Interdisciplinary Research Methodologies in Engineering Education Research

Abstract

As Engineering Education Research (EER) develops as a discipline it is necessary for EER scholars to contribute to the development of learning theory rather than simply being informed by it. It has been suggested that to do this effectively will require partnerships between Engineering scholars and psychologists, education researchers, including other social scientists. The formation of such partnerships is particularly important when considering the introduction of business-related skills into engineering curriculum designed to prepare 21st Century Engineering Students for workplace challenges. In order to encourage scholars beyond Engineering to engage with EER, it is necessary to provide an introduction to the complexities of EER.With this aim in mind, this paper provides an outline review of what is considered 'rigorous' research from an EER perspective as well as highlighting some of the core methodological traditions of EER. The paper aims to facilitate further discussion between EER scholars and researchers from other disciplines, ultimately leading to future collaboration on innovative and rigorous EER.

Reframing Project Management Process Paralysis: An Autoethnographic Study of the UK Fire Service

“…This research adopts an autoethnographic methodology, which is being applied in research on project and organisation topics (Addyman et al, 2020;Hsu et al, 2021;Pentland & Feldman, 2008;Pink et al, 2013) to achieve in-depth understanding of the re-creation of patterns of actions through interview and ethnographic observation (Reynolds et al, 2019) combined with the researcher's personal longitudinal experience (Anderson, 2006;Jones et al, 2013).…”

Enhancing the Outcome of Mechanical Engineering Design Course with the SCAMPER Methodology Framework

“…In the evolution of Engineering Education Research (EER) as a discipline, the collaboration between EER scholars and experts in learning theory, psychology, education research, and other social sciences becomes crucial to shaping learning theories rather than solely drawing from them, especially in integrating business-related skills into modern engineering education; thus, this paper outlines rigorous EER research and methodological traditions to foster interdisciplinary dialogue and future collaborative advancements (Reynolds & Dacre, 2021). This exploratory review paper utilizes a methodological taxonomy to analyze 142 articles from major engineering education journals published in 2018, highlighting diverse profiles across journals, identifying patterns and trends, offering insights for novice researchers, and addressing crucial questions about quality and rigor in the emerging field of Engineering Education Research (EER) (Liu, 2019).…”

“…This exploratory review paper utilizes a methodological taxonomy to analyze 142 articles from major engineering education journals published in 2018, highlighting diverse profiles across journals, identifying patterns and trends, offering insights for novice researchers, and addressing crucial questions about quality and rigor in the emerging field of Engineering Education Research (EER) (Liu, 2019). The systematic literature review (Reynolds & Dacre, 2021) organizes studies on engineering identity, categorizing them by four variables: definitions of engineering identity, factors impacting its development, interventions influencing it, and measurement methods, offering insights for future research and educational enhancements in the field by connecting various strands of literature and methods and aligning identity definitions and factors with interventions.…”