Implementing the Pedagogy of Suffering: A Photovoice Innovation in Students’ Exploration of Grief and Loss

ABSTRACT

This article explores the use of an interview assignment using photovoice to help students gain a deeper understanding about their reactions to others’ grief and loss processes with the goal of facilitating their effective work with those who are grieving. Photovoice is a participatory research method and tool using images to explore narratives. Using the pedagogy of suffering model we developed as a conceptual guide, this article describes how students learned, grew, and self-reflected over a semester. Results yielded three trajectories that reflected students’ movement through growth and change as they learned about themselves and others. Implications for teaching about grief and loss and the use of the conceptual model are discussed.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Anissa T. Rogers

Anissa T. Rogers is professor, Barbara Braband is associate professor, and Rebecca Gaudino is lecturer at the University of Portland.