Engineering Education Research Briefs 2.0: Scholars and Scholarship · Drs. Jeremi London and Monique Ross (Founded By Dr. Ruth Steveler)

METHODS with Dr. Robin Adams, Professor, School of Engineering Education at Purdue University

November 4, 2019·30 min·3 clips

Host Ruth Streveler welcomes Dr. Robin Adams to discuss new methods in engineering education research at Purdue.

This episode features Dr. Robin Adams, a foundational professor in Purdue's School of Engineering Education, in conversation with host Ruth Streveler. They explore Adams's career journey and her expertise in research methodologies for studying engineering education. Adams was part of the inaugural faculty cohort for Purdue's pioneering PhD program in this field. Adams earned a mechanical engineering degree and began her career working in Silicon Valley. Her path shifted toward engineering education research nearly three decades ago, where she has since focused on methodological development. A central theme is her advocacy for "research as design," which frames scholarly inquiry as a creative, iterative process. She emphasizes that methods are not neutral tools but are instead deeply connected to a researcher's identity, purpose, and theoretical stance. Adams argues that high-quality research requires explicit "methodological integrity," where choices align coherently with the study's core questions and goals. She challenges the simplistic hierarchy that often values quantitative over qualitative methods, promoting instead a philosophy of "methodological pluralism." A key insight is that a researcher's personal epistemology—their beliefs about knowledge—fundamentally shapes their methodological approach. She describes how engineering training can instill a "methodological monism," which her work aims to broaden. The conversation is reflective and educational, grounded in decades of academic experience and collegial rapport. Listeners interested in the philosophy of research, methodological theory, or the history of engineering education as a discipline will find this discussion valuable. Those seeking concrete, step-by-step guides for data analysis or specific study results might find the episode too conceptual.

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