A systematic review of trends and findings in research employing drawing assessment in science education

ABSTRACT

In this study, we reviewed 76 journal articles on employing drawing assessment as a research tool in science education. Findings from the systematic review suggest four justifications for using drawing as a type of research tool, including assessment via drawing as (a) an alternative method considering young participants’ verbal or writing abilities, and affective or economic reasons, (b) a unique method that can reveal aspects not easily measured by other methods, (c) a major method that reflects characteristics of science subjects, and (d) a formative assessment to diagnose students’ ideas to benefit their learning. Furthermore, five research trends of studies using drawing as assessment tools are identified, including: (a) students’ conceptions of scientists from the Draw-a-Scientist-Test (DAST) and evolving studies, (b) students’ understanding or mental models of science concepts, (c) participants’ conceptions of science learning or teaching, (d) students’ inquiry abilities and modelling skills via drawing, and (e) technology to support drawing. For each trend, we synthesised and commented on the current findings. A framework conceptualising phases and issues when designing research and instruments employing drawing assessments is proposed. The review provides insights into the design and future direction of research employing drawing assessments in science education.

KEYWORDS:

• Drawing
• assessment
• research tool
• science learning
• review

Disclosure Statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This worked was supported by the Ministry of Science and Technology, Taiwan under grant numbers MOST 107-2517-S-003-001-MY3, MOST 108-2628-H-003-001-MY3, and 106-2511-S-003-059-MY3. It was also financially supported by the Institute for Research Excellence in Learning Sciences of National Taiwan Normal University (NTNU) from the Featured Areas Research Center Program within the framework of the Higher Education Sprout Project by the Ministry of Education (MOE) in Taiwan.

Notes on contributors

Hsin-Yi Chang

Hsin-Yi Chang is a Professor at the Program of Learning Sciences and Institute for Research Excellence in Learning Sciences, National Taiwan Normal University, Taiwan. Her research interests involve science inquiry learning environments, learning and assessments using computer simulations and visualisations, and design-based research.

Tzung-Jin Lin

Tzung-Jin Lin is an Assistant Professor at the Program of Learning Sciences and Institute for Research Excellence in Learning Sciences, National Taiwan Normal University, Taiwan. His research concentrations embrace learners’ ontological and epistemic beliefs and motivational factors including self-efficacy and goal orientations in the domain of science.

Min-Hsien Lee

Min-Hsien Lee is an Associate Professor at the Program of Learning Sciences and Institute for Research Excellence in Learning Sciences, National Taiwan Normal University, Taiwan. His research interests involve beliefs about science teaching and learning, STEM education, and science learning environments.

Silvia Wen-Yu Lee

Silvia Wen-Yu Lee is a professor in the Graduate Institute of Science Education at the National Changhua University of Education. Her research interests include epistemic beliefs in science, scientific modelling, and computer-supported science learning.

Tzu-Chiang Lin

Tzu-Chiang Lin is an Assistant Professor at the Center for Liberal Arts, National Kaohsiung University of Science and Technology, Taiwan. His research interests are science teacher education, conceptions of science learning, and educational technology.

Aik-Ling Tan

Aik-Ling Tan is an associate professor with the Natural Sciences and Science Education academic group at the National Institute of Education, Nanyang Technological University. Her research interests are classroom interactions and STEM education.

Chin-Chung Tsai

Chin-Chung Tsai is a Chair Professor at the Program of Learning Sciences and Institute for Research Excellence in Learning Sciences, National Taiwan Normal University, Taiwan. He is now the Co-Editor of Computers & Education and the Editor of International Journal of Science Education. His research interests deal largely with constructivism, epistemic beliefs and the role of conceptions of learning in technology-enhanced environments.