Unpacking Interdisciplinary Groupwork in Engineering Education: Theory and Practice
Doctoral thesis, 2025
As more universities introduce interdisciplinary project-based courses into engineering programmes, it is critical to explore their effects on students. These courses typically require groups of students from different disciplines to work together to solve a complex problem that requires the input of different disciplinary knowledge and methods. There is an expectation that working on these projects will result in quality learning.
This thesis, which is based on four papers, sets out to unpack (1) the meaning of interdisciplinary engineering education and (2) the various elements affecting the learning processes of student groups taking part in interdisciplinary project-based courses. As such, the thesis draws on theory and research related to interdisciplinarity, project-based learning, collaborative learning, and social regulation of learning. To achieve the dual aims of the thesis, data was collected from the teachers of, and participants of interdisciplinary project-based courses and was analysed using a qualitative approach.
The thesis argues that interdisciplinarity is best understood as a travelling concept and identifies two main conceptions of interdisciplinarity among engineering educators: epistemic interdisciplinarity and social interdisciplinarity. It also draws on the concept of “interdisciplinarity plus” to characterize settings where students and professionals are co-learners within a project-based course, exploring epistemic practices and positionings mobilized by these two groups. Furthermore, the thesis expands upon the theories of social regulation of learning and collaborative learning to better account for collaboration over the course of an interdisciplinary project. This includes the impact unfamiliarity of group members, disciplinary differences, and the project topic, can have on a group’s ability to engage in effective collaboration and regulation of learning. Relatedly, the thesis introduces the notion of “aggressive” co-regulation where a student tries to regulate others using an external person in a position of power (e.g. a teacher).
Based on the findings, I suggest the concept of “common ground” be incorporated into theories of social regulation of learning in interdisciplinary groups. In educational practice, the idea of common ground can be implemented through scaffolding by teachers. Moreover, future studies are required to explore more effective ways to document and support regulation of learning in interdisciplinary project-based courses.
This thesis, which is based on four papers, sets out to unpack (1) the meaning of interdisciplinary engineering education and (2) the various elements affecting the learning processes of student groups taking part in interdisciplinary project-based courses. As such, the thesis draws on theory and research related to interdisciplinarity, project-based learning, collaborative learning, and social regulation of learning. To achieve the dual aims of the thesis, data was collected from the teachers of, and participants of interdisciplinary project-based courses and was analysed using a qualitative approach.
The thesis argues that interdisciplinarity is best understood as a travelling concept and identifies two main conceptions of interdisciplinarity among engineering educators: epistemic interdisciplinarity and social interdisciplinarity. It also draws on the concept of “interdisciplinarity plus” to characterize settings where students and professionals are co-learners within a project-based course, exploring epistemic practices and positionings mobilized by these two groups. Furthermore, the thesis expands upon the theories of social regulation of learning and collaborative learning to better account for collaboration over the course of an interdisciplinary project. This includes the impact unfamiliarity of group members, disciplinary differences, and the project topic, can have on a group’s ability to engage in effective collaboration and regulation of learning. Relatedly, the thesis introduces the notion of “aggressive” co-regulation where a student tries to regulate others using an external person in a position of power (e.g. a teacher).
Based on the findings, I suggest the concept of “common ground” be incorporated into theories of social regulation of learning in interdisciplinary groups. In educational practice, the idea of common ground can be implemented through scaffolding by teachers. Moreover, future studies are required to explore more effective ways to document and support regulation of learning in interdisciplinary project-based courses.
social regulation of learning
project-based learning
interdisciplinary engineering education
collaborative learning
engineering education
socially shared regulation of learning
co-regulation of learning
interdisciplinarity
Auditorium HA4, Hörsalsvägen 4, Campus Johanneberg, Chalmers
Opponent: Prof. Kristina Edström, KTH, Stockholm, Sweden
Author
Michael O'Connell
Chalmers, Communication and Learning in Science, Engineering Education Research
O’Connell, M.T., Feng X., Adawi, T., Sundman, J., Routhe, H.W., Wallin, P., Stöhr, C. (In Review). Interdisciplinarity as a travelling concept: Teachers’ conceptions of the nature and role of interdisciplinary engineering education.
O’Connell, M. T., Adawi, T., Wallin, P., Stöhr, C. (In Review). Engineering students and professionals as co-learners: Epistemic practices and positioning.
Social regulation of learning in interdisciplinary groupwork
European Journal of Engineering Education,;Vol. 49(2024)p. 683-699
Journal article
Challenge Episodes and Coping Strategies in Undergraduate Engineering Research
Proceedings - SEFI 49th Annual Conference: Blended Learning in Engineering Education: Challenging, Enlightening - and Lasting?,;(2021)p. 1087-1095
Paper in proceeding
An increasing number of universities are offering engineering students the opportunity to participate in interdisciplinary project-based courses where students work in groups with others from different disciplines on projects that address complex or authentic problems. However, these courses raise important questions such as: what does interdisciplinarity mean in engineering education, and what effect do these courses have on the students’ and groups’ learning processes?
This thesis investigates these questions through four studies involving the teachers of, and participants of interdisciplinary project-based courses in an engineering education context. Based on the findings, the thesis determines that interdisciplinarity is a travelling concept that can have different meanings as it travels between fields of study and people. Furthermore, the thesis identified two main conceptions of interdisciplinarity in engineering education: epistemic interdisciplinarity (occurs between silos of disciplinary knowledge), and social interdisciplinarity (occurs between people with different disciplinary knowledge).
Additionally, the thesis adopts the concept of interdisciplinarity plus to frame an expansion of interdisciplinary engineering education to include professionals as co-learners on interdisciplinary project-based courses. The findings demonstrate how the inclusion of professionals and students was beneficial with both sharing many similar epistemic practices and perspectives of each other and the project. However, the composition of the groups did have some impact on their organization and practices.
This thesis expands on existing theories related to collaborative learning and social regulation of learning to better account for groups working on interdisciplinary projects. The findings show how a lack of familiarity can have a detrimental impact on a group’s ability to collaborate and regulate their learning. The thesis also identified a negative form of co-regulation of learning, which is labelled “aggressive” co-regulation where one group member attempts to force regulation on the group via a teacher. The thesis recommends incorporating the concept of common ground to minimalize unfamiliarity within the group and to counteract its negative effects. Teachers can achieve this through scaffolding.
Finally, this thesis makes two methodological contributions. The first is the use of narratives to analyse and present episodes of regulation over the course of a project. The second is the use of social regulation of learning as an analytical tool to identify groups’ epistemic practices.
In closing, this thesis provides new insights into interdisciplinary project-based learning in engineering education and the collaborative and regulation processes of participating student groups. It offers suggestions for future research and practical advice for teachers of interdisciplinary project-based courses.
This thesis investigates these questions through four studies involving the teachers of, and participants of interdisciplinary project-based courses in an engineering education context. Based on the findings, the thesis determines that interdisciplinarity is a travelling concept that can have different meanings as it travels between fields of study and people. Furthermore, the thesis identified two main conceptions of interdisciplinarity in engineering education: epistemic interdisciplinarity (occurs between silos of disciplinary knowledge), and social interdisciplinarity (occurs between people with different disciplinary knowledge).
Additionally, the thesis adopts the concept of interdisciplinarity plus to frame an expansion of interdisciplinary engineering education to include professionals as co-learners on interdisciplinary project-based courses. The findings demonstrate how the inclusion of professionals and students was beneficial with both sharing many similar epistemic practices and perspectives of each other and the project. However, the composition of the groups did have some impact on their organization and practices.
This thesis expands on existing theories related to collaborative learning and social regulation of learning to better account for groups working on interdisciplinary projects. The findings show how a lack of familiarity can have a detrimental impact on a group’s ability to collaborate and regulate their learning. The thesis also identified a negative form of co-regulation of learning, which is labelled “aggressive” co-regulation where one group member attempts to force regulation on the group via a teacher. The thesis recommends incorporating the concept of common ground to minimalize unfamiliarity within the group and to counteract its negative effects. Teachers can achieve this through scaffolding.
Finally, this thesis makes two methodological contributions. The first is the use of narratives to analyse and present episodes of regulation over the course of a project. The second is the use of social regulation of learning as an analytical tool to identify groups’ epistemic practices.
In closing, this thesis provides new insights into interdisciplinary project-based learning in engineering education and the collaborative and regulation processes of participating student groups. It offers suggestions for future research and practical advice for teachers of interdisciplinary project-based courses.
Subject Categories (SSIF 2025)
Educational Work
Educational Sciences
Pedagogy
Learning and teaching
Pedagogical work
DOI
10.63959/chalmers.dt/5747
ISBN
978-91-8103-289-5
Doktorsavhandlingar vid Chalmers tekniska högskola. Ny serie: 5747
Publisher
Chalmers
Auditorium HA4, Hörsalsvägen 4, Campus Johanneberg, Chalmers
Opponent: Prof. Kristina Edström, KTH, Stockholm, Sweden