Qualitative Analysis of Boundary-Spanning Implications within Interviews of Engagement Stakeholders

David A. Delaine; Jose Roberto Cardoso; Joachim Walther

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Conference: 2015 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition
Location: Seattle, Washington
Publication Date: June 14, 2015
Start Date: June 14, 2015
End Date: June 17, 2015
ISBN: 978-0-692-50180-1
ISSN: 2153-5965
Conference Session: Civic Engagement and Volunteerism in Engineering
Tagged Division: Community Engagement Division
Page Count: 16
Page Numbers: 26.1289.1 - 26.1289.16
DOI: 10.18260/p.24626
Permanent URL: https://peer.asee.org/24626
Download Count: 608

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Paper Authors

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David A. Delaine Universidade de São Paulo and IFEES

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David A. Delaine has a Ph.D. in electrical engineering from Drexel University, in Philadelphia, USA. He currently serves as an executive member of the International Federation of Engineering Education Societies (IFEES), as Vice President for Student Engagement, Diversity, and Inclusion. IFEES aims to strengthen engineering education practices around the world. He has recently completed his tenure as a Fulbright Scholar and is currently performing research as a FAPESP postdoctoral researcher with Prof. Dr. Jose Roberto Cardoso at the Escola Politécnica da Universidade de São Paulo for his project titled "Assessing the Impact of One Boundary Spanner on University-wide STEM Educational Engagement" where he will attempt to optimize community/university relations for broadening participation in the STEM fields.” He has ambitions to significantly diversify and broaden the global pipeline of STEM talent and help guide the evolution of the methods used to develop engineers.

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Jose Roberto Cardoso Universidade de São Paulo

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Jose Roberto Cardoso is a full professor at Escola Politécnica da USP. He is a former Dean of the same school. Today Prof. Cardoso is the Executive Director of FUSP - The Foundation for Supporting the USP

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Joachim Walther University of Georgia

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Dr. Walther is an assistant professor of engineering education research at the University of Georgia (UGA). He is a director of the Collaborative Lounge for Understanding Society and Technology through Educational Research (CLUSTER), an interdisciplinary research group with members from engineering, art, educational psychology and social work.

His research interests range from the role of empathy in engineering students' professional formation, the role of reflection in engineering learning, and interpretive research methodologies in the emerging field of engineering education research.

His teaching focuses on innovative approaches to introducing systems thinking and creativity into the environmental engineering program at the University of Georgia.

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Abstract

Qualitative Analysis of Boundary Spanning Implications within Interviews of Engagement StakeholdersInterviews conducted on engagement stakeholders are qualitatively analyzed to providecontextual understanding of boundary spanning within STEM community engagement.Community engagement refers to relationships between the university and externaleducational groups such as K12 institutions, libraries, and community centers, tomutually improve social, civic, and ethical problems together around educationaloutcomes. Boundary Spanners, or individuals who act as knowledge and power brokersto help establish reciprocal relationships between a university and community, arefundamental for providing pathways for collaboration between the academy and society.The stakeholders, which include University, Government, K12, Industry and Non-profitRepresentatives, are interviewed using a semi-structured protocol based on previouslyestablished evaluations of barriers and enablers to university engagement, indicators ofcampus commitment to engagement, and indicators for evaluating broadeningparticipation, to determine how boundary spanners can be best utilized to facilitate andimprove upon engagement outcomes. Purposeful sampling alongside snowball samplingwas used to identify interview subjects resulting in N = 30 interviews conducted, where16 represent the university and 14 represent the stakeholders external to the university. Athematic analysis of the interviews was conducted using the constant comparative methodand qualitative research software to reveal insight into boundary spanning. Thisevaluation is useful to provide context within a systematic framework for improvementsof engagement practices and outcomes through the use of boundary spanners. Outcomesof this research, which are directed at STEM and Engineering Education, will allowpolicy makers and practitioners to be better informed on what boundary spanning policiesto implement, in what contexts they are applicable. The findings provide transferableresearch and knowledge about boundary spanning as a key strategy for strengtheningpathways for broadening participation in STEM through community engagement.

Citation
Format

Delaine, D. A., & Cardoso, J. R., & Walther, J. (2015, June), Qualitative Analysis of Boundary-Spanning Implications within Interviews of Engagement Stakeholders Paper presented at 2015 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, Seattle, Washington. 10.18260/p.24626

TY  - CPAPER
AB  -      Qualitative Analysis of Boundary Spanning Implications within                 Interviews of Engagement StakeholdersInterviews conducted on engagement stakeholders are qualitatively analyzed to providecontextual understanding of boundary spanning within STEM community engagement.Community engagement refers to relationships between the university and externaleducational groups such as K12 institutions, libraries, and community centers, tomutually improve social, civic, and ethical problems together around educationaloutcomes. Boundary Spanners, or individuals who act as knowledge and power brokersto help establish reciprocal relationships between a university and community, arefundamental for providing pathways for collaboration between the academy and society.The stakeholders, which include University, Government, K12, Industry and Non-profitRepresentatives, are interviewed using a semi-structured protocol based on previouslyestablished evaluations of barriers and enablers to university engagement, indicators ofcampus commitment to engagement, and indicators for evaluating broadeningparticipation, to determine how boundary spanners can be best utilized to facilitate andimprove upon engagement outcomes. Purposeful sampling alongside snowball samplingwas used to identify interview subjects resulting in N = 30 interviews conducted, where16 represent the university and 14 represent the stakeholders external to the university. Athematic analysis of the interviews was conducted using the constant comparative methodand qualitative research software to reveal insight into boundary spanning. Thisevaluation is useful to provide context within a systematic framework for improvementsof engagement practices and outcomes through the use of boundary spanners. Outcomesof this research, which are directed at STEM and Engineering Education, will allowpolicy makers and practitioners to be better informed on what boundary spanning policiesto implement, in what contexts they are applicable. The findings provide transferableresearch and knowledge about boundary spanning as a key strategy for strengtheningpathways for broadening participation in STEM through community engagement.
AU  - David A. Delaine
AU  - Jose Roberto Cardoso
AU  - Joachim Walther
CY  - Seattle, Washington
DA  - 2015/06/14
PB  - ASEE Conferences
TI  - Qualitative Analysis of Boundary-Spanning Implications within Interviews of Engagement Stakeholders 
UR  - https://peer.asee.org/24626
DO  - 10.18260/p.24626
ER  -