Abstract
In the visual as well as word-orientated world that the qualitative researcher increasingly finds herself in, a critical stance about ethics and its relation to qualitative data-gathering methods is long overdue. The growing popularity of technology and the user-friendliness of cameras and videos have led to an increase in the use of visual-oriented tools. Consequentially, critical reflection by the researcher about what is ethical, and what is right in the behaviour of researchers when collecting and using visual images in educational research, is needed. Due to qualitative research not being associated with physical manipulation or intrusive measures, an assumption could be perpetuated that its processes pose no or minimal risks to participants. However, witnessing how identifiable visuals of vulnerable populations are being shown during dissemination of findings in the public domain, has led me to question the ethics of such practices. In a world of litigation, defamation of character and misrepresentation, educational researchers have to be knowledgeable about ethical concerns that are raised about trust within the research relationship and the rights of those who are depicted in the photographs. This chapter provides an overview of the merits of visual-oriented tools in research contexts where the researcher has to cross into an unfamiliar culture, ethnicity and language. It follows with the ethics concerns that should guide the decisions of using visual data methods in research. Lastly, the author reflects on the ethical challenges that researchers face when analysing visual data.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution.
Buying options
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Learn about institutional subscriptionsPreview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
References
Arvay, M. (1998). Struggling with re-presentation, voice and self in narrative research. http://www.edu.uvic.ca/connections/Conn98/arvay.html . Cited on 10 April 2002.
Babbie, E., & Mouton, J. (2001). The practice of social research . Cape Town, South Africa: Oxford University Press.
Banning, J. H. (1997). Assessing the campus' ethical climate: A multidimensional approach. New Directions for student services,77, 95 - 105.
Berg, B. (2004). Qualitative research methods for the social sciences,5th edition. Toronto, Canada: Pearson Education.
Beyers, P. (1964). Still photography in the systematic recording and analysis of behavioral data. Human Organization, 23, 78-84.
Bogdan, R. C., & Biklen, S. K. (1992). Qualitative research in education . Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon.
Brems, C. (2002). A comprehensive guide to child psychotherapy . Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon.
Case, C., & Dalley, T. (1990). Working with children in art therapy . London: Routledge.
Chomsky, N. (1969). Should traditional grammar be ended or mended? Educational Review, 22 (1), 5 -17.
Collier, J., & Collier, M. (1986). Visual anthropology: Photography as a research method. Albuquerque, NM: University of New Mexico Press.
Daniels, D. (2003). Learning about community leadership: Fusing methodology and pedagogy to learn about the lives of settlement women. Adult Education Quarterly, 53(3), 189 -206.
Daniels, D. (2006a). Who will be the shade of our tree when you leave? Collaborating as women to advance community emancipation. American Journal of Community Psychology, 37(3-4), 257-265.
Daniels, D. (2006b). Using visual methods to bring marginalized people to the center. In S. B. Merriam, B. C. Courtenay & R. M. Cervero (Eds.), Global issues and adult education: Perspectives from Latin America, Southern Africa and the United States, (pp. 129-142). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
Douglas, K. B. (1998). Impressions: African American first-year students' perceptions of a predominantly white university. Journal of Negro Education, 67(4), 416 -431.
Ellis, J. B., & Earley, M. A. (2006). Reciprocity and constructions of informed consent with indigenous populations. International journal of Qualitative Methodology, 5 (4), Article1. http://www.ualberta.ca/iiqm/backissues/5_4/pdf/ellis.pdf . Cited on 20 October 2006.
Finley, S. (2005). Arts-based inquiry: Performing revolutionary pedagogy. In N. K. Denzin & Y. S. Lincoln, Y. S. (Eds.), The Sage handbook of qualitative research, 3rd edition (pp. 681 -694). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.
Fowler, M., & Fry, S. (1988). Ethical enquiry. In B. Sartor (Ed.), Paths to knowledge innovative research methods in nursing (pp. 145 - 163). New York: National League for Nursing.
Goodwin, C. (2002). Practices of seeing visual analysis: An ethnomethodological approach. In T. Van Leeuwen & C. Jewitt (Eds.), Handbook of visual analysis (pp. 157 - 182). London: Sage Publications.
Guantlett, D. (2004). Using new creative visual research methods to understand the place of popu-lar media in people's lives . Paper for IAMCR 2004, Audience and reception studies section. http://www.theory.org.uk/david. Cited on 24 August 2006.
Harper, D. (2000). Reimagining visual methods: Galileo to Neuromancer. In N. K. Denzin & Y. S. Lincoln (Eds.), Handbook of qualitative research, 2nd edition (pp. 717 - 732). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.
Hood, C. A., Hope, T., & Dove, P. (1998). Videos, photographs, and patient consent, British Medical Journal, 316(7136), 1009-1011.
Israel, M., & Hay, I. (2006). Research ethics for social scientists: Between ethical conduct and regulatory compliance . London: Sage Publications.
Klopper, L. (2007). Mediating adolescents' insights into shared traumatic experiences through drawings . Unpublished dissertation. University of Stellenbosch.
Knafo, D. (2004). Living with terror, working with trauma: A clinician handbook . Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield.
Liamputtong, P. (2007). Researching the vulnerable: A guide to sensitive research methods. London: Sage Publications.
Lykes, M. B. (1997). Activist participatory research among the Maya of Guatemala: Constructing meanings from situated knowledge. Journal of Social Issues, 53(4), 725-746.
Lynn, N., & Lea, S. J. (2005). Through the looking glass: Considering the challenges visual methodologies raise for qualitative research. Qualitative research in Psychology, 2, 213-225.
Nagar, R. (2002). Footloose researchers, ‘traveling ’ theories, and the politics of transnational feminist praxis. Gender, Place and Culture, 9(2), 179 -186.
Pauwels, L. (2000). Taking the visual turn in research and scholarly communication. Visual Sociology, 15, 7-14.
Peacock, J. L. (2001). The anthropological lens . Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Pink, S. (2006) Doing visual ethnography: Images, media and representation in research, 2nd edition. London: Sage Publications.
Piquemal, N. (2001). Free and informed consent in research involving Native American Communities. American Indian Culture and Research Journal, 25, 65-79.
Preskill, H. (1995). The use of photography in evaluating school culture. Qualitative Studies in Education, 8(2), 183-193.
Prosser, J. (1992). Personal reflections on the use of photography in an ethnographic case study. British Educational Research Journal, 18(4), 397 -41.
Prosser, J. (1998). Image based research: A sourcebook for qualitative researchers . London and-Philadelphia: Falmer Press.
Riessmann, C. K. (1993). Narrative analysis . Newbury Park, CA: Sage Publications.
Schwartz, D. (1989). Visual ethnography: Using photography in qualitative research. Qualitative Sociology, 12(2), 119 -154.
Sekula, A. (1975). On the invention of photographic meaning. Artforum, 13(5), 36 -45.
Taylor, L. (2002). The ethnographer's eye: Ways of seeing in modern anthropology. Review article. American Anthropologist, 104(2), 653-655.
Wang, C., & Burris, M. (1994). Empowerment through the photo novella: Portraits of participa-tion. Health Education Quarterly, 21(2), 171 -186.
Weaver, K. (2007). Ethical sensitivity: State of knowledge and needs for further research. Nursing ethics,14(2), 141 -155.
Ziller, R. C.(1990). Photographing the self: Methods for observing personal orientations. Newbury Park, CA: Sage Publications.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2008 Springer Science + Business Media B.V
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Daniels, D. (2008). Exploring Ethical Issues When Using Visual Tools in Educational Research. In: Liamputtong, P. (eds) Doing Cross-Cultural Research. Social Indicators Research Series, vol 34. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4020-8567-3_9
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4020-8567-3_9
Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht
Print ISBN: 978-1-4020-8566-6
Online ISBN: 978-1-4020-8567-3
eBook Packages: Humanities, Social Sciences and LawSocial Sciences (R0)