Cultivating Disciplinary Expectations for Engineering Education Research in Canada

Abstract

Engineering education research in Canada is, in many ways, still establishing itself as a discipline, yet much is already being asked of it. The diversity of career pathways for engineering graduates, along with the increased complexity of global engineering challenges and the ramifications of technological opportunities, is raising important questions about current engineering education foci and practices. This paper brings together issues surfaced through the process of compiling a Special Theme on engineering education research in Canada, positioning the collection of papers in terms of the challenges and opportunities faced by this maturing Canadian research community. We seek to reconcile how this research can incorporate the theoretical and methodological depth valued in the social sciences while honoring the focus on effective instructional practices that has become an important strand of inquiry in engineering education. Challenges to the growth of engineering education research, such as funding and graduate student inclusion, are also discussed. In addition, we explore the emergence of teaching stream engineering faculty and problematize the role of research and scholarship in their career trajectories. Finally, we call for more strategic thinking to guide the evolution of engineering education research in Canada. We hope that, collectively, this editorial and the other four papers in this Special Theme will help to stimulate discussion about how we define and recognize excellence in the domain of engineering education research in Canada. plus, nous explorons l'émergence de corps professoraux en ingénierie dont la principale -voire la seulefonction est l'enseignement, et nous problématisons le rôle de la recherche et des programmes de bourses dans leur trajectoire professionnelle. Enfin, nous demandons une réflexion plus stratégique pour guider l'évolution de la recherche en didactique de l'ingénierie au Canada. Nous espérons que, collectivement, cet éditorial et les quatre autres articles de ce thème spécial contribueront à stimuler la discussion sur la façon de définir et de reconnaître l'excellence dans le domaine de la recherche en formation des ingénieurs au Canada.

The Implicit Canadian Research Agenda for Engineering Education: 2019

“…To continue moving forward, we argue that it is critical for the EER community in Canada to develop our own identity and goals that reflect our specific contextual concerns and interests. In that sense, we agree with [2] and believe it is time for Canadian engineering education to have its own research agenda -one that creates "spaces to respond to Canada-specific concerns and interests" [2]. A coherent, strategic research agenda is important because it can raise awareness for the most pressing areas and enable researchers to conceptualize how their research can contribute to the larger goals of the community [6].…”

“…The field of Engineering Education Research (EER) in Canada is relatively new, especially if compared to countries such as the United States. However, engineering educators in Canada have engaged with the global EER field, including the American EER community and their associated journals, conferences, and their 15-year old research agenda [1], long before the formal birth of EER in this country [2].…”

Development of the “1+2+X” Modular Course System for Information Technology Majors from the Perspective of Dual-Mode IT

“…In Canada, although engineering education is still gradually developing in many aspects, there are also many requirements for courses and students. For example, experiential learning, interdisciplinary ability, and serving social and environmental needs are requirements [11]. A systematic review of the engineering education research in Canada from 2004 to 2017 reflects that the engineering education research mainly focuses on the engineering education practice [12].…”

Survey Results: How Does Lifelong Learning Enable Alumni Careers?

“…Education scholars have built frameworks around the idea of "earners and learners" often working in multidisciplinary areas or outside of the discipline they studied [40] and recognize that work now involves expansive learning [44]. Engineering education researchers emphasize the need to expose engineering students to broader ways of thinking [9] [45]. All of these perspectives reinforce the broad and fuzzy nature of lifelong learning as a concept that engineering education stakeholders need a shared understanding of.…”