Design and use of an accessible photovoice toolkit to support boundary crossing in higher education

Project introduction and background information

Interdisciplinary education increasingly aims to prepare students to work on complex societal challenges that cross disciplinary boundaries. However, many teachers struggle to provide the practical support that is necessary to facilitate this type of learning in their courses. This project addresses that gap by using photovoice, a visual methodology where students use photography to explore and articulate diverse perspectives, values, and questions. By positioning photographs as "boundary objects," the method makes disciplinary viewpoints visible and open for dialogue. The goal of this project was to design and pilot an accesible photovoice toolkit and evaluate if using this creative method can facilitate boundary-crossing learning.

Objective and expected outcomes

·      Develop a photovoice toolkit for teachers and students with no prior experience with the use of visual methods.

·      Pilot the toolkit in a course with a focus on complex food systems.

·      Evaluate the effectiveness of using photovoice as a method for boundary crossing learning in education.

Results and learnings

Design of the toolkit: To support teachers with no prior experience using photovoice, we developed and tested a ready-to-use photovoice toolkit. We developed the toolkit in collaboration with an external design studio (https://ivanmcgill.com/) to ensure it is user-friendly an adaptable. The toolkit was designed to offer instructions for each of the seven defined steps (see figure for overview of steps). Users can choose and combine these steps to fit their specific goals for using the Photovoice method. This structured approach allows the toolkit to be easily adapted to different classroom settings.

Pilot: We applied the toolkit in a Master’s course (within the MSc Plant Biotechnology) that focuses on food system dilemmas at Wageningen University. Students worked with photovoice individually and in groups, using images to reflect on their own assumptions and to engage with the perspectives of others (e.g. experts and stakeholders related to their case studies). The course concluded with a photo exhibition, which created space for dialogue and exchange.

Evaluation: To evaluate the approach, we analyzed student reflection assignments and a post-course survey, focusing on learning processes related to boundary crossing. The findings show that photovoice can serve as an accessible entry point for interdisciplinary learning. It supports self-reflection, dialogue, and collaboration around complex and contested issues. A paper based on the evaluation is currently under review (link will be shared here when published). 

Recommendations

Use photovoice as a teaching tool: The outcomes of this project offer practical insights for teachers interested in using visual, creative methods to support interdisciplinary learning and a tested photovoice toolkit that can be adapted to different higher education contexts. Teachers can use photovoice to help students break out of their "disciplinary silos." By using photography to visualize complex problems, students can better understand different perspectives and reflect on their own assumptions.

Adopt and adapt the toolkit: We encourage teachers to use the Photovoice toolkit provided. The steps are designed to be flexible, so feel free to adapt them to fit your specific course, students, or research goals.

Practical outcomes

• Adaptable Toolkit: A tested ready-to-use photovoice toolkit designed for teachers and students with no prior experience with the use of visual methods. 
• Research paper: In our pilot, we identified specific learning processes that support boundary crossing learning. The findings of our study show that photovoice can serve as an accessible entry point for interdisciplinary learning. It supports self-reflection, dialogue, and collaboration around complex and contested issues. The research paper is currently under review and a link will be placed here once published.