Affordances of using Multiple Videoed Events to construct a rich understanding of adult–child book readings

ABSTRACT

This paper explores the affordances of using video-based research to capture a multiplicity of events, along with multimodal representations when producing data related to adult–child book readings. In doing this we answer two questions: (1) why more than one event is needed when seeking a comprehensive collection of information for the purpose of analysis; and (2) why one mode of data production alone (e.g. audio recordings or note taking) is insufficient to record practice or interviews when richness is of priority. This research used three videoed events to produce data. These included videoing: (1) caregiver–child interactions during four shared book reading sessions, (2) interviews with caregivers immediately following each of the reading sessions and (3) video-stimulated discussions with caregivers within two months of the final shared book reading. In this paper, I contribute to discussions that highlight the affordances of using video-based research as a means of capturing the multimodal elements of an experience, which can contribute to the analysis and interpretation of data. I expand on this, however, to suggest that when coupled with a multiplicity of events, video-based research can be a means of pursuing richness via a method that has been criticized for its narrow subjectivity.

KEYWORDS:

• Video
• shared book reading
• early years
• research designs
• method
• Multiple Videoed Events

ORCID

Maria Nicholas http://orcid.org/0000-0001-5979-4288

Acknowledgements

I would like to express my great appreciation to Dr Louise Paatsch, Associate Professor Bonnie Yim and Associate Professor Diane Toe, for their patient guidance, encouragement and useful critiques of this research work and for their advice regarding previous drafts of this manuscript.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

Notes

1 Note that pseudonyms have been used for participants.

2 Note that pseudonyms have been used for participants.