Using photovoice for assessment in teacher education and examining the impacts of globalisation on China

Photovoice is a qualitative participatory research methodology that puts cameras in the hands of participants to document the realities of their daily lives. This article explores the efficacy of Photovoice as an assessment method in teacher education and utility of
Photovoice as an innovative qualitative method to examine the impacts of globalization on China. A group of sixty Chinese students who were enrolled in an Australian transnational program, Master of Education, participated in this Photovoice project in 2008. The
Photovoice narratives and photographs, participants’ reflections and evaluations provide evidence that Photovoice can be used as an effective and participatory assessment tool in teacher education. This study suggests that Photovoice may contribute to understanding the impacts of globalization in ways not addressed by other approaches. The methodology offers a novel way to tap the creativity of people from diverse perspectives. This article also highlights the need for the academics in higher education to provide context-specific, transferable, and innovative assessment and evaluation designed to promote learners’ critical thinking and problem solving skills in a globalized world.