Understanding information practices through video-based research: Opportunities and challenges of collecting researcher-generated and participant-generated video data

Multiple types of video data can help understand children's everyday information practices as children often struggle to share their perspectives through traditional research methods. This methodological case study investigates the opportunities and challenges of collecting multiple types of video data, one generated by the research team and the other by participants, to expand the understanding of information practices. A collective case study of elementary-aged children's information practices at a summer camp, an afterschool program, and a library engineering program demonstrates that multiple types of video data captured participants' different patterns of information practices and depicted evolving transition of information practices that were mediated by both tangible and intangible tools in the environment. Video-based interaction analysis offers information science researchers a way to advance and refine theories on information practices. Involving participants in data collection and augmenting traditional methods with video may enrich the depth of research on information practices.