ABSTRACT
This study has been carried out within the context of learning communities. These are not neutral spaces. They are environments which come with a particular range of expectations from both children and adults. Carrying out research during the design process using visual participatory methods in these contexts has raised questions and possibilities. This chapter considers what contribution this way of working may make to listening to both young children and adults within school and early childhood environments. In Chapter 4.2, I examined what impact the question ‘What does it mean to be in this place?’ may have within the context of architectural participation. This ended with thinking about participation as involving risks and uncertainty. Participation within a learning context can be challenging too. It may confirm well-established views about children and childhood, but it also raises questions and surprises.
