Research dilemmas associated with photo elicitation in comparative early childhood education research

Abstract

Photo elicitation has become an important method to produce data in qualitative research. There is quite an extensive literature indicating the benefits of photo elicitation in order to facilitate collaboration in meaning making between researcher and the interviewee. This article addresses dilemmas associated with using photo elicitation in a comparative research project focusing on kindergartens in Norway and in China. The article discusses dilemmas associated with the process of taking photos and selecting those to be used in the interview. Furthermore, the article reflects upon dilemmas in relation to positioning of the researcher, the interpreter and the kindergarten teachers in the interviews. Finally the dilemma of the agency of the pictures is discussed. The article argues for the importance of discussing these dilemmas specifically in cross-cultural research with presumably large cultural differences as China and Norway. Furthermore the article emphasises the importance of using both insider teachers and outsider teachers in interpretation of the photos in comparative research in order to disturb the taken for granted interpretations.