A Picture’s Worth a Thousand Words: Using Participant-Driven Photo Elicitation as a Method of Sensemaking in Agricultural Learning Experiences

Photo elicitation is a research methodology that uses photographs as a stimulus to drive discussion, initiate reflection, and generate insights from participants. Participant-driven photo elicitation was used during the 2024 Virginia Governor’s School for Agriculture (VGSA), a four-week summer residential program for 100 gifted and advanced rising high school juniors and seniors hosted by Virginia Tech. The on-campus program focuses on the transdisciplinary nature of agriculture and the development of future leaders, scientists, and advocates in and for agriculture. Roughly 95% of the high school students had limited or no previous experience with agriculture through schooling, community locale, or family livelihood. Therefore, VGSA was their first exposure to the multifaceted field of agriculture. The purpose of the VGSA participant-driven photo elicitation project was to help students in their sensemaking of VGSA agriculturally related experiences. During the program's second week, the high school students were given instructions and asked to reflect on the question, “What is agriculture?” by sharing a picture and a 250-word caption with their peers via an online discussion forum for VGSA. Ninety-eight percent of the high school students submitted a photo accompanied by a caption. The high school students reflected on their experiences spanning agriculturally related and agriculturally adjacent topics such as economics, animal science, plant science, climate change, biosystems engineering, wildlife conservation, and community development. Additionally, the high school students demonstrated a more nuanced understanding of agriculture. The participant-driven photo elicitation project required students to center their thoughts and ideas around a photograph, enabling them to articulate their experiences within VGSA and agriculture more effectively. It is anticipated—as demonstrated through their photos and captions—that the high school students will be positioned to be better agricultural advocates and informed consumers in their current and future communities.