Exemplars of integration in engineering education's use of mixed methods research

Abstract

This theory paper explores ways in which the engineering education community can achieve more comprehensive integration in mixed methods designs. We searched for exemplars in the Journal of Engineering Education, the European Journal of Engineering Education, and the Australasian Journal of Engineering Education using mixed-method and mixed methods as keywords-resulting in 60 viable articles. Using Creamer's Mixed Methods Evaluation Rubric (MMER), we found exemplar articles demonstrating considerable proficiency across one or more of the rubric's four criteria: (1) amount of mixing, (2) interpretive comprehensiveness, (3) transparency and (4) methodological foundation. Using the exemplars as discussion points, we advocate for: (1) the use of mixing during analysis to increase the interplay between the different strands of inquiry (amount of mixing), (2) framing results using the study's constructs, research questions, or perspectives to avoid siloing the study's approaches (interpretive comprehensiveness), (3) using methods flowcharts to communicate design features (transparency), and (4) drawing from a more extensive body of methodological literature to justify design decisions (methodological foundation).