​​Using Quantitative Ethnography to Explore Interdisciplinary Collaboration in a CTE Building and Construction Pathway

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Sunday 7:45 am - Gold 2
  In Roundtable Session: Building Capacity in Career and Technical Education and Workplace Learning

Abstract

This study employs Quantitative Ethnography (QE) and Epistemic Network Analysis (ENA) as a novel approach to further investigate the effects of interdisciplinary collaboration and critical pedagogy within a secondary Building and Construction Career Technical Education (CTE) pathway. Data sources include practitioner autoethnography, student interviews, classroom observations, and student artifacts. These data were utilized to create ENA models (Lux et al., 2025; Shaffer, 2017). Findings suggest that constructivist, problem-based instruction grounded in critical pedagogy—particularly when integrated across disciplines—can support student engagement, professional skill development, and critical consciousness. This research demonstrates the potential for QE to deepen understandings of complex learning environments and offers implications for transforming CTE pedagogies beyond neoliberal and siloed models.

Authors

• Jonathan L. Montoya, Saint Mary's College (CA)

• Ryan Lundell, Santa Clara University

• Anthony M. Perry, University of North Dakota

• Brendan R. Eagan, University of Wisconsin - Madison