Exploring the photovoice to transform reality.

Introduction: Photovoice is a participatory, community-based research methodology that enables individuals to articulate their experiences, concerns, or points of view through the medium of photography. The methodology was developed with the objective of empowering vulnerable or underrepresented communities by providing them with an accessible means of reflecting on their experiences and stimulating social change. The fundamental premise is that individuals can visually document their realities and subsequently disseminate these images in group discussions to elevate awareness and prompt action regarding salient issues.

Goals and Methods: The objective of this qualitative study was to reflect on the utilisation and applicability of a participatory methodology, such as photovoice, with primary and secondary school teachers participating within the framework of an Erasmus+ project: Bullying a matter of self-esteem. Two Photovoice studies and a SHOWED study were conducted, with a focus group held between them, to ascertain how teachers perceive bullying and how they manage it emotionally.

Results: The results are primarily based on three key areas: firstly, the design and implementation of the learning experience with a participatory tool; secondly, the perceptions and attitudes of the teachers; and thirdly, the transfer of results to the subsequent project objectives.

Conclusions: The results provided feedback on the use of participatory methodologies, such as photovoice, within the classroom. Additionally, the areas of teacher training need and the elements for improving project outcomes were emphasised. This experience may be of interest to similar international exchange experiences and to projects employing photovoice.