TY - JOUR
T1 - Challenges and promises of overcoming epistemological and methodological partiality
T2 - Advancing engineering education through acceptance of diverse ways of knowing
AU - Douglas, Elliot P.
AU - Koro-Ljungberg, Mirka
AU - Borrego, Maura
N1 - Funding Information:
Maura Borrego is an assistant professor of engineering education at Virginia Tech. Dr Borrego holds an MS and PhD in materials science and engineering from Stanford University. Her current research interests centre around interdisciplinary graduate education in engineering. She holds a US NSF CAREER and Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE) award for her engineering education research.
PY - 2010
Y1 - 2010
N2 - The purpose of this paper is to explore some challenges and promises when the epistemological diversity embedded in qualitative research traditions is introduced to research communities with one dominant research paradigm, such as engineering education. Literature is used from other fields and empirical data are used from engineering education, including the practices of the European Journal of Engineering Education and the Journal of Engineering Education, with the expectation that the ideas that are presented are relevant to a broad range of education disciplines. A number of challenges are identified as the epistemological diversity of qualitative research is introduced to the primarily positivist field of engineering education. Ultimately, embracing epistemological diversity holds the promise of researchers being able to ask: 'What questions and answers become possible from these newly created positions and what can be learned from these alternative approaches?'.
AB - The purpose of this paper is to explore some challenges and promises when the epistemological diversity embedded in qualitative research traditions is introduced to research communities with one dominant research paradigm, such as engineering education. Literature is used from other fields and empirical data are used from engineering education, including the practices of the European Journal of Engineering Education and the Journal of Engineering Education, with the expectation that the ideas that are presented are relevant to a broad range of education disciplines. A number of challenges are identified as the epistemological diversity of qualitative research is introduced to the primarily positivist field of engineering education. Ultimately, embracing epistemological diversity holds the promise of researchers being able to ask: 'What questions and answers become possible from these newly created positions and what can be learned from these alternative approaches?'.
KW - Engineering education research
KW - Epistemology
KW - Qualitative research
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U2 - 10.1080/03043791003703177
DO - 10.1080/03043791003703177
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:77953663511
SN - 0304-3797
VL - 35
SP - 247
EP - 257
JO - European Journal of Engineering Education
JF - European Journal of Engineering Education
IS - 3
ER -