Picture It! The use of visual methods in psychology teaching

This paper discusses the use of photo elicitation set as an assessment piece on a taught postgraduate programme. Theoretically located under the framework of Creative Analytic Practice (CAP), 30 students in groups of 3-4-were tasked with being both researcher and participant. The task required each group member to take 5 photographs on which they and their group members wrote a reflective piece. The student groups were free to select a topic of their own choice. The topics chosen were wide, varied and the students reflexively reported their enjoyment and engagement with the project and the method of data collection. However, for some, the power of photo elicitation saw some students engage in a cathartic journey which pedagogically raised our concern. Set as an assessment, this paper reports the potential and the creativity that photo elicitation can bring but at the same time it also discusses and makes suggestions around how to overcome the ethical issues encountered.