The Nitty-Gritty of Theoretical Frameworks

Workshop Recommended citation: Prestigiacomo, R., & Babayekhorasani, F. (2025). The Nitty-Gritty of Theoretical Frameworks. In Kangaslampi, R., Langie, G., Järvinen, H.-M., & Nagy, B. (Eds.), SEFI 53rd Annual Conference. European Society for Engineering Education (SEFI), Tampere, Finland. DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.17631311. This Conference Paper is brought to you for open access by the 53rd Annual Conference of the European Society for Engineering Education (SEFI) at Tampere University in Tampere, Finland. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-Share Alike 4.0 International License. THE NITTY-GRITTY OF THEORETICAL FRAMEWORKS R Prestigiacomo a,1, F Babayekhorasani b a University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia, 0000-0001-6315-3301 b University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia, 0000-0002-5115-4179 Conference Key Areas: Building the capacity and strengthening the educational competences of engineering educators; Improving higher engineering education through researching engineering education Keywords: Engineering Education Research, Theoretical Framework, Research Methodology, Interdisciplinarity. ABSTRACT As engineering academics transition from technical disciplines into the evolving field of Engineering Education Research (EER), they often face methodological and conceptual challenges, including the understanding of theoretical frameworks. This interdisciplinary complexity frequently leaves newcomers uncertain about how theoretical frameworks can shape research questions, methodology, and data analysis, limiting the rigor, trustworthiness and transferability of their work. Recognising this gap, this workshop seeks to offer structured guidance to newcomers to EER by clarifying what, why and how of theoretical frameworks. Through interactive discussions and targeted activities, participants will explore how theoretical frameworks can inform research design and analysis. Attendees will apply theoretical lenses to relevant engineering education scenarios, collaboratively developing understanding and confidence needed to embed theory meaningfully into their research and produce theoretically grounded research in EER. Finally, the workshop is intended to provide opportunities for community engagement among newcomers, enhancing professional networks that may support ongoing scholarly growth and future collaborations. 1 R Prestigiacomo [email protected] 1 BACKGROUND AND RATIONALE 1.1 BACKGROUND Engineering Education Research (EER) explores how to improve engineering education, unlike technical research which primarily investigates applied knowledge derived from the physical world (Klassen & Case, 2021). The field of EER continues to witness an increasing number of engineering academics transitioning from their technical disciplines. This passage requires a paradigm shift from a positivistic to an interpretivist approach as well as engagement with new bodies of knowledge, jargons and research methods. This is associated with the integration of theoretical perspectives from fields such as the learning sciences, education research, cognitive psychology, and social science (Johri & Olds, 2011; Klassen & Case, 2021), all of which may initially feel unfamiliar to researchers from engineering backgrounds. While this shift presents opportunities for interdisciplinary contributions, newcomers - postgraduate students and early career academicsmay encounter several conceptual difficulties (Borrego & Bernhard, 2011; Streveler et al. 2015). Among these, understanding what a theoretical framework is and how to apply it in an education research project meaningfully represents a challenge. A theoretical framework serves to orient the research approach and clarify the underlying principles and intentions of the study for the broader academic community (Klassen & Case, 2021; Magana, 2022). It serves as an overarching structure that ensures research outcomes are interpretable, replicable and transferable. When selecting a theoretical framework, researchers must consider the nature of their study, the research questions posed, and the broader scholarly discourse. Since this process is not rigid, newcomers may need some guidance and support. 1.2 Rationale Newcomers into EER may struggle with theoretical frameworks and their integration into their research design and data analysis. Without a clear understanding of the role of a theoretical framework, researchers may be unable to coherently frame and orientate their work and contribute to the creation of new knowledge in EER. The lack of a theoretical framework can also reduce the rigor, trustworthiness and transferability of research within the EER research community (Streveler et al, 2015), ultimately, limiting its impact and contribution. Addressing these challenges is crucial for improving research quality and helping newcomers effectively position their work within the broader academic landscape of EER (Magana, 2022). This workshop is designed to bridge the above gaps by providing structured guidance on the role and use of theoretical frameworks in EER. By creating a supportive space for knowledge exchange, this session aims to empower attendees with the tools needed to understand and apply a theoretical framework with confidence and conduct theoretically sound and rigorous research in EER. 2 WORKSHOP OBJECTIVES 2.1 Target audience The target audience of this workshop are newcomers - postgraduate students and early career academicstransitioning from a technical engineering field into EER. We are specifically targeting this audience as they may face conceptual and methodological hurdles, including struggles to navigate the role and use of theoretical frameworks. 2.2 Expected learning outcomes Attendees participating in this workshop can expect to: 1 Understanding the role and use of a theoretical framework in an EER project: gaining a comprehensive understanding of how theoretical frameworks shape research questions, research design, methodology, and interpretations of data. 2 Engaging with a community of newcomers to EER: being part of stimulating discussions and a collaborative learning environment with a community of newcomers to EER. 3 WORKSHOP DESIGN 3.1 Time plan The goal of this 60-minute interactive workshop (Table 1) is to help newcomers to EER to demystify the role and use of a theoretical framework. Participants will explore how theoretical frameworks shape research questions, methodologies, and interpretations of data through small-group discussions and hands-on activities. The workshop will be structured as follows: 1. Introduction: will provide (i) a workshop overview and aims, and (ii) expected learning outcomes. An icebreaker activity will help the participants (i) reflect on theoretical frameworks, (ii) set the stage for the activities to follow, and (iii) understand the context of the workshop. 2. Interactive Discussion: will introduce what a theoretical framework is and why it matters. After this, participants will break into small groups for a hands-on activity. 3. Wrap-Up & Conclusion: will allow participants to share actions they will take based on the workshop. Facilitators will also provide practical advice for newcomers, including recommended readings, relevant EER journals and strategies to navigate theoretical frameworks knowledge. Table 1. Time plan Run time Activity Notes 3 min Welcome & Introduction Overview of workshop, aims and expected learning outcomes. 10 min Icebreaker Activity Pair & Share What is your motivation for attending today's session? What do you hope to learn? (Participants will share initial thoughts). Poll: How do you feel about using a theoretical framework in your engineering education research? 10 min Mini Lecture What is a Theoretical Framework? Why is a Theoretical Framework important? 5 min Discussion Theory in EER: Why does it matter? An example featuring a research idea - Women in Computer Science & Engineering (CSE) The example demonstrates how participants can move from an initial observation or intervention to identifying a relevant theoretical framework, distil its key ideas and applying to their engineering research context. This is followed by formulating an initial research question and identifying suitable data collection method(s). 20 min Interactive activity: Mapping Theory into an Engineering Research Project Applying Theoretical Lenses: Participants will be prompted to discuss theoretical framework relevance, interrelatedness between theoretical framework and methodology, data collection methods, and development of an initial RQ. Research Scenario: In the final-year capstone, students applied their chemical engineering knowledge to plant and equipment design, but they had limited exposure to working within actual industry settings. Suggested Theoretical Lense: Situated Learning Theory (Brown, Collins & Duguid, 1989) 12 min Wrap-up & Conclusions Participants share actions they will take based on the workshop. Facilitators highlight potential steps forward suggesting readings, resources (i.e., relevant EER journals), and strategies to navigate theoretical framework knowledge. Call to action: • interest in sharing research ideas to receive feedback on the use of a theoretical framework • exploring potential collaboration opportunities • interest in collaborating to a similar workshop (whether using our materials and resources or co-developing new ones). QR code for the materials: • Survey: What was the most valuable part of the workshop? • Any strengths? • Any weaknesses? • Feedback on relevance and contribution to EER? 3.2 Interactivity The interactive structure of the workshop seeks to engage the participants as active contributors to the workshop session rather than passive recipients of information. By encouraging the participants to think critically and engage with the material presented, we aim to foster a collaborative environment and enhance the participants’ understanding of theoretical frameworks. 4 WORKSHOP RESULTS The workshop attracted 20 participants with a diverse range of expertise and experience in relation to theoretical frameworks in engineering education research. The workshop provided the opportunity for participants to pause and reflect on what a theoretical framework is and how to operationalise it in their own research. The main take-home messages from the discussion session were: • Participants shared conceptual difficulties that spanned different stages of engagement with theory: from a lack of understanding what a theoretical framework is, to operationalising it (moving from theory to practice), and ultimately to using it to contextualise their research findings. The word cloud in Figure 1 captures their sentiment about theoretical frameworks, which was shared during an activity at the beginning of the workshop. While the negative and overwhelming feedback concerning theoretical frameworks cannot be taken as representative of the broader engineering education community, it nevertheless underscores that substantial work still needs to be done to address and overcome the barriers and challenges associated with their use. Figure 1. Collated responses from participants on how they feel about using a theoretical framework in their engineering education research. • Theory is similar to the “blueprint” of a house: it serves as a guide on which to build and support a research study. • Theories define how a researcher philosophically, epistemologically, methodologically, and analytically approaches their research project. • The appropriateness of a theoretical framework is not a matter of being right or wrong, but rather of alignment with the research focus and the nature of the inquiry. We concluded the workshop by sharing a series of resources to get started, including some foundational readings and key journals in EER. We also highlighted some practical strategies and key steps to select an appropriate theoretical framework. We hope that the workshop has offered the opportunity for shared learning and discussion and reflect on how to advance the field of EER in a more systematic and theoretically informed manner. REFERENCES Borrego, M., & Bernhard, J. (2011). The Emergence of Engineering Education Research as an Internationally Connected Field of Inquiry. Journal of Engineering Education, 100(1), 14–47. https://doi.org/10.1002/j.2168-9830.2011.tb00003.x Johri, A., & Olds, B. M. (2011). Situated Engineering Learning: Bridging Engineering Education Research and the Learning Sciences. Journal of Engineering Education, 100(1), 151–185. https://doi.org/10.1002/j.2168-9830.2011.tb00007.x Klassen, M., & Case, J. M. (2022). Productive tensions? Analyzing the arguments made about the field of engineering education research. Journal of Engineering Education, 111(1), 214–231. https://doi.org/10.1002/jee.20440 Streveler, R. A., Pitterson, N. P., Hira, A., Rodriguez-Simmonds, H., & Ortega Alvarez, J. (2015). Learning about engineering education research: What conceptual difficulties still exist for a new generation of scholars? In IEEE Frontiers in Education Conference (FIE), Camino Real El Paso, El Paso, TX, USA, October 21–24, (pp 1–6). IEEE. https://doi.org/10.1109/FIE.2015.7344303 Magana, A. J. (2022). The role of frameworks in engineering education research. Journal of Engineering Education, 111(1), 9–13. https://doi.org/10.1002/jee.20443