Visual ethnography as a tool in exploring children’s embodied making processes in pre-primary education

Abstract

This article presents and discusses visual ethnography as a methodological approach to research on embodied making and learning in pre-primary education. The article reflects on how visual ethnography (Pink, 2007) contributes to uncovering and understanding ongoing learning processes through visually-documented making situations. Ethnographic methods are frequently used in educational research focused on learning cultures. The empirical material referred to includes children from one to six years old and staff in a Norwegian kindergarten as participants. Preschools and early childhood centres in Reggio Emilia, Italy, have developed methods of documentation that focus on visual readable material. This article discusses how visual ethnography provides visual representations of research findings and insight beyond pure written text. It also considers the connection between visual ethnography as research method and the presentation of research insights and findings; explores and visualises small children’s learning cultures during embodied making with materials and tools.