A Child's-Eye View: An Examination of Point-of-View Camera Use in Four Informal Education Settings

ABSTRACT

A point-of-view (POV) camera is a video recording device attached to the person of a research participant. The cameras collect observational data from the individual wearing them and those in close proximity. The cameras can be used to collect data that provide researchers with an immersive view of visitor experience by documenting visits from the perspective of the individual. The purpose of this article is to outline the benefits and weaknesses of using POV cameras for answering broad visitor studies research questions, compare their use to other common methods for visitor studies research, and examine their use within four informal educational settings—a zoo, a museum exhibit, a bus tour, and an afterschool program. In particular, the POV cameras are useful for capturing data beyond a single exhibit, recording the dialogue and gestures of individual visitors, and documenting interactions among group members. POV cameras may be especially useful for answering questions about hands-on activities such as building or tinkering. Limitations that should be considered when attempting to use POV cameras include participants tampering with the recording, the inability to see facial expressions, and the limited angle of captured video. Care should also be taken to minimize the discomfort of visitors in studies utilizing POV cameras.

Acknowledgments

Special thanks are owed to the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden, the Wilds, the Children's Museum of Indianapolis, and WonderLab, as well as Dr. Adam Maltese for his support and guidance.

Funding

This research was supported by the E. Wayne Gross Fellowship from the Curriculum & Instruction Department in the School of Education at Indiana University.

About the author

Alexandra Burris received her Ph.D. from the Curriculum & Instruction Department of the School of Education, Indiana University—Bloomington. She is currently the School and Community Programs Coordinator for the Toledo Zoo in Toledo, Ohio. Her research interests include free-choice learning experiences, particularly children's experiences in zoos. Address correspondence to: Alexandra Burris, Toledo Zoo, 2 Hippo Way, Toledo, OH 43609, USA. E-mail: [email protected].

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Alexandra Burris

Alexandra Burris is a Ph.D. candidate in the Curriculum & Instruction Department of the School of Education, Indiana University—Bloomington. Her research interests include free-choice learning experiences, particularly children's experiences in zoos. She is currently exploring how youth's interest in and value for animals develop.