Participatory photography: strengthening and evaluating an innovative
approach to teaching researching methods
Faculty of Humanities Teaching Enhancement Funds 2009/10
Final report, August 2010
Susie Miles
1.
Context
A course unit entitled, ‘Participatory Photography’ has been offered to 3rd year
students on the BA Language, Literacy and Communication (BA LLC)
programme for the last three academic years. In 2009/10 two PhD students in
the School of Education played a lead role in planning, delivering and
assessing the Participatory Photography course unit, drawing on their own
experience of using image-based research methods in their doctoral work.
Not only did this enable PhD students to become more involved in undergraduate teaching, it also exposed under-graduate students to research
currently undertaken in the School of Education in the area of equity and
inclusion and encouraged a stronger team approach to the teaching of
participatory photography.
In response to BA LLC external examiner comments (in July 2009) that
greater emphasis could be placed on the research aspects of the participatory
photography course unit, the Faculty funds were used primarily to evaluate
the course and develop e-learning materials for Blackboard. In addition,
consideration was given in the evaluation to ways in which this course option
could be better integrated with other BALLC courses and to the role of PhD
students in teaching the course.
2.
Project activities: April 2010 – July 2010
There were two main activities: the external evaluation of the course and the
development of e-learning course materials. In addition a series of meetings
were held to plan the activities, discuss the evaluation findings, and consider
ways in which the course unit could be better integrated into the BA LLC
programme as a whole. In addition, three digital cameras were purchased
with cases and memory cards for use during practical activities on the course.
 Evaluation of course materials
The course unit materials (including assessment criteria), completed student
qualitative evaluation forms, video recordings of teaching sessions and draft
e-learning resources were evaluated by Professor Sue Ralph. Professor
Ralph is a former employee of the University of Manchester who has
specialised in image-based research methods over many years. She
produced a helpful report and attended a meeting in the university in July to
discuss her findings as presented (in the report) with course tutors.
Professor Ralph concluded that the course unit was both innovative and
unique – especially given the fact that participatory photographic research
methods are not yet fully understood or accepted in the wider academic world
- and congratulated the people who have devised, developed and worked on
it.
“There is evidence of a lot of thought and planning which is ongoing.
The team has learnt from their experience and are constantly adapting
and improving this course”.
The course has the potential to move the debate about image-based research
methods forward if the following issues are taken into consideration in the
further development of the course.
a.
Issues of copyright
Check with the university lawyers regarding the use of published photographs
(particularly for those available on the web) and if these are covered by any
educational use arrangements.
b.
Greater emphasis on reading research articles
A stronger research emphasis is needed. This is really crucial and could
possibly be achieved by:
 Holding seminars where students present summaries of research
articles to the group, which are then followed by an in depth discussion;
 Ensuring that the written paper contains reference to a minimum
number of methodological texts;
 Tightening the assessment criteria to make sure the reading is
emphasised (eg consider adding a weighting);
 Setting the presentation in a theoretical framework where students
have to justify their work in terms of methodology and ethical
considerations References to specific literature/relevant literature
would be required;
 Following the presentations with an in depth discussion with the full
group.
c.
Contracts with students
Create verbal or written contracts with students to include such things as:
 This is a very short course which is dependent on group work. If one
person is absent this affects the rest of the group;
 The course is sequential and interactive which means that nobody can
afford to miss any sessions;
 We all agree to attend all sessions (or have to repeat the course);
 Arrive on time;
 Respect confidentiality where needed;
 Attend all additional group meetings etc.
d.




Additional reading/handouts/web pages needed about:
Interview skills;
Presentational skills;
Non verbal communication and
Reflective practice/experiential learning.
e.


Assessment Requirements
More explanation of the individual critertia.
More emphasis on academic reading.
In summary the course tutors should aim to achieve a greater balance
between the theory and practice of participatory photography. This can be
done to some extent by modifying assessment procedures and strengthening
the focus on ethics.
 E-learning resource
The e-learning materials for the course unit were developed by Ian Kaplan, a
PhD student with particular expertise in participatory photography, in close
consultation with Kate Sapin, Programme Director of BA Youth and
Community Work. Kate has developed a participatory photography module as
part of a new course on Global Citizenship for undergraduate students.
3.
Evaluation, output and dissemination
A journal article entitled, ‘Images and the ethics of inclusion and exclusion:
learning through participatory photography in education’ by Kaplan, Howes
and Miles has been accepted by JORSEN, subject to some revision.
A book is due to be published in September 2010 which contains chapters
written by PhD students (Chambers, Eliadou, Lindley, Rowley and Scott) who
have been involved in teaching the participatory photography course unit. The
chapters describe the students’ Masters level and doctoral research using this
methodology. The book reference is as follows:
Miles, S. and Ainscow, M. (eds) (in preparation for January 2010)
Responding to Diversity in Schools: an inquiry-based approach.
London: Routledge.
Further articles and a book about participatory photography are envisaged.