Humanizing Distance Learning with Photovoice
Abstract: This session will demonstrate how photovoice can be used to humanize distance learning. Photovoice is “a process by which people can identify, represent, and enhance their community through a specific photographic technique” (Wang & Burris, 1997, p. 369). Despite the lofty goal of creating an online wisdom community (Gunawardena, 2020), distance learning has largely remained a knowledge delivery platform where marginalized identities may feel disconnected and isolated. This may result in a lack of motivation and engagement with the possibility of student attrition. Previous research has identified the need to humanize online learning (Jiminez-Cortes & Aires, 2021; Koseoglu, 2020; Mehta & Aguilera, 2020; Pacansky-Brock et al., 2020; Rodríguez & DeNoyelles, 2014) to meet the socio-cultural and academic needs of diverse, intersectional identities (Crenshaw, 1991). We will demonstrate the relevance of Photovoice in our online praxis with the “SHOWed” technique of analyzing photographs. The benefit of this technique in instructional design lies in informing needs assessment, and learner and contextual analysis in online course design to humanize distance learning. Relevant assignments, such as oral history interviews or digital storytelling, can be designed to leverage photovoice to humanize our online praxis.