Using Epistemic Network Analysis to Explore Engineering Students’ Integration of Critical Reflections and Disciplinary Knowledge

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Saturday 1:30 pm Four Seasons Ballroom 1
  In Roundtable Session: Bridging Social and Technical Dimensions: Enhancing Diversity, Safety, and Inclusion in Engineering and Computer Science Education (Table 13)

Abstract

Prioritizing technical knowledge over social considerations in engineering education may perpetuate uncritical decisions that reinforce social disparities. This study addresses the need to integrate social and technical considerations in engineering education. Advocating for inclusive education that recognizes the contributions of minority groups, we involved a team of first-year engineering students at a Hispanic-Serving Institution in the U.S. We used Epistemic Network Analysis to explore how students integrate constructs of disciplinary knowledge and critical reflections through an open-ended task designed within a socially-critical context. Our findings reveal that students made connections between mathematical knowledge, engineering concepts, and critical reflections, challenging purely technical decisions. These findings advocate for curricular reforms that incorporate complex, real-world problems, balancing technical and social considerations.

Authors

• Luis E. Montero Moguel, University of Texas - San Antonio

• Guadalupe Carmona, University of Texas - San Antonio

• Joel Alejandro Mejia, University of Cincinnati