This study, part of a larger research project focused on disciplinary literacy within
engineering (Authors, 2018), is a comparative case study of the literacy practices of two
electrical engineers. The goal of this comparative case study was to understand how electrical
engineers read, write, and evaluate multi-representational texts in the context of their
professional lives. We used the findings from this study to construct a model of disciplinary
literacy in electrical engineering, whose purpose is to prepare students for the electrical
engineering workforce by teaching them to interpret and produce texts using authentic
disciplinary frameworks.
This paper examines the literacy practices of two electrical engineers to answer the following
research questions:
(1) What texts do the electrical engineers read and write?
(2) What disciplinary frameworks do they use to read and write different texts?
(3) How do engineers use internet searches to locate and evaluate information?
(4) What role does argumentation have with respect to their literacy practices?
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Understanding the Situated Workplace Practices and Habits of Engineers Using Agile Ethnography
This methods paper describes the application of and insights gained from using aspects of an
emerging methodology, agile ethnography, to study engineers working in practice. Research has
suggested that there is a misalignment between what is taught in engineering school and the
types of work that engineers do in practice [1]. Little is known about the types of engineering
work that are conducted in practice [2], [3]. In order to best prepare engineering graduates to
meet the demands of the engineering workforce, students should be taught the types of
knowledge and problem-solving strategies that are commonly used by practicing engineers. By
teaching students the problem-solving strategies that are used by their professional counterparts,
the gap between what students are taught in school and what is expected of them in the
workplace may be lessened.
The purpose of this paper is to describe how agile ethnography [4], [5] was successfully used in
our research project to examine workplace literacy practices and habits of mind employed by
eight engineers in their workplaces over a period of three years. The overarching purpose of the
project was to develop models of disciplinary literacy instruction [6] and habits of mind [7] in
engineering, both of which are potential methods for teaching students the knowledge, skills, and
strategies that may prepare them for an engineering career. Disciplinary literacy instruction
teaches students the ways that practitioners use literacy practices when reading, writing,
interpreting, and evaluating discipline-specific information [8]. Habits of mind are the intelligent
behaviors that guide how professionals respond when faced with situations of uncertainty [9]. By
understanding how engineers use disciplinary literacy practices and habits of mind in the
workplace, models for student instruction can be developed. These instructional practices can be
used to support students’ use of authentic engineering practices and ways of thinking that will
support them in the classroom and in their future workplaces. Findings about the disciplinary
practices and habits of mind of the eight engineers are presented in previous publications by the
authors (e.g., [10]–[12]).
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- Award ID(s):
- 1664228
- PAR ID:
- 10355046
- Date Published:
- Journal Name:
- 2022 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition
- Format(s):
- Medium: X
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
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