I am recently new to this great site and the recent discussion on
photonovels caught my attention.
My MA study in Language and Literacy Education at the University of
Victoria, Canada, focused on appropriate ways to educate ESL-speaking
immigrant women about health information.  The immigrant women in my study
created a participatory photonovel focusing on their struggles with
nutrition upon migrating to Canada. I found that having the women as
active participants in creating a health literacy material was very
empowering for them.  The process built community amongst the women and
gave them a voice in their new country.
Creating a photonovel is very user-friendly and economical.  All you need
is a digital camera, lap top and a comic producing program that costs 40
dollars.  They also look great. Furthermore, because they are created by
participants, they become a comprehensible health literacy tool for a
similar linguistic population.
I won a National Population and Public Health Student Research Award for
study (2006) and my findings were published in the Canadian Journal of
Public Health (July/August 2007).
To see the photonovel go to my website at www.photonovel.ca (View: From
Junk Food to Healthy Eating: Tanya's Journey to a Better Life)
Also, Rima Rudd at Harvard University has previously been active in
creating photonovels as a health literacy tool.
Rudd, Comings [1994]. Learner Developed Materials: An Empowering Product,
Health Education Quarterly, 21(3):33-47
I have found her work around learner developed health literacy materials
to be very informative.
Laura Nimmon-MA
Canada

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Laura Nimmon, MA
www.photonovel.ca