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Learning Journals: Creatively Beginning the Doctoral Journey

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Title: Learning Journals: Creatively Beginning the Doctoral Journey
Language: English
Authors: Beverly FitzPatrick, Cecile Badenhorst, Sean Fardy, Eric Saltsman, Chantelle Caissie, Melanie Doyle, Karen Blundon, Priscilla Tsuasam, Sandra Hewitt-Parsons
Source: Studies in Graduate and Postdoctoral Education. 2025 16(2):207-228.
Availability: Emerald Publishing Limited. Howard House, Wagon Lane, Bingley, West Yorkshire, BD16 1WA, UK. Tel: +44-1274-777700; Fax: +44-1274-785201; e-mail: emerald@emeraldinsight.com; Web site: http://www.emerald.com/insight
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 22
Publication Date: 2025
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education
Postsecondary Education
Descriptors: Creativity, Doctoral Students, Journal Writing, Critical Thinking, Personal Narratives, Student Experience, Student Attitudes, Creative Thinking, Psychological Patterns, Foreign Countries
Geographic Terms: Canada
DOI: 10.1108/SGPE-02-2024-0017
ISSN: 2398-4686
Abstract: Purpose: Creativity is not always encouraged in graduate education. It is established that PhD students need to think critically, but the emotional hurdles doctoral students face can sometimes outweigh the cognitive ones. In the authors' work with doctoral students, the authors aimed to connect the emotional with the intellectual -- the affective with the cognitive domains of learning, to provide students with the opportunity to make these links and better facilitate their progress. The authors used a learning journal that incorporated creative and critical thinking in an eight-month research course. The purpose of this study was to guide PhD students to become holistically involved in their doctoral journeys. Design/methodology/approach: The authors conducted a self-study using a narrative methodology. Seven students kept learning journals throughout the course where they could write or draw to communicate their thoughts and feelings however they chose. The instructors provided written feedback to the students three times over the course. Afterword, students and instructors wrote narratives based on their experiences. The authors conducted a narrative analysis and produced a collective narrative. Findings: Student experiences were variable; some more positive than others and often undergoing transformation during the process, but all students felt there was value in keeping a learning journal. Originality/value: There are many studies on focusing on critical thinking for doctoral students but less on emphasizing the role of creative thinking.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2025
Accession Number: EJ1470758
Database: ERIC
FullText Text:
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  Data: Learning Journals: Creatively Beginning the Doctoral Journey
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Beverly+FitzPatrick%22">Beverly FitzPatrick</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Cecile+Badenhorst%22">Cecile Badenhorst</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Sean+Fardy%22">Sean Fardy</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Eric+Saltsman%22">Eric Saltsman</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Chantelle+Caissie%22">Chantelle Caissie</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Melanie+Doyle%22">Melanie Doyle</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Karen+Blundon%22">Karen Blundon</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Priscilla+Tsuasam%22">Priscilla Tsuasam</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Sandra+Hewitt-Parsons%22">Sandra Hewitt-Parsons</searchLink>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22Studies+in+Graduate+and+Postdoctoral+Education%22"><i>Studies in Graduate and Postdoctoral Education</i></searchLink>. 2025 16(2):207-228.
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  Data: Emerald Publishing Limited. Howard House, Wagon Lane, Bingley, West Yorkshire, BD16 1WA, UK. Tel: +44-1274-777700; Fax: +44-1274-785201; e-mail: emerald@emeraldinsight.com; Web site: http://www.emerald.com/insight
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Higher+Education%22">Higher Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Postsecondary+Education%22">Postsecondary Education</searchLink>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Creativity%22">Creativity</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Doctoral+Students%22">Doctoral Students</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Journal+Writing%22">Journal Writing</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Critical+Thinking%22">Critical Thinking</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Personal+Narratives%22">Personal Narratives</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Student+Experience%22">Student Experience</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Student+Attitudes%22">Student Attitudes</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Creative+Thinking%22">Creative Thinking</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Psychological+Patterns%22">Psychological Patterns</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Foreign+Countries%22">Foreign Countries</searchLink>
– Name: Subject
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Canada%22">Canada</searchLink>
– Name: DOI
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  Data: 10.1108/SGPE-02-2024-0017
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  Data: 2398-4686
– Name: Abstract
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  Data: Purpose: Creativity is not always encouraged in graduate education. It is established that PhD students need to think critically, but the emotional hurdles doctoral students face can sometimes outweigh the cognitive ones. In the authors' work with doctoral students, the authors aimed to connect the emotional with the intellectual -- the affective with the cognitive domains of learning, to provide students with the opportunity to make these links and better facilitate their progress. The authors used a learning journal that incorporated creative and critical thinking in an eight-month research course. The purpose of this study was to guide PhD students to become holistically involved in their doctoral journeys. Design/methodology/approach: The authors conducted a self-study using a narrative methodology. Seven students kept learning journals throughout the course where they could write or draw to communicate their thoughts and feelings however they chose. The instructors provided written feedback to the students three times over the course. Afterword, students and instructors wrote narratives based on their experiences. The authors conducted a narrative analysis and produced a collective narrative. Findings: Student experiences were variable; some more positive than others and often undergoing transformation during the process, but all students felt there was value in keeping a learning journal. Originality/value: There are many studies on focusing on critical thinking for doctoral students but less on emphasizing the role of creative thinking.
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  Data: 2025
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  Data: EJ1470758
PLink https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=eric&AN=EJ1470758
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        Value: 10.1108/SGPE-02-2024-0017
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      – Text: English
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        StartPage: 207
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Creativity
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Doctoral Students
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Journal Writing
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      – SubjectFull: Critical Thinking
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      – SubjectFull: Personal Narratives
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      – SubjectFull: Student Experience
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      – SubjectFull: Student Attitudes
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      – SubjectFull: Creative Thinking
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      – SubjectFull: Psychological Patterns
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      – SubjectFull: Foreign Countries
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