Work in progress - Feminist research methodologies: Why, what, and how

Abstract

Theoretical frameworks which undergird engineering education research projects greatly influence what questions are investigated, what data is collected from whom, and how that data is analyzed, interpreted, and reported. Traditional methodologies used in engineering education research are based on implicit norms and values which have influenced our understanding of the engineering education system. This paper presents a discussion of feminist research methodologies and how they can be applied in engineering education research. This paper explores the values and beliefs incorporated into feminist research methodologies which distinguish them from more traditional research methodologies. Feminist research opens up the field of questions which are deemed significant, changes the choice of and interaction with participants, and alters the implementation of data collection and analysis. This discussion of feminist research methodologies is not prescriptive, but illustrative. Methods discussed include survey research, interview research, and ethnography