTE group project vs. individual adaptations

• How do we meet academic demands when participants have other needs? – Publishing as a collective, as researchers, etc.

Representational Logic

“Representational logic over-emphasizes stability, structure, and repetition and underemphasizes the change, diversity, and innovation that are part of literacy in use” (Leander & Rowe, 2006, p. 432).

• Focus on meaning– Sameness, themes, stable frames of reference,

difference is surprising, break in the “frame” (Goffman)

Nonrepresentational Logic

“Nonrepresentational logic …carries with it the assumption that literacy in use necessarily involves students generating new ways of connecting texts, modalities, and performed identities” (Leander & Rowe, 2006, 432).

• Focus is on experience, performance is not seen as stable, embraces differences and fluidity

Example Research Questions Representational

• What do the photos mean?• What are the themes from

the photos/discussion?• What was the

photographer’s intention?

Nonrepresentational

• What dynamic relationships of bodies, texts, photos, and spaces are being formed as the performance (small group discussion/public forum) unfolds?

• What effects do these dynamic relationships have on the Photovoice participants and policy makers?

• Where does this dialogue appear to be moving?

We invite you to join in the

conversation…