Visual-video Research Interest Group

Prior to 2010 advances in the portability and level of sophistication of video and associated technologies revealed the potential that visual research held as an emerging modality. The once restrictive inclusion of photographs and videos to augment research became increasingly transformed toward a widespread adoption of new and innovative visual research tools. In 2009, the first International Visual Research Methods (IVM) Conference was held in Leeds, United Kingdom showcasing how research was being advanced through the adoption of visual methods by academic researchers in multiple disciplines. The IVM conference continued as a bi-annual event, with IVM3 being hosted by Victoria University Wellington.

Visual research, and in particular, video research was also emerging at The University of Waikato.  From 2010, The Wilf Malcolm Institute of Educational Research (WMIER) facilitated a series of seminars and symposiums under the leadership of Professor Bronwen Cowie. A total of five forums were organised by Professor Bronwen Cowie, Associate Professor Clive Pope and Professor Bevan Grant. The forums were initially half-day seminars featuring research conducted by Waikato University researchers and grew to two day bi-annual symposiums that featured international keynotes speakers including Theo van Leuwenn and Sarah Pink. The forums revealed a growing interest in and attendance by researchers from across the university as well as other tertiary institutions from throughout the North Island.

The potential of visual and video research is still being realised and still being embraced by Waikato University researchers. It is hoped that this visual-video research group will continue to foster and facilitate collaborations and dissemination of research and practice at a pan-university level.