How multi-modal approaches support engineering and computing education research

ABSTRACT

Multi-modal approaches in engineering and computing education are still in its early stages. With the advent of new technologies and communication platforms, understanding the principles and elements of multi-modal work will help scholars to answer complex research questions related to engineering and computing education. Multi-modal approaches consist of research principles and practices that aim to explore the multi-sensory ways humans experience the complexity and multiplicity of their surrounding world as it happens. This manuscript will elaborate on the principles of multi-modal research, highlight examples in the engineering and computing education literature, and share considerations and strategies. The manuscript’s purpose is to guide scholars who wish to capture participant experiences of phenomena naturalistically and authentically, and in near-real-time..

KEYWORDS:

• Multi-modal approaches
• engineering education
• computing education

Acknowledgments

This material is based upon work supported, in part, by the National Science Foundation (NSF) Numbers DUE 2120451, 1661117, 1661100 (Dr. Idalis Villanueva Alarcón) and NSF IIS 2104729 (Dr. Zahra Atiq). Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this material do not necessarily reflect those of NSF. Dr. Anwar acknowledges the start-up funds provided by Texas A&M University.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

The work was supported by the National Science Foundation DUE [2120451, 1661117, 1661100] to Dr. Villanueva Alarcón; Start-Up (Texas A&M University; Dr. Anwar) National Science Foundation IIS [2104729] to Dr. Atiq. Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this material do not necessarily reflect those of NSF.

Notes on contributors

Idalis Villanueva Alarcón

Dr. Idalis Villanueva Alarcón is an Associate Chair for Research & Graduate Studies and tenured Associate Professor in the Department of Engineering Education at the University of Florida. She is an expert in hidden curriculum, mentoring, and multi-modal approaches in engineering education. Note that “Villanueva” and “Villanueva Alarcón” in the citations are the same author.

Saira Anwar

Saira Anwar is an Assistant Professor at the Department of Multidisciplinary Engineering, Texas A&M University, College Station. Dr. Anwar is an engineering and computing education researcher. She focuses on designing, implementing, and measuring the effectiveness of emergent educational technology tools, curriculum units, courses, and programs to improve students’ cognitive and non-cognitive aspects.

Zahra Atiq

Dr. Zahra Atiq is an Assistant Professor of Practice of Computer Science and Engineering at The Ohio State University. She is a computing education researcher who focuses on using multimodal methods to understand non-cognitive factors in the context of CS1 courses. She is also working on curriculum development of an undergraduate quantum computing course.