Abstract
Increasingly, engineering education researchers are using qualitative research methods to study learning and retention in engineering. While quantitative methods provide generalizable results, qualitative methods generate rich, descriptive understanding of the investigated phenomenon. On the other hand, a mixed methods approach provides benefits of the two approaches by incorporating them in a single study. However, engineering faculty often face difficulty in integrating qualitative and quantitative methods and designs in their educational research. This article discusses mixed methods in the context of an actual ongoing engineering education research project investigating student resistance to active learning. We describe the research design including design process; challenges; decisions; theory building based on prior work, existing theories, our emerging results, and our collective experiences as instructors; and reliability and validity considerations of our mixed methods. Our mixed method research experience highlights the importance of thinking iteratively between qualitative and quantitative data sources during the instrument development process.
Original language | English (US) |
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State | Published - 2015 |
Externally published | Yes |
Event | 6th Research in Engineering Education Symposium: Translating Research into Practice, REES 2015 - Dublin, Ireland Duration: Jul 13 2015 → Jul 15 2015 |
Conference
Conference | 6th Research in Engineering Education Symposium: Translating Research into Practice, REES 2015 |
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Country/Territory | Ireland |
City | Dublin |
Period | 7/13/15 → 7/15/15 |
All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes
- Education
- General Engineering