Qualitative researchers working with young people consistently face challenges in trying to ethically gain insight into their inner thoughts and worlds. The purpose of this paper is to examine how the use of generative tools in conjunction with qualitative interviewing with young people can enhance creativity and reflexivity, while mitigating adult-child power dynamics.
This paper draws upon ethnographic research conducted by the author examining the interplay between emotion, communication, and schooling at a public high school. Participant observation, use of generative tools to make collages representing each student’s experience, and in-depth interviews guided by the student-created visuals were triangulated to more fully understand the students’ experiences.
Generative tools foster reflexivity in both researcher and participants, lesson adult-child power dynamic concerns, and foster creativity without the requirement of drawing ability. Integrating the collaging process into in-depth interviews enabled students to privilege their primary thoughts, experiences, and concerns related to the issues being studied, mitigating concerns over adults overpowering and controlling the focus of the interview.
Generative tools can complement and enhance time-honored qualitative methods to alleviate ongoing concerns about ethical and accurate research with young people. Researchers are encouraged to embrace creative methods to engage young people in ethical and thoughtful reflection on and sharing of their experiences. Creative methods are also useful in empowering young people to imagine their world otherwise creating new possibilities for the future.
