The Rural School from Child's Point of View: A Participatory Research Through Photovoice
Abstract
Rural schools have been studied throughout their history. However, the presence of the students' perspective in these schools has not been a preferred topic. The aim of this research is to listen to and make visible the opinions and feelings of the students enrolled in the grouped rural schools (CRA) in the province of Ourense (Spain). The methodology used is participatory in nature and is designed to achieve the collaboration, involvement, recognition, and acceptance of the participants. In the process developed, a first stage of awareness-raising and a second stage of negotiation and joint decision-making can be distinguished. At the same time, interpersonal and intrapersonal reflection are combined. Child-friendly data collection strategies are used: 6 multi-level assemblies (143 minutes of audio recordings), photovoice (303 textualised photographs) and drawing conversation (101 narrated drawings). Six schools participated, with a total of 101 school children enrolled in pre-school and primary education. The data analysis process was carried out with the ATLAS.ti 22 software. The results obtained show that the pupils' voice focuses mainly on five visions centered on the material, academic, contextual, emotional, and relational aspects. In addition, play stands out as a transversal axis that saturates all the categories. The conclusions show the importance of taking into account the voice of the pupils, as it allows the participation of all pupils with a diversity of competences, skills and expressive styles.
Keywords
participatory research, student voice, photovoice, rural school, grouped rural school
Supporting Institution
Diputación de Ourense and the University of Vigo
Project Number
INOU2021
References
- Abela, J.A., García-Nieto, A. & Pérez-Corbacho, A.M. (2007). Evolución de la Teoría Fundamentada como técnica de análisis cualitativo [Evolution of Grounded Theory as a technique for qualitative analysis]. CIS-Centro de Investigaciones Sociológicas.
- Abós. P. (2015). El Modelo de Escuela Rural ¿Es un Modelo Transferible a Otro Tipo de Escuela? [Is the Rural School Model Transferable to Other School Types?] Educação & Realidade, 40 (3), 667-684, DOI:10.1590/2175-623645781
- Álvarez-Álvarez, C. & García-Prieto, F. J. (2022). Políticas implementadas en escuelas rurales: Análisis bibliométrico internacional [Policies implemented in rural schools: International bibliometric analysis] (2001-2020). Archivos Analíticos Políticas Educativas, 30(76). https://doi.org/10.14507/epaa.30.6660
- Bernal, J. L. (2009). Luces y sombras en la escuela rural [Lights and shadows in the rural school]. En M. Hernández (Coord.). Jornadas sobre Educación en el medio rural: encrucijadas y respuestas. Zaragoza: Universidad de Zaragoza. Recuperado de http://www.fantoniogargallo.org
- Booth, T. (2006). Manteniendo el futuro con vida; convirtiendo los valores de la inclusión en acciones [Keeping the future alive; converting the values of the inclusion into actions]. En M. A. Verdugo y F. B. Jordán de Urríes (Coords.), Rompiendo inercias. Claves para avanzar. VI Jornadas Científicas de Investigación sobre personas con Discapacidad (pp. 211- 217). Salamanca: Amarú.
- Bustos Jiménez, A. (2011). Investigación y escuela rural: ¿irreconciliables? [Research and rural school: irreconcilable?] Profesorado. Revista de Currículum y Formación de Profesorado, 15(2),155-170. https://recyt.fecyt.es/index.php/profesorado/article/view/43500/25375
- Carrillo, I. (1992). Análisis crítico del entorno, elección de alternativas y clarificación de valores [Critical analysis of the environment, choice of alternatives and clarification of values]. Comunicación, Lenguaje y Educación, 4(15), 77-84.
- Castro, A., Ezquerra, P. & Argos, J. (2016). Procesos de escucha y participación de los niños en el marco de la educación infantil: una revisión de la Investigación [Listening processes and children's participation in the framework of early childhood education: a review of the research]. Educación XXI, 19 (2), 105‐216. DOI:10.5944/educxx1.16455
- Castro, A., Argos, J. & Ezquerra, P. (2015). La mirada infantil sobre el proceso de transición escolar desde la etapa de educación infantil a la de educación primaria [The child's perspective on the process of school transition from the stage of early childhood education to that of primary education.]. Perfiles educativos, 37 (148), 34‐49. DOI: 10.1016/j.pe.2015.11.006
- Ceballos-López, N., Susinos-Rada, T. & García-Lastra, M. (2018). Espacio para jugar, espacio para aprender. Espacios para interactuar con los demás. Una experiencia de voz de estudiante en la escuela infantil (0-3 años) [Space to play, space to learn. Spaces to interact with others. A student voice experience in nursery school (0-3 years)]. Estudios pedagógicos (Valdivia) , 44 (3), 117-135. DOI:10.4067/S0718-07052018000300117
