The camera is not a methodology: towards a framework for understanding young children's use of video cameras

Title
The camera is not a methodology: towards a framework for understanding young children's use of video cameras
Publication Date
2014
Author(s)
Bird, Jo
( author )
OrcID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3345-1815
Email: jbird21@une.edu.au
UNE Id une-id:jbird21
Colliver, Yeshe
Edwards, Susan
Type of document
Journal Article
Language
en
Entity Type
Publication
Publisher
Routledge
Place of publication
United Kingdom
DOI
10.1080/03004430.2013.878711
UNE publication id
une:18750
Abstract
Participatory research methods argue that young children should be enabled to contribute their perspectives on research seeking to understand their worldviews. Visual research methods, including the use of still and video cameras with young children have been viewed as particularly suited to this aim because cameras have been considered easy and fun to use for young children. However, how children learn to use cameras introduced into early childhood classrooms for research purposes is not well understood. In terms of visual research methodologies, this is a problem because participant use of cameras is associated with understanding the nature of visual data generated during the recording process itself. In this paper, we consider observational data of young children playing with video cameras introduced into their classrooms for research purposes. Drawing on the concepts of culturally mediated tool use and epistemic and ludic play, we theorise these observations to generate a new framework for understanding how children learn to use cameras through play-based activity. This framework suggests that research with children using still or video cameras may need to accommodate this learning within research designs and procedures in order to take full advantage of this medium. Pedagogical implications for using the framework to support young children's technological play are also considered.
Link
Citation
Early Child Development and Care, 184(11), p. 1741-1756
ISSN
1476-8275
0300-4430
Start page
1741
End page
1756

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