The visual image as discussion point: increasing validity in boundary crossing research

This article is based on a larger study exploring the use of visual methods as a communication tool in research where the researcher is often a ‘border crosser’ (Giroux, 1992). To illustrate the value of this methodology, particularly in instances where power imbalances are heightened in the research context, a case study was conducted with five teenage mothers from a sub-economic community outside Cape Town, South Africa. This article will explore how use of visual methods contributes to increased validity of data. Specifically, this discussion will consider how the use of images as a communication tool, increase participant control over the research process, and incorporates participant self-representation via a period of self-exploration, improving contextual accuracy and relevance of data.