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Defining Engineering Education Research: The Elevator Pitch

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Conference

2022 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Location

Minneapolis, MN

Publication Date

August 23, 2022

Start Date

June 26, 2022

End Date

June 29, 2022

Conference Session

Technological and Engineering Literacy - Philosophy of Engineering Division Technical Session 1

Page Count

16

DOI

10.18260/1-2--41590

Permanent URL

https://peer.asee.org/41590

Download Count

565

Paper Authors

biography

Jeffrey Paul University of Manitoba

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I am a Engineering Education Research PhD student with a passion for life-long learning. My current research is focused on how we can develop pedagogical content knowledge in instructors using nudge theory

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Nikita Dawe University of Toronto

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PhD Candidate, Department of Mechanical & Industrial Engineering and Collaborative Specialization in Engineering Education, University of Toronto

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Sherry-ann Ram University of Toronto

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Graduate Student at the University of Toronto

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Mandeep Pandey University of Calgary

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Victoria Thomsen University of Manitoba

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Reed Forrest University of Manitoba

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Jillian Seniuk Cicek University of Manitoba

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Renato Alan Bezerra Rodrigues

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Nicholas Rupar

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Robyn Paul University of Calgary

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Abstract

We are a group of Engineering Education Research (EER) graduate students in Canada, where EER is a relatively nascent field of study. As such, we often find ourselves explaining the nature of the discipline to non-EER individuals or organizations. A key issue is that the audience usually includes peers in engineering or granting agencies associated with engineering who may lack an understanding of the lexicon and epistemological approaches used within EER. If we want their support, we need their understanding.

Thus, over time, we developed an ad-hoc accessible EER definition that helped describe the breadth and importance of the discipline to our non-EER colleagues. Similar to an elevator pitch, our serendipitously developed definition starts with a general description of EER, adds the focus of our individual research, and optionally finishes with how the intended audience can provide support. All of this in a memorable, understandable, and comprehensive manner. Since initially developing our pitch, we have reviewed and updated our definition following an engineering design cycle by integrating stakeholder feedback into the definition.

In addition to presenting our definition, we discuss how this exercise has improved our understanding of EER, as well as potential future work in this area. The goal of this philosophical paper is to share our current definition of EER with others in the EER discipline in order to refine and examine this definition.

Paul, J., & Dawe, N., & Ram, S., & Pandey, M., & Thomsen, V., & Forrest, R., & Seniuk Cicek, J., & Bezerra Rodrigues, R. A., & Rupar, N., & Paul, R. (2022, August), Defining Engineering Education Research: The Elevator Pitch Paper presented at 2022 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, Minneapolis, MN. 10.18260/1-2--41590

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