Exploring tools for Photovoice project.

For this tech tool exploration, I decided  to look for a tool that could be used for a photovoice project. More specifically, a way to create an attractive online photo exhibit, that is easy for participants  to upload photos and descriptions, and easy for classmates to add feedback and ask questions. App or site needs to be free and would need some privacy options.  

I first dug around in some photovoice sites. I figured I might find some recommendations for an online exhibit. While I knew photovoice can be used to collect qualitative data and is a method used internationally, I quickly learned its scope and usage is much larger than I had realized. For example, in a short time I found three different definitions/uses of photovoice including: 

1. Photovoice is a “participatory photography project” https://photovoice.org/ PhotoVoice is a non-profit organisation which promotes the ethical use of photography for positive social change.

2. Photovoice is a powerful qualitative research method that combines photos and accompanying words generated by participants (methodspace)

3. Photovoice is a process by which people can identify, represent, and enhance their community through a specific photographic technique. As a practice based in the production of knowledge, photovoice has three main goals: (1) to enable people to record and reflect their community's strengths and concerns, (2) to promote critical dialogue and knowledge about important issues through large and small group discussion of photographs, and (3) to reach policymakers (Source.)

One site discussing the methodology mentioned using flickr, so I did a bit of investigating. I signed up for an account and uploaded some photos. Flickr is free, so it checked that box. While it was relatively painless to sign up, from past experience I know that some folks are reluctant to sign up for “yet another” app. While I didn’t quite discover how myself, apparently you can create a private group, which would be necessary. Apparently, while there is messaging on the desktop platform, it’s not possible in the mobile app. Mostly, I didn’t love the feel of flickr. 

After some searching, I did find indeemo, a research platform that has a specific photovoice research platform. Unfortunately, they don’t have a free version, and it seems it must be a pretty involved platform, since there was not even a mention of price, just “schedule an appointment”. If one was doing some deep qualitative research, it might be pretty useful. 

The third tool I looked at was Cluster. I signed up for a free account and looked around. I really liked that I could add members to a group via a web link, a phone number or an invite code. Uploading a video seemed easy. Cluster allows group members to “like” photos and add comments. The one thing that made me uneasy was the easy “print a book” option, which may feel a bit violating if someone is making a personal statement with their photo. Again, this tool doesn’t give the “photo exhibit” feel that I was hoping for, but I think this tool may be the best option if the goal is to simply upload photos into a shared space. 

After this exploration, I think my favored way to create an exhibit would be to have participants email photos to me, and create an online slideshow, perhaps in Canva or simply in a Google slide deck, which would allow me to juxtapose two (or more)images, or an image with text. While a Canva slide show wouldn’t necessarily be private, if images were embedded on a slide they couldn’t simply be downloaded and re shared as easily, and a Google slideshow could be shared in “view only” with limited access.