THE VALUE OF INCLUSIVE RESEARCH METHODS: LEARNING FROM AUTISTIC PUPILS ABOUT SENSE OF SELF IN MAINSTREAM SECONDARY SCHOOLS
EMMA RICE (PHD STUDENT, SHEFFIELD HALLAM UNIVERSITY)
Emma Rice
@ejr88
Sense of self and autism: the mainstream secondary school experience
Emma Rice
@ejr88‘Who am I’? What makes me a
unique individual?
Evaluate this self= self-esteem
Mainstream influence e.g.
peers, non-specialized timetable,
demands of mainstream
environment.
11-16: adolescence is a key time
for sense of self development/
defining who we are/ want to be.
PARTICIPATORY APPROACH
Chown et al., 2017; MacLeod, Lewis & Robertson, 2014; Scott-Barrett,
Cebula & Florian, 2018; Stone & Priestley, 1996; Walmsley, 2001
RESEARCH QUESTIONS
1.How do autistic pupils negotiate the developing sense of self?
1.1.What do pupils identify as influencing this sense of self?
1.2. What are the pupils’ views of the school’s enablers or barriers to
developing a positive sense of self?
2.What are the pupils’ views of the participatory research methods
employed in the sense of self study?
PROJECT FORMAT
PILOT STUDY
2 participants: male, transitioning from school to sixth form/
college (16 years old).
Maximum 5 sessions at home or by e-mail.
MAIN STUDY
6 participants: 2 female, 4 male.
Ages 12-15 (Y8-10).
School based ‘enrichment club’ for one year.
Engaging children in research is not a “one size fits all” approach; children
should have equal opportunities to participate in research and it is the
researcher’s responsibility to ensure this (Ellis, 2017, p.23-24).
Communication is a “shared responsibility”- researcher should adapt to
bridge gaps which appear (Clark, 2010; Scott-Barrett, Cebula & Florian,
2018).
VISUAL METHODS
Reflection time v. ‘on the spot’ style of
interview (Gauntlett, 2007; Liebenberg,
2009).
Cue for memories (Preece & Jordan,
2010).
Drawing on existing skills (Rose, 2016).
Reduces face-face anxiety (Beresford et
al., 2004; Scott-Barrett et al., 2018; Winstone
et al., 2014).
VISUAL METHODSa) Photographs.b) Collage/ mood board.c) Drawings.d) FilmingVERBAL/WRITTENa) Traditional verbal interview.b) Written interview/ conversationc) Prompted discussion : visual/ key word prompts.d) Diary NUMBERING/ORDERINGa) Post-it note/ topic card organising.b) Numbered lists.c) Organising own/ given statements.d) Organsing by: favourites, importance, feel good/
bad.CROSSOVERa) Twenty statements test.b) PowerPointsc) Questionnaires
VERBAL/ WRITTEN WORD
Content analysis: limiting/ conflict with
creator’s intentions (Ha & Whitaker, 2016),
takes away from participatory aims.
Auteur theory: hear participant’s intentions
(Kearney & Hyle, 2004; Liebenberg, 2009;
Mannay, 2016; Rose, 2014).
Survey style, typed response (Mogenson,
2010)
Direct the discussion content (O’Kane, 2000):
counter interviewer’s control of direction/
focus (Tracy, 2013).
VISUAL METHODSa) Photographs.b) Collage/ mood board.c) Drawings.d) FilmingVERBAL/WRITTENa) Traditional verbal interview.b) Written interview/ conversationc) Prompted discussion : visual/ key word prompts.d) Diary NUMBERING/ORDERINGa) Post-it note/ topic card organising.b) Numbered lists.c) Organising own/ given statements.d) Organsing by: favourites, importance, feel good/
bad.CROSSOVERa) Twenty statements test.b) PowerPointsc) Questionnaires
Were there any good/ bad things about being involved in the research project?
Good/bad things were…
(F) Able to make our own decisions; it helps us be free from control.
(W) Got to do what I wanted. Some enrichments are controlling.
(L) I would change… Nothingbecause…I was free to choose anything I wanted and any method of
explaining my opinions for research that I chose and the project felt comfortable and free.I didn’t feel restricted and I understood what everything was about.
IMPORTANCE OF CHOICE
(H) “Make own choices because easier to show thoughts.”
(J) “ I think that if a person was made to do a task in a way that
they didn’t want to do, then they may not put as much effort or
enthusiasm into the task.”
(W) “If-if I’m not interested in it then it’s hard to be motivated to do
it because you just don’t want to complete it.”
‘ONE SIZE DOESN’T FIT ALL’
Drawing
Talking
Photograph
Film
I also hate drawing images because I am
very bad at drawing (F).
I don’t talk about emotions well (W).
I’m not really sure about how I could take
photographs to represent my opinions,
and I don’t think that I would enjoy it
anyway. (J)
because I am not really good with
showing through films and animation. I like
watching films but I don’t think I am good
at like making them myself. (L)
Talking about my opinions or
experience with prompts would
be easier for me (R).
I really like filming and
editing. I love doing it. (S)
More activities like drawing. It’s more fun. (H)
I run a photography org (name of company given) (W)
PROS CONS1. Motivation/ enjoyment
2. Accessibility (Ellis, 2017)
3. Freeing/ Empowering (Danker,
Strnadová & Cumming, 2017; Ellis,
217).
4. Data- challenges deficit
depictions (King, Williams &
Gleeson, 2017; Winstone et al.,
2014)
1. Lots of data/ more complexity (Scott-
Barrett et al., 2018)
2. Time (Mannay, 2016; Winstone et al.,
2014)
3. Environment (Conn, 2015)
4. Resources (Danker, Strnadová & Cumming,
2017).
Emma Rice
@ejr88
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