How to use participant packs as an inclusive and flexible method / Amy Barron.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Barron, Amy, author.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Participant observation--Methodology.

Participant observation.

Older people--Research--Methodology.

Older people.

Physical Description:

1 online resource

Place of Publication:

London : SAGE Publications Ltd, 2026.

Summary:

Participant Packs typically contain a mix of visual, tactile, and creative materials that prompt reflection, allowing participants to engage in their own time and in a way that suits their abilities and preferences. Participant packs are also an inclusive and flexible method designed to support participation among people who may prefer not, or find it difficult, to take part in conventional research encounters. Packs can be structured with defined tasks or left deliberately open to encourage participant-led forms of sense-making. This guide draws on my experience of using participant packs in a study with 32 older adults in Prestwich, Greater Manchester, UK, alongside literature on other creative methods. Packs were developed as an alternative to walking interviews to understand place-making practices. While walking is a common approach in place-based research, it risks excluding participants who are less mobile, housebound, or uncomfortable with walking. Participant packs facilitated access to emotional, sensory, and memory-based experiences of place without assuming physical mobility. This guide provides step-by-step advice on designing, assembling, distributing, and retrieving packs, and demonstrates how they can enhance inclusion, generate unanticipated social connections, and broaden participation among underrepresented groups. It concludes with practical guidance on adapting participant packs for different participant groups and contexts. I caution, however, that participant packs must not be understood as an ‘inclusive’ silver bullet. While the packs can be used in isolation, they perhaps work best when used alongside a flexible array of other qualitative methods.

Notes:

Description based on XML content.

ISBN:

9781036250591

OCLC:

1594889663

Publisher Number:

T302522