Educational spaces and social arenas – Photo-elicitation as a method to explore pupils’ experience of school

Author(s):

Marianne Strömberg(presenting / submitting)Anita Norlund(presenting)

Conference:

ECER 2015

Network:

04. Inclusive Education

Format:

Paper

Session Information

04 SES 07 A, Inclusive Research and Young People's Perspectives

Paper Session

Time:

2015-09-09

17:15-18:45

Room:

205.Oktatóterem [C]

Chair:

Clare Woolhouse

Contribution

Background

The enablement of ‘inclusion’ is increasingly of interest to educational actors and proves to be of importance to all the Nordic countries (see Paideia, 2013) The inclusion of all children in mainstream schools has also been adopted as a key educational policy across Europe. It is, however, a policy been experienced as challenging, not least because of uncertainty over its meaning, and met with some resistance (Allen, 2008, 2010). Recently the Swedish school system met with a new law stipulating that pupils with diagnosis within autism spectrum disorder (ASD) from now are to be included in regular classes (Prop. 2009/10:165). The study in focus emanates from an on-going municipal project introduced by the Special Education Centre in a Swedish municipality. The project seeks to create favourable circumstances for pupils with diagnosis within ASD. It does not only take the referred legislation act into account but also the conclusions from the report, “Not according to the template”- About the school situation for children in elementary school with the diagnosis of autism spectrum disorders (The Swedish Schools Inspectorate, 2012). The report indicates that there are severel challenges and general need for research studies that identify specific and appropriate measures for the pupils in focus. Pupils on the autism spectrum experience social and communication difficulties that profoundly affect their opportunities for inclusion. It’s a challenge to meet this in educational settings and need to be taken seriously from a democratic perspective (Harrower & Dunlap 2001; Falkmer 2013).

Introduction

The aim of our study is to explore a participatory research approach called photo-elicitation (PEI) used with a group of pupils in primary and secondary school. Recent work has taken place to consider how participatory approaches can translate to a meaningful experience for disabled participants with particular communication needs (Walmsley 2001). Only a small number of research studies has employed participatory approaches to consult specifically with individuals on the autism spectrum (see Mac Leod, Lewis & Robertsson 2012). Some researchers, for example Humphrey & Lewis (2008) consulted with the pupils via a combination of semi-structured interviews, diaries and drawings.

Method

When conducting photo-elicitation interviews (PEI), researchers introduce photographs into the interview context. Although PEI has been employed across a wide variety of disciplines and participants, little has been written about the use of photographs in interviews with pupils in school contexts particularly with pupils within ASD. This implicates that our ongoing study can contribute to the methodological field of PEI and gain new insights about how pupils, within the autism spectrum, experience the daily life in school, as well. The study In our study the PEI method has inspired the design and the photos used in interviews were taken by the pupils themselves, not by the researcher. This approach is related to Clarks (1999) autodriving photograpy. This indicates that the interview was driven by the participants who took the photos. The participants, 6 pupils from 8 years up to 15 years old were asked to take about 10-12 photos each of their school environment with i-Pads. Our input as researchers to the pupils was inspired by Epsteins et al (2006) interview guide and some guidelines were sent by mail to the teacher in charge. The pupils were supposed to take photos of places in the school environment where they like to spend time and places in school where they learn in a good way. The PEI interviews were conducted in the school setting and in places chosen by the teacher and pupil involved. The first step of analysing the photos was based on Lind och Åsen’s (1999) analysis model and generated thematic groups of photos which will be discussed and developed in the paper.

Expected Outcomes

As researchers we experienced photo-elicitation interviews as a data collection technique that focused on photos taken by the pupil involved working as an ice breaker activity to create a comfortable space for discussion and gave opportunities to involve children in different ways so as not to limit their responses. Some findings indicate that the student not only described the many challenges they faced at school, but also a significant number of positive school experiences connected to school as a learning and social arena. The pupils expressed their perspectives on how to manage in the school practice and they described developed strategies how to avoid difficult situations. They also expressed suggestions for improvement and had quite clear ideas of what could be done to make school to be a better place for learning. As reseachers we experienced some findings that contradict the autistic stereotype of individuals who are anti-social or asocial. The pupils demonstrated through their choices of photos, the contributions and acting in the interview situation that they are social beeings intrested in giving their point of view. There is a small but growing body of evidence that research consulting directly with autistic participants can reveal findings to challenge current understandning (see Madriaga & Goodley, 2010). This is a matter for further discussion in the paper.

References

Allan, J. (2008) Rethinking inclusion: the philosophers of difference in practice. Dordrecht: Springer. Allan, J. (2010). Questions of inclusion in Scotland and Europe. European Journal of Special Needs Education, 25(2), 199-208. Clark, C. D. (1999). The autodriven interview: A photographic viewfinder into children’s experiences. Visual Sociology, 14, 39-50. Epsteins et al (2006). Epstein, I., Stevens, B., McKeever, P., & Baruchel, S. (2006). Photo Elicitation Interview (PEI): Using Photos to Elicit Children’s Perspectives. International Journal of Qualitative Methods 5(3), 1-11. Falkmer, M. (2013). From Eye to us: Prerequisities for and levels of participitation in mainstream school of persons whith Autism Spectrum Conditions. Jönköping: School of Education and Communication Harrower J.K, and Dunlap, G. (2001). Including Children with Autism in General Education Classrooms: A Review of Effective Strategies. Published at Sage. Humphrey, N., and S. Lewis. (2008). ‘Make me normal’: The views and experiences of pupils on the autistic spectrum in mainstream secondary schools. Autism 12, no. 23: 24–45. Lind, U., och Åsén, G. (1999). En annan skola. HLS förlag. MacLeod, A. G., Lewis, A., and Robertson, C. (2013)’CHARLIE: PLEASE RESPOND!’ Using participatory methodology whit individuals on the autism spectrum. International Journal of Research & Method in Education. Madriaga, M., and D. Goodley. 2010. Moving beyond the minimum: Socially just pedagogies and Asperger’s syndrome in UK higher education. International Journal of Inclusive Education 14, no. 2: 115–31. Paideia (2013). Thematic issue: Inclusion. Nr 5, May, 2013. Prop. 2009/10:165. Den nya skollagen – för kunskap, valfrihet och trygghet. Stockholm: Utbildningsdepartementet. Skolinspektionen (2012). ”Inte enligt mallen”- Om skolsituationen för elever i grundskolan med diagnos inom autismspektrumtillstånd. Skolinspektionens rapport 2012:11. Stockholm: Skolinspektionen. Walmsley, J. 2001. Normalisation, emancipatory research and inclusive research in learning disability. Disability & Society 16, no. 2: 187–205.

Author Information

Marianne Strömberg (presenting / submitting)

University of Borås, Sweden

Anita Norlund (presenting)