How Do Doctoral Candidates Learn to Be Researchers? Developing Research Training Programs in Kinesiology Departments

Abstract

The preparation of doctoral candidates is a critical aspect of advancing research in kinesiology on many levels. Graduates of doctoral programs not only produce research, they also exert influence in recruiting undergraduates and master's students into doctoral programs, as well as mentor doctoral students of their own. There has been a perception that doctoral programs are focused too narrowly on research at the expense of preparing individuals for a variety of faculty roles and that this emphasis on research is problematic and can result in fragmentation and isolation. The argument in this article is that research can and should be part of a solution to provide the basis for a broader preparation for the future professorate as well as a means to further integration and collaboration that can sustain the field. The importance of experiential learning and fostering dispositions toward research as a lifelong learning process are identified as key elements in helping candidates develop research competencies.