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Previous Research on Photography in the Classroom

Lindsay Hardin
MEDT 7490

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Reflecting on translanguaging in multilingual classrooms: Harnessing the power of poetry

and photography
Authors: Margie Childs
Summary of the review: This article explores the benefits of humanizing instruction for
students in multilingual classrooms. While the author explains that the use of many languages in
South African schools is unique to their location, there are many similarities to classrooms
around the world as well. The researcher implements translanguaging to create a classroom
where students interact with each other and teachers surrender some of their authority. The use of
photographs is an important part of the translanguaging classroom.
Analysis of methodology: This study features a qualitative approach to study if the use of poetry
and photographs create a humanizing experience for students. The researcher focused on one
essential research question for this study. The research question for this study was "How can
translanguaging be used to provide humanising experiences for learners and teachers in primary
school classrooms?" The researcher collected data from observations of students in the
classroom during their observation of the classrooms. The researcher then turned these
observations into photographs and poems.
Summary of results: The researcher compiled the results of the observations into poems and
pictures to reinforce what was learned throughout the process. The researcher discovered five
main findings through the use of photographs in the classroom. The five findings were hidden
curriculum, complicit, mother language comfort, on being a multilingual being, a cry from the
classroom. These five findings were specific for students who do not speak the school language
of the school. Through the use of photography in the classroom, you can eliminate these
discomforts for students.

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Opinion of the research: Overall, this was an interesting study to read. The researcher presented
their findings in a very interesting way. Each finding was accompanied by a picture and poem.
This allowed for the researcher to showcase the findings by utilizing the skill studied in the
classroom. It was also interesting to read about how other countries are educating their bilingual
students. It also showed the impact photographs can have on students who are multilingual. I do
think that I would have understood the research better had the researcher presented the
information in a more common way.
What I learned: I learned that there is so much to take into account when comparing schools
from other countries. This study allowed me to understand multilingual classrooms in other
countries. In our country, our ELL classes are very different from the problems facing students in
other countries. I also learned that photography is a universal language for all students to
understand.
Carpet-Time Democracy: Digital Photography and Social Consciousness in the Early
Childhood Classroom
Author: Stephanie C. Serriere
Summary: This research article investigated the use digital photography to lead conversations
about social consciousness in the classroom. The research focuses on using digital photographs
from around the world to create a level of social understanding for students. The researcher
worked in the classroom for three years to collect the data on this topic. The researcher combines
pedagogies of social reflection and photography methodologies.
Analysis of study: In this study, the researcher used qualitative methods to collect data. The
researcher used field notes, audio recordings, social mapping, and digital photography when
collecting the data. The researcher collected her data during free play in the preschool classroom.

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The preschool is associated with a university, but students from the community can attend as
well. The researcher photographed, recorded, and compiled notes on the students interactions
during free play. As soon as free play was over, the researcher uploaded the photographs onto a
slideshow. She then conducted photo-talks with one to three students every day. As she discussed
the photographs with the students, the researcher used the field notes to remind students about
the context of the picture. The researcher used the photo-talks for four distinct purposes: to get to
know the child, envision social change, envisioning the best classroom, and discussing equality
and fairness.
Summary of results: The results of this research find that using photographs to discuss social
understandings with students is successful. The researcher found that the students took
ownership in their classroom because they could review the actions of themselves and their
peers. The researcher found that the students were able to articulate and change their social
interactions even at a young age. The researcher also discovered that students participated in the
one-on-one photo-talk and whole-group photo-talks in order to discuss social justice.
Personal Opinion: This research study provided another interesting way to use photographs in
the classroom. As students participate in more diverse environments, it is important to instruct
them in social understanding. The use of photographs provides students the opportunity to
explore their actions immediately after they have happened. I would be interested to see similar
research completed in higher levels to see if students respond similarly as they get older.
Something similar to this could be a good lesson for advisement.
What I learned: I learned that photographs can be used for more than content information. This
is an important lesson for students to understand and learn, and photographs provide students the

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opportunity to reflect on their actions. This article made me think about other uses of
photographs in the classroom.
Seeing Our City, Students, and School: Using Photography to Engage Diverse Youth with
Our English Classes
Authors: Kristien Zenkov, James Harmon, Athene Bell, Marriam Ewaida, and Megan R. Lynch
Summary: The following articles focuses on engaging students in English classrooms through
the use of photography. The research focuses on a program called Through Students Eyes to
document photos that connect their feelings to school. The authors of this study wanted to
increase the engagement in their classrooms. Students were typically not engaged in language
arts classes previous to this study, so the researchers wanted to find a solution to improve
engagement.
Analysis of methodology: This study was performed in an urban area in Cleveland. Each
student in the study was provided a camera to use throughout the use of the study. Students were
expected to take pictures focusing on three questions. Those questions were: 1. What are the
purposes of school? 2. What helps you to succeed in school? 3. What gets in the way of your
school success? The research questions of the study were: 1. Why did you come to this project?
Consider both personal and professional reasons. 2. How and why have weas teachers and
teacher educatorsand our students collaborated on this project? 3. How have we made sense of
the data of this project to draw conclusions about what our students believe about school and our
English education practices? 4. What have you gained from this projectpersonally and
professionally? What do you think your students have gained? 5. Why do you think this project
is important to English teachers and teacher educators? The researchers utilized qualitative
methods to collect data. Students participated in group- debriefings to discuss how their pictures

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related to the questions provided. Researchers also completed debriefings to discuss the big ideas
that were discovered throughout the research process. Students also used journals to document
their feelings during the project.
Summary of Results: One of the lessons the researchers learned throughout this project was the
importance of using professional volunteers in the project. Students interacted with professionals
in the photography field to discuss their photography. The researchers mention that this increased
the engagement level of students when the professionals attended the sessions. Another
important lesson learned throughout this process was the use of photography as a lens for
students writing and getting to know students better.
Personal Opinion: I think this study was important to read as a language arts teacher. I think the
study could have been strengthened through the use of other data collection instruments. If the
researchers wanted to look at the level of engagement in students, they could have given students
a pre-survey about their engagement and followed it with a post-survey at the end of the project.
What I learned: I have often provided my students pictures for them to write about, but I have
not thought to allow my students to provide the picture that they want to write about. This also
reinforced the importance of using professionals to improve a project.
Reflection
At the beginning of this project, I did not know that I would find out new information
about using photographs in the classroom. Instead, I was overwhelmed by the new ideas I
discovered while performing my research. There was so much new information for me to digest
as I sifted through the information. Unfortunately, most of the articles I came across were about
the benefits of using photographs in the classroom and did not feature studies. I picked this topic
because I have dabbled in using photographs in my classroom, but I wanted to discover what

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other people have done that is successful. This research made me realize that photographs do not
have to be content specific to be effective.