Poster(s)
Reflections on novel qualitative data collection techniques from children and young people
Amy L. Fielden
Northumbria University
Nicola Toth
Northumbria University
Linda Little
Northumbria University
Elizabeth Sillence
Northumbria University
Objectives: Across multiple projects covering a variety of
topics, we have collected qualitative data from children and young people aged
5 to 19 years. These projects have viewed children and young people as an
essential and valuable source of information. This poster sets out our
reflections from qualitative data collection with children and young people and
considers strategies to facilitate data collection.
Design, Methods and Techniques:
An essential part of collecting data from children and young people invariably
involves liaising with and working alongside external organisations. This
includes consulting with the organisations about the potential ethical issues
involved in working with minors. This affiliation can also encourage
participation, facilitate participant selection and ensure that data can be
collected in a familiar environment where the participants feel safe and
comfortable. Across various projects we have used many qualitative data
collection methods. We have used diaries to collect data over several days.
These diaries have then been used by participants as prompts for a story
activity. Story activities enable participants to be creative and help to
engage participants in the topic. Data collected via these techniques has been
used to develop project specific prompts which are grounded in the
participants’ experiences. We have used prompts within focus groups to help
participants engage, focus, and visualise in relation to the project topic.
Prompts can negate the need for more direct questioning and often encourages
quieter members of the groups to find their voice. We have also found that
picture cards depicting scenes relevant to the topic and physical objects such
as replica food items also help to facilitate data collection. Although it may
not always be suitable, we have observed that children and young people are
often more comfortable in focus group situations as long as considerations are
made when grouping children together. Focus groups mirror classroom situations
that are familiar and particularly for younger children, less imposing. It is
important that the researcher is not viewed as a teacher and this can be
difficult to establish, dressing more casually and using first names are steps
that can be taken to help this. Establishing a rapport with the participants is
particularly important and our own data collection has benefitted from meeting
participants prior to data collection. Participants can then find out necessary
participant information whilst also getting to know the researcher.
Conclusions: There are of course limitations to these
techniques and the use of too many visual items can leave an audio recording
full of ‘this’ and ‘that’ if the researcher isn’t careful. Younger children can
also find items such as replica food toy like which leads them to become a
distraction. However, these methods have elicited useful, valuable and rich data
as they engage participants and encourage interaction with the topic. We feel
that methods to collect qualitative data from children and young people need to
be forward thinking and innovative and engaging with technological advances may
enable this.
