Equality & Equity: Effecting a Paradigm Shift in Engineering Education through Pedagogical Research

Abstract

The need for research in engineering education research to guide and inform the curriculum is reflected in the literature, much of which focuses on how to prepare graduates for the world of work. Yet, despite an increasing interest in the use of research informed teaching, many engineering colleagues continue to look at each cohort collectively, with little attention given to diversity or individuality. One of the reasons for this may be difficulties in sampling, with no choice but to use a particular university population as a sampling framework, it can be difficult for colleagues to focus on the experiences of one particular demographic group. Moreover, there is little doubt that the complexity of social-science sampling, combined with the fact that students tend to make less predictable research subjects than do the scientific variables engineers usually work with, it is not surprising that many engineering colleagues find the language and culture of social science research methodology difficult.