The use of photo elicitation for understanding the complexity of teaching: a methodological contribution

Abstract

ABSTRACT Educational research results on teachers and teaching are often criticized due to the lack of connection between knowledge production in academic settings and the reality of teachers’ work. One of the main critiques of research is the lack of methodological options to address the complexity of teaching. In fact, research results have often been considered to be decontextualized and far removed from teachers’ every day practices. Based on a study of teacher quality in La Araucanía, this paper is a methodological reflection on the use of Visual Research Methods, particularly photo elicitation, as a method to address the complexity of teaching. Hereby, I explore three contributions from using photo elicitation in research on teachers and teaching: First, the use of pictures provides rich descriptions of teachers’ context of practice. Second, the use of pictures helps to understand better what teachers mean and interpret. Third, it allows researchers and participants to negotiate the interpretations of pictures, by contrasting participants’ views viz-à-viz researchers’ perceptions about the contexts where teachers develop their practice.