Examining Doctoral Student Development of a Researcher Identity: Using the Draw a Researcher Test

Abstract

With a core identity as working professionals, education doctoral students struggle with seeing themselves as researchers. Because research is essential in a doctoral program, the sooner doctoral students include researcher as an identity, the smoother and more successful their journey will be. To support doctoral student researcher identity development, we focused on scaffolding and embedding academic writing experiences in the first year seminar in a U.S. doctoral program. The purpose of this study was to describe and explain doctoral students’ development of a researcher identity as measured by the Draw-a-Researcher Test (DART). In the fall and spring, we collected drawings and narrative reflections about their drawings of researchers from nine students. We created a five-dimension DART scoring guide. In the fall, the drawings revealed students’ uncertainty about the agency and the research process dimensions; in the spring, however, the drawings showed students’ clearer understanding of these two dimensions. In the narrative reflections, students noted the influence of writing expectations and experiences on their role identity as researchers. Implications, as measured by the DART, are that an embedded writing support model seems to assure the development of doctoral students’ core identity as researchers during the first year of the program.

Disaster Management During Tropical Storm Karen: The Story of Trinidad Extension

“…When research participants are allowed time to reflect, additional information may surface (Calvo, 2017). Additionally, drawings are alternative reflection tools, thereby soliciting ideas that are different from interview data, but adds to the overall data pool (Calvo, 2017;Caskey & Yeo, 2020;Del Greco et al, 2018;Guillemin, 2004;Hsu, 2014;Moagi, 2014).…”

“…Participants also were asked to draw an extension professional assisting with managing TSK. Initial uses of drawings for collecting data was achieved by Goodenough (1962) in the Goodenough Draw-a-Man test (Caskey & Yeo, 2020;Williams et al, 2011). The test has since been rebranded for use in research with children and adults (Adamis et al, 2016;Atanu, Dogra, & Das, 2011;Bat Or & Ishai, 2019;Calvo, 2017;Del Greco et al, 2018;Guillemin, 2004;Klingemann & Klingemann, 2016;Moagi, 2014;Stewart & Brosh, 1997).…”

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“…When research participants are allowed time to reflect, additional information may surface (Calvo, 2017). Additionally, drawings are alternative reflection tools, thereby soliciting ideas that are different from interview data, but adds to the overall data pool (Calvo, 2017;Caskey & Yeo, 2020;Del Greco et al, 2018;Guillemin, 2004;Hsu, 2014;Moagi, 2014).…”

“…Participants also were asked to draw an extension professional assisting with managing TSK. Initial uses of drawings for collecting data was achieved by Goodenough (1962) in the Goodenough Draw-a-Man test (Caskey & Yeo, 2020;Williams et al, 2011). The test has since been rebranded for use in research with children and adults (Adamis et al, 2016;Atanu, Dogra, & Das, 2011;Bat Or & Ishai, 2019;Calvo, 2017;Del Greco et al, 2018;Guillemin, 2004;Klingemann & Klingemann, 2016;Moagi, 2014;Stewart & Brosh, 1997).…”

Building a Foundation for a Successful Doctoral Student Journey: A Scholarship of Teaching and Learning Investigation

“…Our goal was for students to experience working in a community of practice where they could tap their experiences as leaders and working professionals and, through legitimate participation, move toward the identity of scholarly practitioners and meet personal and professional needs (Caskey et al, 2020;Foot et al, 2014;Olson & Clark, 2009).…”