International Innovative Methods for Engaging Young Children in Research

Abstract

This paper offers a conceptualization of the types of methods that are suitable for use with young children and a framework of six steps for engaging young children in research. This framework, and a compendium of creative methods, was built through collaboration with a team of international researchers funded by the Bernard van Leer Foundation (Johnson, Hart, & Colwell, 2014a and b). The framework addresses key issues facing researchers wishing to engage young children in research processes and offers ways to overcome some of the challenges researchers may face. A selection of case studies is offered to show how experts working from a wide range of international contexts have worked with children. Examples have been selected for their particular relevance to geographers working with children

Eco-Citizen Science for Social Good: Promoting Child Well-Being, Environmental Justice, and Inclusion

“…Evidence provided from an Open Air Laboratories (OPAL) UK event in 2014 when conducting a group-level and species-level identification exercise, observations showed that adults had a tendency to make a species identification using their own existing knowledge, while children were more methodical, followed the guidance, and came to the correct identification more often than their parents (Makuch & Aczel, 2018; Davies, Fradera, Riesch, & Lakeman-Fraser, 2016). To this end, advocates have produced guidelines and methodologies for including children in research (Johnson, Hart, & Colwell, 2014).…”

Research with children and young people on sensitive topics – The case of poverty and delinquency

“…Accordingly, cultivating a rapport by conveying warmth and genuine respect and enhancing participants’ control upholds meaning construction and involvement. A safe environment with trusting relationships improves the sense of relatedness and connection (Becker et al, 2015; Johnson et al, 2014). Communication provides the basis for negotiating children’s participation with clear and consistent working rules that respect their individuality, autonomy and agency (Bruzzese and Fisher, 2003; Harcourt and Sargeant, 2011), encouraging participants to ask questions and give opinions.…”

“…Tasks should be interesting, challenging and connected to the real world. By being congruent to children’s interests and cultural background, with clear goals and simple and concise instructions, research tasks provide opportunities for self-expression and choice-making, strengthening children’s sense of autonomy (Johnson et al, 2014). Finally, the sequence of activities should be planned to ensure the appropriate duration of data collection sessions and smooth transitions between tasks with a clear end point while avoiding overloading the child (Harcourt and Sargeant, 2011).…”

How Far have we come in respecting young Children in our research?: A Meta-Analysis of Reported early Childhood Research Practice from 2009 to 2012

“…More recently, children are being involved as social actors and active participants (Harwood, 2010). Thus, if research approaches are viewed in terms of a spectrum, at one end we would see traditional approaches that focus on 'concepts, experimental approaches, theories or interventions' (Harwood, 2010, p. 4) and at the other, approaches that focus on children's perspectives and agency (Johnson, Hart & Colwel, 2014). The four classifications that have emerged in published literature view the child as an object, subject, social actor or participant (also referred to at times as active participant, co-participant and coresearcher).…”