Here I will try to discuss in some detail the research methods I’ve been using in my Action Research Project (ARP) in attempt to foster a sense of pro-belonging among my students Tutees in their first foundation art and design tutorials. These methods ive explored combine qualitative and participatory Art based action research (ABAR) approaches, aimed at helping students feel connected and supported in their learning environment through practices of relational and dialogical art. There is a need for ABAR as a tool of culturally decolonising (Jokela 2019) I will go through an exploration of how ive incorporated the creative methods of PhotoVoice, metaphorical self-portraits, and “stuckness” drawings into these first pastoral and academic tutorials for students on both FAD diagnostic and specialist Art and Design pathways. These activities have been intergrated to encourage my students to reflect on their experiences through artistic means, activly encouraging ‘pro-belonging’ in their first one-to-one tutorial. I’ll also go through how I developed the list of questions and prompts for these activities, with the aim of ensuring they are purposeful yet open enough to facilitate rich, reflective conversations. Finally, I’ll reflect on the ethical implications of conducting research in an educational context such as this.
Creating the List of Questions
The list of questions I had created for my ARP project methods was a fundamental part of the process of later engaging students in what I hoped for a meaningful dialogue and reflection. In crafting the questions, I really wanted to ensure that they encouraged active self-reflection, enhanced self-efficacy while also promoting a sense of openness and inclusion. I aimed to come up with questions that would thus allow my students to share their personal feelings, challenges, and successes, and to help them to articulate their sense of belonging in a supportive and compassionate environment (whilst being sensitive that this was with a tutor whom they had never met). With that in mind at the same time, I wanted these questions to prompt the kind of deeper, more insightful responses that would provide valuable data collectivlly for their own work, personal support and my research.
To create the list of questions that I did, I first considered the core themes of the project being: pro-belonging, personal narritives, inclusion, support, self-efficacy and personal growth, collaborative learning (to name a few). I also kept in mind the various barriers to communication that some of my students might experience—whether it’s due to language, cultural differences, or personal hesitations. I wanted these questions to be flexible enough to accommodate all of my students’ diverse backgrounds, disiplinary interests and emotional states while still aligning with the overarching goal of the project. I was really concious of creating simplicity and aware of the questions not being too wordy.
How I Developed the Questions
In developing the questions for the PhotoVoice, metaphorical self-portrait and stuckness activities, I began by framing the overall purpose of the session. Importantly I wanted students to feel safe and supported from the outset, so the questions as i mentioned needed to be clear, welcoming, and framed in a way that would encourage honest reflection. This was to be part of a formally structured tutorial session and so needed to be intergrated and align wih the necessary outcomes and feed into it with more depth.
For the PhotoVoice activity, I sought questions that would encourage students to share their thoughts on how they were feeling about the course so far, how they perceived their place in the learning community, and where they might need additional support. Since PhotoVoice is inherently visual and non-verbal, I wanted the follow-up with dialectic questioning to create an opportunity for students to interpret their images and connect them to their own emotional and academic experiences.
For the Metaphorical Self-Portrait activity, I wanted to explore students’ self-perception and artistic identity, so I framed the questions to explore their views on themselves as artists and how they were navigating the course. This method was also aimed at helping students to express their feelings symbolically, allowing me to gain insights into their challenges and successes.
Lastly, the Stuckness Drawing was designed to explore moments of creative blockages or emotional barriers in their practice and to be introduced later on in the tutorial rather than the beginning as the other two were. The follow-up questions were intended to get students to reflect on areas where they felt stuck and how they could be supported in overcoming these obstacles.
The List of Questions
Group 1: PhotoVoice Activity
- Introduction and Welcome (5 minutes)
“Welcome to the part 1 tutorials – I am Rebecca, I teach in Specialist Painting and I’m your tutor today. This time together is to get to know you better and ensure you feel supported and included as part of our community here as well as to share a little feedback. It is not an assessment of your work so do not worry, I will be writing up our notes as we speak so if I look like I’m not listening, please don’t worry, I am!” - Photo Sharing
“Can I ask you to share a photo that reflects how you’re feeling about the course right now? This will help me understand where you are in your journey and how I can best support you.” - Follow-up Questions
- “What about this image reflects how you’re feeling about being part of this course?”
- “How do you feel connected to the learning community here? Are there any areas where you feel disconnected?”
- “What would help you feel more supported or included in the course?”
Group 2: Metaphorical Self-Portrait Activity
- Introduction and Welcome
“Welcome to the part 1 tutorials – I am Rebecca, I teach in Specialist Painting, and I’m your tutor today until you get your part 2 tutor within your specialism. This time together is to get to know you better, and ensure you feel supported and included as part of our community here, as well as to share a little feedback. This is not an assessment of your work, so don’t worry, I’ll be writing notes as we speak, but if I look like I’m not listening, I am!” - Self-Portrait Creation
“I’d like you to create a metaphorical self-portrait. This means you can represent yourself as an object, an animal, or anything abstract that feels right for you. It’s about capturing how you feel as an artist right now.” - Follow-up Questions
- “What does this self-portrait represent about how you feel as an artist?”
- “In what ways does this image reflect how you’re navigating the course?”
- “Is there something in this representation that indicates any challenges or feelings of success in your journey so far?”
- “What could help you feel more supported or included in the course moving forward?”
FIGURE 2: Dave Grey Exploring Stuckness with visual Frameworks
“I think of visual frameworks as power tools that can transform the way you think about problems and help you generate more creative strategies for dealing with them” D.Grey (2023)
Group 3: Stuckness Drawing Activity
- Drawing Process
“Can I ask you to create a quick drawing that represents how you feel ‘stuck’ or blocked in your work right now? It doesn’t have to be a perfect drawing—just something that reflects how you’re feeling, whether emotionally or creatively.” - Follow-up Questions
- “What in this drawing represents how you feel blocked or stuck in your work?”
- “Is there a specific area where you’re struggling, and how can I support you to work through this?”
- “What do you think might help you overcome this blockage in the coming weeks?”
- “What support or strategies could help you feel less stuck and more confident in your work?”
These questions were ultimatly designed to be flexible and open-ended to encourage students to think deeply and express themselves more freely and had some flexibility within them to relate universally. They are intentionally aimed at uncovering both those emotional and practical aspects of students’ experiences, (which can so often be tricky to navigate) helping to build a more holistic understanding of their journey within the course.
Thoughts and considerations
(I wasnt sure how these would be recieved in practice), certainly the process of creating these questions has been an iterative one, with each round of tutorials offering new insights into how students think and feel about their learning experience. In the end, by using participatory methods like PhotoVoice and metaphorical self-portraits, I feel like the questions enabled and created a safe space i hoped for- for my students to explore their sense of belonging and connect with the course on a deeper level. The reflective, open-ended questions I’ve developed here were essential in facilitating this process, (guiding both myself) and the students to think critically about their experiences and articulate their needs and challenges. Through this dialogue, I hope it has at present contributed some way to building a stronger, more inclusive learning environment that supports the personal and academic growth of each student. And perhaps a format that can be used again.
Art-Based Action Research (ABAR)
FIGURE 1. Kinetic mobile system for dynamic change.
FIGURE 2. Orbital system for dynamic change.
Summary of the two charts:
It illustrates how interdependent, dynamic elements (whether in a “mobile” or “orbital” framework) continuously influence one another to drive ongoing change and development within a learning or creative environment. This article by Frontiers in Psychology (2018) basically explores how student learning and personal development can be understood through dynamic, interrelated systems—represented visually by the authors as a “kinetic mobile system” (Figure 1) and an “orbital system” (Figure 2). These two models serve as metaphors for the ongoing, reciprocal influences between various elements of students’ educational contexts (e.g., environment, peers, instructors, and personal factors), all of which continuously interact and evolve. By emphasizing the fluidity and interconnected nature of these influences, the article underscores the importance of flexible, reflective approaches to teaching and learning that honor each learner’s perspective and promote a shared sense of belonging. Ultimately, the authors argue that recognizing and intentionally working with these dynamic, interwoven processes can foster deeper engagement, creativity, and well-being in higher education settings.
ABAR METHOD CONCEPT: I adopted an Art-Based Action Research (ABAR) framework, partly inspired by models in Frontiers in Psychology (2018) that depict learning as a dynamic, interrelated system—visualized as a “kinetic mobile” or “orbital” structure. These metaphors capture how environment, tutors, peers stakeholders, and personal factors continuously interact in a fluid way in establishing our learning.
Art-Based Action Research (ABAR) in Pastoral Tutorials
As the main part of this Action Research project, I have chosen to explore Art-Based Action Research (ABAR) method’s to understand and address the challenges students face in building a sense of belonging from the inside of the institution. I began with the work of Timo Jokela and Maria Huhmarniemi (2008), who describe ABAR as a framework that merges the reflective processes of action research with artistic practice. ABAR provides a space where participants can express tacit knowledge—those insights and emotions that are difficult to verbalize—through creative means. This participatory approach is particularly valuable in art and design education, where students often express their identities and emotional journeys through visual mediums rather than words. By using ABAR, I aim to create an environment where students feel comfortable exploring and sharing these often-hidden emotions and experiences, which are critical in cultivating a sense of belonging in their work and community relationships.
As Jokela and Huhmarniemi (2008) explain, “Art-based action research creates a space where participants can express tacit knowledge—those insights and emotions difficult to verbalize—through artistic means.” This participatory approach enables individuals to engage deeply with social issues and personal experiences, fostering both individual and community development. Through ABAR, I have found that students are able to communicate their feelings and challenges in ways that traditional verbal methods may not facilitate, making it an invaluable tool in pastoral tutorials.
By harnessing Art-Based Action Research (ABAR) methods, I aimed to make these relational moments in tutorials more intentional, ensuring deeper connection, where we can spark creative, reflective and inclusive dialogues that are not just verbal and thus aligned to my students working practices, to make these meaningful learning experiences for every student – ensuring they feel valued, heard, and truly part of the learning environment.
Using PhotoVoice as a Tool for Belonging
One of the key methods I’ve introduced in my research is PhotoVoice, developed by Wang and Burris (1997), which serves as an initial icebreaker in the first pastoral tutorials. PhotoVoice being a method that asks students to take or share a pre exisring photograph that reflects how they are feeling about the course and their current experience of it thus far. This visual method provides students with a non-verbal way to express emotions and experiences that they may find difficult to articulate. The act of choosing a photo to represent one’s feelings gives students agency and control over their narrative, which is crucial for fostering a sense of belonging. It is these stories i wish to hear.
As Wang and Burris (1997) state it is, “A method including taking but also explaining photos, which is termed photovoice.” This method not only empowers participants by giving them control over what is portrayed but also enables a deeper understanding of their personal experiences. It creates a space for students to engage in conversation about their feelings without the pressure of verbal articulation. Through this, PhotoVoice should contribute towards helping to build a sense of inclusion, as all students can participate in a manner that feels comfortable to them, regardless of language barriers or personal hesitancies.
Moreover, the visual nature of PhotoVoice helps facilitate a more inclusive and accessible discussion particularly where my students are used to a term already of making tacitly and sharing dialectly during crits and through workflow. As Wass et al. (2020) point out, “What distinguishes photovoice is that it empowers participants by giving them the option to take photos and choose photos for further analysis giving them agency and voice over what is discussed, portrayed, and how.” What i like about this practice is that it works toward encouraging self-expression and promotes empowerment, particularly for students who may find it difficult to articulate their thoughts verbally. In this way, PhotoVoice aligns perfectly with my goal of fostering a supportive and inclusive community where students feel heard and validated.
Other Generative Methods for Engaging Students
In addition to PhotoVoice, I have also incorporated metaphorical self-portraits and “stuckness” drawings to further explore students’ feelings and experiences in two other tutorial groups. These methods allow students to represent themselves symbolically or express emotional blockages creatively. For example, asking students to create a quick drawing of a metaphorical self-portrait can help uncover insights into their current state as artists, their sense of connection to the course, and any challenges they may be facing, what they can do to overcome this. This process taps into the power of visual expression, which can sometimes communicate feelings more comfortably and effectively than words might alone.
As Bandura (2001) argues, this kind of participatory practice fosters self-efficacy, “the degree to which someone psychologically attributes (and feels like they have) control, management, self-governance and authorship over the narration of their lived-realities.” By giving students the opportunity to represent themselves symbolically, they are given control over how their stories are told, which can have a profound impact on their sense of agency and belonging.
I think i may have said the same thing in different ways – however these methods are not only valuable for individual reflection but in the future itterations it may also encourage helpful group discussions, whereby students can share their creations and explore common themes. The act of sharing their visual responses with others could well foster a sense of connection and solidarity in a wider community, further strengthening the community aspect of the tutorials.
The Role of Drawing in Participatory Action Research
The practice of drawing also plays a really key role in my ABAR methodology. As Wang (2007) notes, “Visual research methodologies has disproportionately favoured digitalised developments in photographic and video tools over, what now seems to be, the old ‘tradition’ of drawing.” Drawing provides a tangible, hands-on way for students to engage with their emotions and experiences. In my tutorials, I use drawing twice- both as an icebreaker and to help students explore their feelings of being “stuck” in their practice. This non-verbal method allows students to express feelings that with a different sort of understanding, can more authentically represent and examine their internal, lived experiences, beginning to see themselves in a more empathetic light, sparking deeper honestly in dialogue and genuine relational attune-ment when articulating and helps to create a safe space for them to reflect on their artistic journeys.
Reflection and Ethical Considerations
As with any research involving our students, ethical considerations are paramount. Whilst this was embedded into structured tutorials which students must attend- I ensured that students’ participation of the icebreaker acivities was voluntary and that they give informed verbal consent for any visual and documented data used in the project. I also make sure that no raw data, including photographs or personal reflections, is shared without explicit permission. All images and feedback are anonymized to the best of my ability to protect the privacy of participants, in line with ethical research standards.
While I’m actively using these creative methods to gather the data, it’s been important to reflect on how these participatory approaches are actually shaping the students’ experiences. Through iterative cycles of feedback and reflection, I will continue to refine my methods to ensure that they are responsive to students’ needs and contribute as meaningfully as possible to their sense of belonging on the ground.
The use of Art-Based Action Research methods in pastoral tutorials offers a unique way to engage students, particularly in an art and design context. I truely felt that Methods like PhotoVoice, metaphorical self-portraits, and stuckness drawings can and do empower students to express themselves in new and suprising creative, non-verbal ways, that take interesting turns in conversation, thus hooefully fostering a deeper sense of belonging and connection both ways, if i understand my students better, i can also support them better and if they know themselfs better they can progress with more confidence and feel relationaly safe. The goal is that by giving students this absolute agency over their narratives and providing an open space for creative reflection, these methods not only enhance the tutorial experience but also support students’ emotional wellbeing and academic success. As I continue to develop my action research project, I will keep refining these methods to ensure that they are actually meeting the diverse needs of students in this ever-evolving educational landscape.
Qualitative Method Research
Question Order and Flow
Finally I also did some Qualitative research to gather further insights, I reached out to the three groups of 6-9 students for student reflections and feedback with an online survey through survey monkey. While the response rate was shockingly low, (there were 3 responces) I still found these reflections valuable. In developing the survey’s i noted that Converse and Presser discuss how the order of questions can affect how respondents interpretations and answer to them. This makes perfect sence and to try to avoid any potential bias introduced by question order, I made sure the questions flowed logically from more general to specific. For example, I first asked about overall support and inclusion before diving into specifics about the method activities that took place, allowing students to first reflect on the tutorial in broader terms before focusing on the creative exercises.
By applying the principles outlined in The Tools at Hand: Survey Questions, I was able to attempt to design surveys that might effectively capture students’ experiences and provide valuable insights into the effectiveness of the pastoral tutorials and activities. These insights that i did garner remain essential for refining the tutorial process and ensuring that future sessions would be able to better support students’ practical, emotional and creative needs.
Due to the big fail here- I ended up adapting all of my analysis to include much more observational insights as take up was of course low, whilst as i say it was still a valuable peak into one or two worlds.
Developing the Qualitative Questions for the Three Surveys
So when I was designing the qualitative questions for my surveys, my aim was really to ensure that they would gather detailed insights into students’ experiences in the 1:1 tutorials, specifically their sense of belonging and how they engaged with the creative method activities. This process involved an attempt in balancing both structured and open-ended questions, allowing students to share their reflections in a way that was more meaningful to them.
Survey 1: Evaluating the Effectiveness of Pastoral Tutorials and the Metaphorical Self-Portrait Activity
- Do you consent to participating in this survey?
- Yes, I consent to participating in this survey.
- No, I do not consent to participating.
- How effective was the tutorial in helping you feel supported and included?
- Very effective
- Effective
- Somewhat effective
- Not effective
- Did the tutorial provide enough time and space for you to express your thoughts and concerns?
- Yes, definitely
- Yes, somewhat
- No, not really
- No, not at all
- How engaging was the metaphorical self-portrait activity?
- Very engaging
- Engaging
- Somewhat engaging
- Not engaging
- What did you like most about the metaphorical self-portrait activity?
- What improvements would you suggest for the pastoral tutorials?
- How did the metaphorical self-portrait activity help you understand yourself better?
- Would you recommend the pastoral tutorials to other students?
- Yes
- No
- Overall, how satisfied are you with the metaphorical self-portrait activity?
- Very satisfied
- Satisfied
- Neutral
- Dissatisfied
- Very dissatisfied
Survey 2: Evaluating the Effectiveness of Pastoral Tutorials and the Stuckness Drawing Activity
- Do you consent to participating in this survey?
- Yes, I consent to participating in this survey.
- No, I do not consent to participating.
- How effective was the tutorial in helping you feel supported and part of the learning community?
- Very effective
- Effective
- Somewhat effective
- Not effective
- Did the tutorial give you enough time to complete the exercises?
- Yes
- No
- What aspects of the tutorial did you find most helpful?
- What improvements would you suggest for the tutorial?
- How likely are you to recommend this tutorial to a friend or colleague?
- Very likely
- Likely
- Neutral
- Unlikely
- Very unlikely
- Do you have any other comments or feedback about the tutorial?
Survey 3: General Tutorial Effectiveness and Community Support
Do you consent to participating in this survey?
- Yes, I consent to participating in this survey.
- No, I do not consent to participating.
How effective was the tutorial in helping you feel supported and included?
- Very effective
- Effective
- Somewhat effective
- Not effective
Did the tutorial provide enough time and space for you to discuss your artistic practice and concepts?
- Yes
- No
- Somewhat
What aspects of the tutorial did you find most helpful?
What improvements would you suggest for future tutorials?
On a scale of 0 to 10, how likely is it that you would recommend this tutorial to a friend or colleague?
- 0 (Not at all likely) to 10 (Extremely likely)
How would you rate the overall quality of the tutorial?
- Excellent
- Good
- Average
- Poor
Any additional comments or feedback?
Questionairre: Aligning with the Research Objectives
As the primary goal within my research was to explore how the tutorials foster a sense of pro- belonging and inclusion within the context of foundation art and design, I wanted to assess how well the various creative activities; Photovoice, Metaphorical Self-Portrait, and ‘Stuckness’ Drawing, actually did facilitate self-reflection and emotional expression. To ensure the questions aligned with this goal, I focused on themes like support, inclusion, engagement, and personal growth. Each set of questions was designed to probe these areas while allowing for open expression.
Questionairre: Engaging Students in Self-Reflection
For the Metaphorical Self-Portrait Questionairre survey, I wanted to encourage students to reflect on their artistic identity, their sense of belonging, and how the activity impacted their understanding of themselves. Questions like “How did the metaphorical self-portrait activity help you understand yourself better?” were designed to probe the personal impact of the activity, allowing students to articulate how the exercise influenced their emotional and intellectual engagement with their artistic practice. This kind of question taps into qualitative data by encouraging students to share deep personal insights.
Similarly, for the ‘Stuckness’ Drawing activity, the survey included a question such as, “What aspects of the tutorial did you find most helpful?” This was an open-ended question, designed to let students express what worked for them in terms of overcoming creative blocks and feeling supported during the process. This question was vital to understanding how the tutorial process, including the activities, helped alleviate feelings of frustration or creative stagnation.
Questionairre: Attempts at balancing Structure with Flexibility
While some of the questions were closed-ended to collect more easily quantifiable data (e.g., “How effective was the tutorial in helping you feel supported and included?”), I also made sure to incorporate open-ended questions that would allow for richer, more nuanced responses. For instance, the question “What improvements would you suggest for the tutorial?” gave students a space to express their opinions on how the structure could be enhanced to better support their artistic and emotional needs. These open-ended questions provided valuable feedback that was not constrained by pre-set options, allowing students to share suggestions for improvement based on their personal experiences.
Questionairre: Incorporating Student Feedback for Iterative Improvement
As part of the feedback process, I wanted to gain insight into how students perceived the time allocated for discussing artistic practice. The question “Did the tutorial provide enough time and space for you to discuss your artistic practice and concepts?” was designed to assess whether students felt there was sufficient opportunity for meaningful conversation about their work. One of the challenges I found during the survey process was getting enough responses. However, the feedback I did receive revealed that while students appreciated the support provided, there was room for improvement in the allocation of time for in-depth discussions about their creative work. This feedback is essential for refining future tutorials.
Questionairre: Data Collection and Ethical Considerations
When developing the questions, I also made sure to maintain ethical standards by ensuring informed consent from students. Each survey began with a consent question (“Do you consent to participating in this survey?”), which allowed students to voluntarily participate in the data collection process while ensuring their responses were anonymous and confidential.
Developing the Qualitative Questions for the Three Surveys
When designing the qualitative questions for my surveys, my aim was to ensure that they would gather detailed insights into students’ experiences in the 1:1 tutorials, specifically their sense of belonging and how they engaged with the creative activities. This process involved balancing both structured and open-ended questions, allowing students to share their reflections in a way that was meaningful to them.
Conclding thoughts on this method:
The development of the qualitative questions was a considered and thoughtful process, aimed at capturing quickly, their reflective responses that would give me some deeper insights into these students’ experiences. But………… of course I was able to gather both only a few responces to the quantitative and qualitative data that could help assess the effectiveness of these tutorials. This process has still been invaluable for considerations around refining the tutorial structure and what the possibilities are for ensuring that future sessions wither foster a stronger sense of belonging and engagement for students. I have since addressed the issues with the questionairre and considered some of the potential reasons as towhy the questionnaire may not have elicited much of a response or feedback from my students. In hindsight i wish i had given more consideration as to how i would elicit more helpful feedback in advance of the sessions through further research.
Lack of Incentive for Participation?
One of the primary reasons the survey may not have received many responses could be the lack of an incentive…. even when there is an incentive it can be hard to make sure students participate! Students are often busy with their academic and personal commitments, and so without a clear benefit for completing the survey (such as extra credit, participation in a prize draw, or other rewards), they may not feel motivated to engage. Offering an incentive could increase response rates by providing students with a tangible reward for their time and effort.
Time Constraints?
The timing of the survey might also be a factor. The survey was sent during a particularly busy period at the middle of the term 1 in the academic calendar (after a tutorial where they have feedback already and before a major assessment deadline in my case), students may have been too focused on other things to complete the survey. Additionally, the time required to reflect on and thoughtfully answer open-ended questions may have deterred some students from participating, especially if they felt pressed for time.
Survey Fatigue?
Clearly – students, especially in a university setting, including myself often face survey fatigue. I could have been more createhere! If they have been asked to complete multiple surveys or questionnaires during the same time period, they may have been less inclined to participate in another one. The repetitive nature of being asked for feedback, without clear acknowledgment of its impact or tangible changes resulting from previous feedback, can also diminish students’ willingness to engage.
Length of the Survey?
While the questionnaire was designed to be concise, even a small number of questions can feel overwhelming to some students. Length can deter responses, particularly if the survey is perceived as time-consuming or if students believe it will not significantly impact their experience. The inclusion of a mix of quantitative and qualitative questions might have also added to the perceived length or complexity of the survey.
Unclear Impact or Relevance?
If students do not see a direct link between their feedback and tangible changes in their tutorial experience, they may be less motivated to complete the survey. They might question whether their responses will truly be considered or if the feedback process is more for the researcher’s benefit rather than for their own improvement. Ensuring that students understand the purpose of the survey and how their feedback will be used to shape future tutorials could help to address this issue.
Anonymous Nature of the Survey?
While anonymity is crucial for ethical reasons, it may sometimes reduce the sense of accountability for completing the survey. If students feel that there is no direct consequence or that their input won’t have a personalized impact, they may choose not to respond. Creating a balance between anonymity and fostering a sense of responsibility to participate might improve engagement.
Lack of Clear Follow-Up?
My students did not receive any follow-up communication after completing the survey (e.g., thanking them for their participation, summarizing the findings, or explaining how their feedback will be applied),so they might feel their responses were undervalued or overlooked which defeats the wish to encourage ‘belonging’. Perhaps next time a follow-up response showing how their feedback contributed to changes or improvements in the tutorials could motivate future participation.
Complexity of my Questions?
While the questions were designed to be clear, some students may have found them somewhat complex or abstract, especially when reflecting on personal, emotional experiences like “How did the metaphorical self-portrait activity help you understand yourself better?” Thhese sorts of reflective questions may well require time and introspection, which some students may have felt uncomfortable with, or perhaps didn’t have the capacity for it at the time.
Perception of Relevance?
Some students may not have seen the survey as directly relevant to their educational experience, particularly if they felt that the tutorials didn’t meet their specific needs or that the activities didn’t resonate with them. If students didn’t feel that the activities were a meaningful part of their learning experience, they might have opted not to participate in the feedback process.
The development of the qualitative questions was a thoughtful process, aimed at capturing detailed, reflective responses that would give deeper insights into students’ experiences. By balancing structured and open-ended questions, I was able to gather both quantitative and qualitative data that could help assess the effectiveness of the tutorials. This process has been invaluable for refining the tutorial structure and ensuring that future sessions foster a stronger sense of belonging and engagement for students.
References
Author unknown. (2022). Wang and Burris (1997). Available at: https://wang-lessen.blogspot.com/2022/11/wang-and-burris-1997.html [Accessed 11 Jan. 2025].
PowerPoint Presentation
Henkle, [Initials unknown]. (n.d.). Photovoice in science teacher education. Available at: https://www.slideserve.com/henkle/photovoice-in-science-teacher-education-powerpoint-ppt-presentation [Accessed 11 Jan. 2025].
Journal Article
Author unknown. (2022). Wang and Burris (1997). Available at: https://wang-lessen.blogspot.com/2022/11/wang-and-burris-1997.html [Accessed 11 Jan. 2025].
PowerPoint Presentation
Henkle, [Initials unknown]. (n.d.). Photovoice in science teacher education. Available at: https://www.slideserve.com/henkle/photovoice-in-science-teacher-education-powerpoint-ppt-presentation [Accessed 11 Jan. 2025].
Scheffel, D.L., Hanewinkel, R. and Nieswand, B. (2018). ‘PhotoVoice: A participatory tool for the evaluation of school health promotion’, Frontiers in Psychology, 9, p.2076. Available at: https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2018.02076/full [Accessed 11 Jan. 2025].
Bandura, A. (2001). Social Cognitive Theory: An Agentic Perspective. Annual Review of Psychology, 52, 1-26.
Converse, J. M., & Presser, S. (2021). Survey Questions: Handcrafting the Standardized Questionnaire. Sage Publications.
Jokela, T., & Huhmarniemi, M. (2008). Art-based Action Research in the Development Work of Arts and Art Education. Action Research, 6(3), 271-287.
Wang, C., & Burris, V. (1997). Photovoice: Concept, Methodology, and Use for Participatory Needs Assessment. Health Education & Behavior, 24(3), 369-387.
Wang, C. (2007). Youth Participatory Action Research: An Action for Social Change. Journal of Community Practice, 15(3), 1-19.
Wass, L., Birch, R., & Wills, D. (2020). Photovoice and Digital Storytelling: A New Approach to Participatory Research. Oxford University Press.