Interview with Prof. Dr. Paula Kalaja

The practice of using participatory visual methods in research with young people is one that has come under scrutiny in recent years. Many scholars have examined these practices in order to question the singular and simple notions of voice that are often represented in these accounts. Taking up the challenges laid down by these scholars, this paper attempts to critically disturb some of the claims that have been made about this supposedly inherently collaborative and empowering practice. Drawing on research with a group of privileged young people the paper will argue that there is a real need for researchers to examine the ways in which different subjectivities are performatively produced in the participatory research process - to explore the ways in which the methods themselves may work to constitute difference and to position young people as powerful or powerless in this process. A call is also made for researchers to inspect their own practice and use of visual methods, in order to recognise the particular knowledges, subjectivities and truths that are constituted as a result.

Visual research methods (VRM) comprise a collection of methods that incorporate visual elements such as maps, drawings, photographs, videos, as well as three-dimensional objects into the research process. In addition, VRM including photo-elicitation, photovoice, draw-and-write techniques, and cognitive mapping are being leveraged to great effect to explore information experiences to investigate some of the central questions in the field; expand theoretical discussions in LIS; and improve library services and spaces.<br> Visual Research Methods: An Introduction for Library and Information Studies is the first book to focus on visual methods in LIS, providing a comprehensive primer for students, educators, researchers and practitioners in the field. Contributed chapters in the book showcase examples of VRM in action and offer the insights, inspirations, and experiences of researchers and practitioners working with visual methods. Coverage includes:<br> an introduction to visual research methods including discussion of terminology<br> an overview of the literature on VRM in libraries<br> methodological framing including a discussion of theory, epistemology,<br> practical and ethical considerations for researchers embarking on VRM projects<br> chapters showcasing VRM in action including drawing techniques, photographic techniques, and mixed methods<br> six contributed chapters each showcasing the results of visual research methods, discussions of the techniques, and reflections on VRM for research in information studies.<br> This book will provide a strong methodological context for the adoption of visual research methods in LIS and feature examples of VRM 'in action.' It will prove to be a must-have reference for researchers, practitioners, instructors, and students who want to engage with visual research methods and to expand their methodological toolkit.

The use of visual images in higher education research and practice can allow participants to illuminate their life experiences as well as otherwise taken-for-granted or invisible aspects of their institutions. When utilizing visual methods, it is important to remember that images can be viewed and understood in many and, at times, contradictory ways. This chapter discusses visuals as communicators of cultural messages, subjective messages of visuals, and uses of visual methods in higher education research. Photo elicitation is the dominant visual method used in higher education. There are several examples of participant-generated photo elicitation in higher education research across different contexts, student populations, and subjects. The predominant methods are photo elicitation, photovoice, visual content analysis, and arts-based inquiry. Interested in community college students’ meaning-making after transferring to a four-year institution, S. K. Rodriguez and M. R. Kerrigan utilized a graphic elicitation method in which participants developed relational maps.

Secondary schoolgirls’ experiences of persisting at school in rural Cambodia were the focus of this study. The study worked with 43 schoolgirls from two state-run schools. This paper reflects on how reciprocity and visual methods enabled the work of hearing the schoolgirls’ voices across language and cultural barriers. Reciprocity was a central concern and took the form of collaborative knowledge building to establish trustworthiness, as well as various reciprocal acts that ‘gave back’ to those involved in the study. The use of visual methods, such as visual narratives, self-managed video interviews, and advice posters sought to mitigate power differentials, address language barriers, and recognise schoolgirls as experts in girls’ education. The paper discusses the advantages and constraints of this innovative approach, and proposes that cross-cultural research that provides girls with autonomy during the research process is necessary if those working with girls seek to valorise girls’ voices and experiences.

Contents: Introduction. Part I: Important Social Contexts in Research on Second Language Teaching and Learning. Introduction. M.E. Brisk, Bilingual Education. M.R. Hawkins, ESL in Elementary Education. P.A. Duff, ESL in Secondary Schools: Programs, Problematics, and Possibilities. D.E. Murray, ESL in Adult Education. S. Carkin, English for Academic Purposes. P. Master, English for Specific Purposes. C. Roberts, English in the Workplace. B. Tomlinson, English as a Foreign Language: Matching Procedures to the Context of Learning. Y. Kachru, Teaching and Learning of World Englishes. Part II: Methods in Second Language Research. Introduction. L. Harklau, Ethnography and Ethnographic Research on Second Language Teaching and Learning. L. van Lier, Case Study. A. Lazaraton, Quantitative Research Methods. D. Nunan, Classroom Research. A. Burns, Action Research. Part III: Applied Linguistics and Second Language Research. Introduction. T. Pica, Second Language Acquisition Research and Applied Linguistics. S.L. McKay, Sociolinguistics and Second Language Learning. J. Zuengler, K.M. Cole, Language Socialization and Second Language Learning. G. Kasper, C. Roever, Pragmatics in Second Language Learning. J.P. Lantolf, Sociocultural and Second Language Learning Research: An Exegesis. N. Markee, Conversation Analysis for Second Language Acquisition. R.B. Kaplan, Contrastive Rhetoric. S. Conrad, Corpus Linguistics and L2 Teaching. Part IV: Second Language Processes and Development. Introduction. G. Ioup, Age in Second Language Development. R. DeKeyser, A. Juffs, Cognitive Considerations in L2 Learning. Z. Han, L. Selinker, Fossilization in L2 Learners. M. Swain, The Output Hypothesis: Theory and Research. E. Tarone, Speaking in a Second Language. M. Rost, L2 Listening. T.G. Wiley, Second Language Literacy and Biliteracy. P. Byrd, Instructed Grammar. D.E. Eskey, Reading in a Second Language. I.S.P. Nation, Teaching and Learning Vocabulary. J.S. Hedgcock, Taking Stock of Research and Pedagogy in L2 Writing. E. Hinkel, Analyses of Second Language Text and What Can Be Learned From Them. Part V: Methods and Curricula in Second Language Teaching. Introduction. S.J. Savignon, Communicative Language Teaching: Strategies and Goals. S. Fotos, Traditional and Grammar Translation Methods for Second Language Teaching. J. Williams, Form-Focused Instruction. M.A. Snow, A Model of Academic Literacy for Integrated Language and Content Instruction. R. Ellis, Instructed Language Learning and Task-Based Teaching. M. Celce-Murcia, E. Olshtain, Discourse-Based Approaches: A New Framework for Second Language Teaching and Learning. C.A. Chapelle, Computer-Assisted Language Learning. N.J. Anderson, L2 Learning Strategies. Part VI: Second Language Testing and Assessment. T. McNamara, Introduction. A.J. Kunnan, Language Assessment From a Wider Context. A. Davies, C. Elder, Validity and Validation in Language Testing. M. Chalhoub-Deville, C. Deville, A Look Back at and Forward to What Language Testers Measure. T. Lumley, A. Brown, Research Methods in Language Testing. D. Douglas, Testing Languages for Specific Purposes. C. Leung, Classroom Teacher Assessment of Second Language Development: Construct as Practice. Part VII: Identity, Culture, and Critical Pedagogy in Second Language Teaching and Learning. Introduction. T. Ricento, Considerations of Identity in L2 Learning. M. Byram, A. Feng, Teaching and Researching Intercultural Competence. S. Canagarajah, Critical Pedagogy in L2 Learning and Teaching. Part VIII: Language Planning and Policy and Language Rights. R.B. Baldauf, Jr., Introduction. R.B. Baldauf, Jr., Language Planning and Policy Research: An Overview. T. van Els, Status Planning for Learning and Teaching. A.J. Liddicoat, Corpus Planning: Syllabus and Materials Development. R.B. Baldauf, Jr., R.B. Kaplan, Language-in-Education Planning. D.E. Ager, Prestige and Image Planning. S. May, Language Planning and Minority Language Rights.

Readers should also refer to the journal’s website at http://www.informaworld.com/rqrs and check volume 2, issue 2 to view the visual material in colour. Adopting visual methods can enhance our understanding of the social world. By encompassing a multitude of forms including photographs, videos, maps, diagrams, symbols and so forth, images can provide specific information about our existence. They can also act as powerful indicators regarding the multiple meanings embedded within our culture. One domain where the use of visual methods has been less well documented is that of physical culture. Physical culture is taken here to mean human physical movement occurring within recognised cultural domains such as sport, dance and, more broadly, outdoor and indoor recreational activities involving expression through physicality. Opening this special edition of Qualitative Research in Sport and Exercise on ‘Visual Methods in Physical Culture’s’, I provide some broad responses to the following questions: What are visual methods? Why might they be useful? How can they be utilised? I then outline some ongoing debates within the field surrounding issues of interpretation, representation and ethics. I conclude by positioning this special edition as a resource to assist with the continued use of visual methods in physical culture.

The use of visual imagery and photography in the research process is a valuable addition to traditional research methods. Visual research methods have been successfully used to engage diverse groups and communities and empower participants in the research process. While many advantages of the use and applicability of visual methods have been described in the leisure literature, certain disadvantages do exist. This study explores potential challenges related to the use of visual research methods. The purpose of this study is to caution leisure researchers to consider underlying challenges related to visual methods that may be specific to individual research projects and contexts. In so doing, I discuss specific challenges related to collecting and analyzing data gathered using the photo-elicitation method in conjunction with in-depth interviews in an ethnography of an urban farmers' market.

ABSTRACTResearch with young people suffering from a long-term illness has more recently incorporated the use of visual methods to foster engagement of research participants from a wide age range, capture the longitudinal and complex factors involved in young people’s experiences of care, and allow young people to express their views in multiple ways. Despite its contributions, these methods are not always easy to implement and there is a possibility that they might not generate the results or engagement initially anticipated by researchers. We hope to expand on the emerging discussion on the use of participatory visual methods by presenting the practical issues we have faced while using this methodology during different stages of research: informed assent/consent, data collection, and the dissemination of findings. We propose a combination of techniques to make sure that the research design is flexible enough to allow research participants to shape the research process according to their needs and interests.

This chapter aims to open a discussion on the intertwining between Institutional Ethnography and visual methods in sociology. It does so by analyzing and discussing a number of studies. IE considers visuals (photographs, paintings, sculptures, videos, etc.) like texts (laws, regulations, reports, translations, and so on), which are indispensable elements for exploring text-mediated relations of ruling (Smith in The conceptual practices of power: A feminist sociology of knowledge. Northeastern University Press, Boston, 1990). Contemporary societies are characterized by people’s increasing use of visuals in their everyday practices that affect doing research and its dissemination. However, a limited number of IE studies explicitly discuss the utilization of visuals and visual research methods in IE research practices. This chapter illustrates how researchers have to date employed visual data, visual research methods, and visual dissemination methods in IE, what the other potential uses in the future are, and the aspects in regard to which the debate remains open.

Background: Visual methods have been used extensively in social research to explore people’s experiences of structural disadvantage. This indicates that they may provide a useful research approach to understanding equity-related concerns within palliative care. However, little has been published regarding the use of visual methods with people at the end of life. Purpose of the paper: In this article we draw on our experiences of using visual methods to illuminate the end of life experiences of people experiencing financial hardship and deprivation in Scotland’s largest city. Evidence used to support the information presented: We present evidence from the published literature, as well as our own experiences of using visual methods to explore dying at home for people experiencing financial hardship and deprivation. Our analysis draws on two specific visual methods: photovoice and professional photography. Photovoice is a participatory visual method which involves enabling participants to take and discuss their own images and present them to different audiences to try to enact social change. We report our experiences as researchers, as well as those of our participants and recruitment partners. Key learning points: To successfully use visual methods, researchers need to invest significant time and resource in building a strong rapport with participants. There are also key ethical, practical and representational challenges to consider. A participatory framework should be adopted which ensures agency for participants in terms of image creation and public dissemination. Participants reported value in using visual methods in terms of legacy building and self-representation. Using photovoice (insider’s view) and professional photography (outsider’s view) together offered complementary perspectives, enabling a rich layering of stories and meaning. Our findings indicate visual methods can illuminate aspects of the end of life experience not captured by other research methods.

ABSTRACTVisual research methods involve the incorporation of visual material such as photographs, artwork and video into the research process. This approach to research is particularly well suited for use with children and youth as it complements verbal and written data collection methods, which some children and youth may find challenging. This video presentation includes a brief overview of three specific types of visual research methods used in recent library and information science research studies with children and youth. An overview of each visual research method is provided, as well as a discussion of the advantages and challenges associated with each method. The video includes examples of the types of research questions for which the surveyed visual research methods might be best suited, as well as associated ethical issues.

IntroductionRelying on written or spoken words, like questionnaires or interviews, has been criticised for not adequately communicating people’s complex multidimensional experiences. Cognitive and physical efforts needed, and palliative patients’ inherent...

The advent of digital has led to the proliferation of moving image data, signalling a shift not only in what we research, but in the way research is carried out and reported. The subsequent increase in interest in the use of digital film in the discipline is therefore not surprising, but critical reflections on the possibilities and limitations of the medium are lacking. In this special section of Area, I have drawn together a series of papers from practice‐led authors to reflect on the complexities, tensions and difficulties that are caught up with the potential of using film as research method and output. Here, I introduce the different papers and reflect on the legacy of analogue video and film in the humanities and social sciences. I argue that while they should not be ignored, the resulting geographical categorisations of film that were developed when the process was analogue – placing film either as a text that should be analysed and/or a visual research method – currently restrict our further understanding of this nascent form of knowledge production.

In their capacity to evoke the sensory, non-rational and material aspects of life, visual research methods offer potential for the study of food and eating. The flexible and interactive nature of some visual approaches also means that such methods may be particularly appropriate for research with children. Drawing on an ongoing study of food and eating in employed families, this paper explores the usefulness of using visual methods, including drawing and photoelicitation, to study children’s food practices. It examines what these methods ‘add’ in this mixed methods study and how they work in combination with other methods and reflects upon some of the challenges faced by researchers adopting such approaches.

Purpose: When the “linguistic turn” is replaced by the “visual turn”, there is a natural need for social scientists to embrace the new reality and incorporate visuals in their research. As a result, the importance of visual research, which centers on the use of visual sources, is growing. This paper provides an overview of how visual materials and related methodological approaches can be used in qualitative management and accounting research. Methodology/approach: We begin by reviewing the literature on the research methods, drawing from many disciplines such as sociology, organizational learning, management, and accounting. Next, we analyze three cases – already published papers in accounting – to illustrate how photography can be used in qualitative accounting research. Findings: There is a growing literature on visual research methods. Researchers have used visual materials as primary and secondary data and multiple methodological approaches. Visual methods can also be used in accounting research. Originality/value: This paper provides an overview of emerging methodological approaches that use visual materials and discusses how they can be incorporated into qualitative accounting research. Research limitations: Drawing a simple line between the various approaches presented in this paper is difficult as researchers can use visual material in unique ways throughout the research process. Therefore, the presented methodological categorizations can only help to better understand emerging visual research.