What is photovoice?

Photovoice is an evaluation strategy used to engage research participants in identifying change. It can empower students to provide feedback and see the impact of their views on school practices.

Photovoice is a tool often used in forms of action research. In that context, it asks participants in a research process to use photographs, images or other visual material to represent their experiences of the research. In an evaluation context, it allows those groups and individuals who have been part of a project to have a voice in the evaluation of that project through presenting images representing a particular part of the process.

In a school or classroom context, Photovoice can be used when seeking the views of students about processes they have been engaged in. Like other forms of participatory evaluation, Photovoice can build capability and empower those who otherwise simply remain subjects of the evaluation. In schools, students engaging in evaluation through a process like Photovoice is itself a learning exercise.

How much time will this take?

Discussion sessions of 30-45 mins with students reflecting on the photos pre-, during and post-implementation of professional learning.

Who should use Photovoice?

Classroom teachers and school leaders.

Access the tool

Click 'Next' to continue to use the online tool.

Or ...

• Download a printable version of the Photovoice guide (PDF 118kB)
• Review an illustration of practice:
  • Primary school (PDF 115kB)
  • High school (PDF 114kB)

Identify existing student need

Analyse school-based data, work samples, teaching artefacts and external data as appropriate to identify key student needs.

Identify relevant professional learning

In consultation with school leaders, source relevant professional learning (for example: external courses, from internal experts, online professional learning) and ensure it explores something you can measure the impact of by using Photovoice. For example:

• improving student engagement in problem-solving activities in mathematics lessons
• improving student engagement and active participation in learning during explicit teaching
• improving student sense of belonging through the implementation of a buddy or peer support program.
  

Identify who will engage in professional learning

Relate to the identified student need, school priorities and other considerations.

Select students

Identify a set of 2-5 students who will be engaging with the new learning practice or strategy. Consider:

1. diverse experiences and perspectives
2. connections to school targets and focus equity groups or achievement levels
3. connections to existing school planning, such as IPMs.

Establish the learning practice or strategy for students to focus on

What learning practice or strategy will students focus on when capturing their perspective through the Photovoice activity?

Complete Photovoice #1 (prior to professional learning)

1. Provide students with a camera/iPad.
2. Ask them to take photos in a particular lesson over the period of a week or fortnight (at least 3 opportunities). Provide specific guidance about when and why they might take photos. For example, when they think they:
   1. are engaged in problem-solving activities
   2. are engaged in learning (Through the process of Photovoice students may take photos of all sorts of different 'activities' that represent engagement to them. The sorting and discussion in each round of Photovoice will help build a shared understanding of what 'engagement' in learning means in this context and how we might increase engagement collectively.)
   3. feel like they belong.
3. Store photos centrally.
4. Print photos (or set up an online collaboration space - eg Miro, JamBoard).
5. Meet with students and ask them to choose a sample of 3-5 photos that best represent the focus question.
6. Discuss with students why they selected these photos.
7. With students, collaboratively sort and group photos, annotate where appropriate, transcribe responses or record the discussion.
8. Store as a record for later comparison.

Engage in professional learning

Engage in professional learning as identified in Step 1.

Plan for application of strategies from the professional learning

1. Collaborate with colleagues to identify the key strategies from the professional learning that will be applied in the classroom:
   1. What lesson(s) will the strategies be applied in?
   2. How will the strategies be applied?
2. Identify the next series of lessons in which students will use Photovoice (within a fortnight).
3. Apply the strategies explored in the professional learning.

Complete Photovoice #2

1. Follow Photovoice instructions detailed at Step 2.
2. Teachers collaboratively analyse the data (photos and notes from the discussion with students) and identify impact of professional learning.
3. Make adjustments to the application of practice (if needed) and plan to continue to apply in the classroom.
4. Identify the next series of lessons in which students will use Photovoice (after approximately 1 term).
5. Apply the strategies explored in the professional learning.

Complete Photovoice #3

1. Follow Photovoice instructions detailed at Step 2.
2. Compile the photos from Photovoice #1 and #2 and, with students, explore any similarities/differences they can identify over the course of the evaluation period. Discuss options for further development or changes to teaching practice in this area.

Collaborative analysis of data

Teachers involved collaboratively analyse the Photovoice documentation across the three rounds to identify evidence of:

1. changes to teaching practice
2. the impact of changed practice on the original identified student needs.

Share findings and plan for next steps

1. Develop a plan for what should happen next. For example:
   1. sharing with other teams/the whole school
   2. further professional learning in this area
   3. identifying a new focus for professional learning based on newly identified student needs.
2. Where appropriate, provide feedback to students about their use of Photovoice on school practices.

About using student work samples to evaluate impact

This guide supports teachers to use student work samples as an immediate source of data on student understanding and progress. When using work samples to identify evidence of impact, it is important to be strategic about student selection and the framework for analysis.

The choice of students will depend on several factors, including the focus for the new practice or approach and intended outcomes, the target students and whole school goals or priorities.

The framework for analysis might be external assessment devices, such as learning progressions and syllabus outcomes, criteria developed through professional learning undertaken, such as high-leverage strategies explored in professional learning, or school-developed rubrics. Regardless of the specific framework selected, it needs to be appropriate for the practice being applied, the content and the student learning level. It should also be used collaboratively to ensure consistency between teachers and across several instances of data analysis. ​

Access the tool

Click 'Next' to continue to use the online tool.

Or ...

• Download a printable version of the Using work samples to evaluate impact tool (PDF 144kB)
• Review an illustration of practice of a Primary school (PDF 126kB)

What is the existing student need and what professional learning might address this?

Identify existing student needs through analysis of data.

Identify relevant professional learning, in collaboration with school leaders, and ensure it is something you can measure the impact of by looking at student work. For example:

• improving the structure of student narrative writing
• improving the use of accurate complex sentences in student writing
• justifying solutions to mathematical problems using appropriate terminology and examples.

What group of students will we gather work samples from and why?

1. Identify a set of students you will gather work samples from. Select 2-3 students from different groups within the same focus area in the class/cohort with whom you will be applying the learning.
2. Be clear on why you have selected these students. Connect this to school targets (for example particular equity groups or achievement levels) and priorities and/or IPMs.
3. Gather a pre-PL work sample from the selected students.

What criteria will be used to analyse work samples, how and when will this happen?

1. Complete the professional learning you identified in step 1 that will support improvement in the identified area.
2. Following the professional learning, identify what criteria will be used. For example, use criteria from the professional learning or develop criteria/rubric based on learning progressions, syllabus outcomes or exemplar models.
3. Collaborate with colleagues to analyse the pre-professional learning work samples using a protocol, such as the ones listed below, to support collaborative analysis.
4. Apply the indentified practice in the classroom.

How will we know if the professional learning has improved teacher practices and had impact on student progress and achievement?

1. After applying the identified practice in the classroom for 1-2 weeks, gather work samples from the same group of students and collaborate with colleagues to analyse these using the same criteria as in Step 3.
2. Annotate the work samples and keep copies. Record any changes in student learning, reflect and adjust classroom practice in response as needed.
3. Continue to apply practice in the classroom.
4. After applying the identified practice for at least 6 weeks, gather a further work sample and analyse as above.
5. Annotate the work samples and keep copies. Record any identified changes in student learning, reflect and adjust classroom practice in response (as needed).
6. Consider any additional professional learning that may be required to embed practice or deepen understanding.
7. Share learning, feedback and recommendations with the wider team or across the school to impact teacher practice and student learning outcomes more widely.