Researchers not only need but also deserve to care for their body-selves (Ellingson, 2017), particularly given the inherent challenges and stressors that come with engaging in research and academic pursuits (Salmons, 2023). Ellingson (2017) reminds us that ethics extends beyond responsibility to participants to encompass a balanced concern for the wellbeing of the researcher. BERA’s (2018) ethical guidelines further reinforce this by highlighting the responsibility for researchers’ wellbeing. Yet, the enthusiasm for the research progress and commitment to others can easily lead to being overworked, stressed and overseeing personal wellbeing. Therefore, it is imperative to consistently attend to our embodied wellbeing and formulate a comprehensive self-care plan throughout the research journey. Visual reflective journaling not only captured my embodied data related to teaching and learning with/through infographics but also evolved into a catalyst for self-care and a nurturing platform for fostering wellbeing.

‘It is imperative to consistently attend to our embodied wellbeing and formulate a comprehensive self-care plan throughout the research journey.’

Visual journaling is a creative and reflexive multimodal activity that entails combining words, images, and various mixed media on surfaces like notebooks, sketchbooks or art journals (Redmond, 2023). Notably, this practice does not require artistic expertise or professional art materials. It provides a space where words and images generate data that exceeds what either could elicit alone (Ellingson, 2017). As suggested by Brown (2021), visual journaling extends beyond recording field notes, serving reflective purposes, and planning research; it becomes a tool for fostering self-care and creative expression. The literature on visual journaling, predominantly rooted in the health sciences, particularly in mental health, therapy and counselling, underscores its potential to provide opportunities for individual healing, self-discovery and enhancing self-image (Redmond, 2023).

My PhD research aimed to explore the value of infographics for undergraduate sports coaching students through a complex-ecological lens. Embracing a complexity thinking perspective, I acknowledged the intricate fusion of roles as both a teacher and researcher (Carson & Sumara, 1997). The methodology of a/r/tography enabled me to embody the identities of an artist, researcher and teacher, recognising my immersion in the research process (Springgay et al., 2005). To explore infographic value holistically, I gathered data from students, lecturers and myself using embodied data collection methods.

In pursuing embodied data, among other methods, I employed visual reflective journaling, a validated approach to researching teaching and learning (Phelps, 2005). It not only documented my experiences as an embodied individual in practice (Ovens & Garbett, 2020) but also aligned with the principles of complexity (Phelps, 2005) and the focus on unveiling the researcher’s embodiment (Ellingson, 2017). Informed by Ellingson (2017), my visual reflective journaling alongside images and text of reflecting on my teaching and learning with/through infographics extended to incorporating physiological indicators recorded via a smartwatch – heart rate, breathing rate, stress levels and bodily sensations – before, during and after teaching sessions. Unintentionally, these observations revealed unexpected facets of my teacher-researcher experience (see figure 1).

In essence, recognising and prioritising the wellbeing of researchers is not just an ethical imperative but a practical necessity in the demanding landscape of academic endeavours. The incorporation of visual reflective journaling emerges as a tool accessible to all researchers, offering a holistic approach to both data collection and personal wellbeing. Using a/r/tography as a methodology and embodied data collection methods such as visual reflective journaling, the study not only unveils the value of infographics but also inadvertently sheds light on the unforeseen aspects of the teacher-researcher experience. This prompts a call to action for fellow teacher-researchers to embrace visual reflective journaling, not only for research purposes but as a dedicated space for self-care, ultimately contributing to cultivating a more mindful and ethically sound academic environment.

Figure 1: Photo collage of embodied data from my visual reflective journal

References

British Educational Research Association [BERA]. (2018). Ethical guidelines for educational research, fourth edition. https://www.bera.ac.uk/publication/ethical-guidelines-for-educational-research-2018-online   

Brown, N. (2021). Making the most of your research journal. Policy Press.

Carson, T. R., & Sumara, D. J. (1997). Action research as a living practice. P. Lang.

Ellingson, L. L. (2017). Embodiment in qualitative research. Routledge.

Ovens, A., & Garbett, D. (2020) Weaving self-studies through journaling. In C. Edge, A. Cameron-Standerford, & B. Bergh (Eds.), Textiles and Tapestries: Self-Study for Envisioning New Ways of Knowing. EdTech Books. https://edtechbooks.org/textiles_tapestries_self_study/weaving_self_studies

Phelps, R. (2005). The potential of reflective journals in studying complexity ‘in action’. Complicity: An International Journal of Complexity and Education, 2(1). https://doi.org/10.29173/cmplct8726

Redmond, T. (2023). Visual journaling as method. In J. DeHart & P. Hash (Eds.). Arts-based research across visual media in education: Expanding visual epistemology (Volume 2). Routledge.

Salmons, J. (2023). Journaling right and left. In N. Lemon (Ed.). Creative expression and wellbeing in higher education: Making and movement as mindful moments of self-care. Routledge.

Springgay, S., Irwin, R. L., & Kind, S. W. (2005). A/r/tography as living inquiry through art and text. Qualitative Inquiry, 11(6), 897–912. https://doi.org/10.1177/1077800405280696