A/R/Tographic Investigation into Artistic Development Processes of Undergraduate Art Education Students

This qualitative study investigates the artistic development processes of undergraduate art education students through an a/r/tographic approach, aiming to determine the role of portfolio preparation within these processes. This research, conducted during the 2022-2023 academic year, took place in a workshop course for 4th-year students in the Department of Art and Art Education at a medium-sized university, involving 10 volunteer students. The study group was selected through criterion (purposive) sampling. Data collection included educational development files (portfolios) prepared by students during the inquiry process, a question pool, a/r/tographic reflections gathered through a semi-structured interview form developed with input from field experts, as well as peer and expert evaluations and student artworks produced at the study's conclusion. Qualitative data analysis was employed to examine data related to the a/r/tographic process-an art-based research method. Accordingly, content analysis was used to evaluate student, peer, and expert reviews of the educational development files (portfolios). The students' artistic and a/r/tographic inquiry processes were analyzed using descriptive analysis. Findings indicated that students were generally satisfied with the self-evaluation approach of their educational development files (portfolios). Peers and experts who reviewed these files suggested that, although valuable, the portfolios could be further improved. It was observed that students engaged with the a/r/tographic process both deliberately and also demonstrated varied perspectives through their artist identities, self-expression.