Our work spans a variety of topics and approaches in engineering education research. Our team uses mixed research methods. These include interview studies, measurement development, classroom instruction research, and developing and evaluating workshops and training materials.
One of our favorite aspects of working in academia is collaborating with colleagues with expertise across numerous disciplines. If you are interested in collaborating, please contact us.
Research Areas of Interest
Each linked sub-page contains a description of current projects, related publications, resources we have created to share, and funded grants. You can also check out a full list of the Thrive Lab’s workshops and publications for additional information.
Resources
We care about making resources more accessible. We have many of the below resources also linked in their respective research-topic webpages, refer to the above to learn more.
For Faculty, Admin, and Staff
For educators: Example policy to support well-being in the classroom. This no-questions extension policy has been well-liked by students, faculty, and teaching assistants alike!
For faculty: Infographic showing key actions to support student well-being. This infographic was developed after student interviews at one institution, though many of the findings likely apply elsewhere.
For faculty: Worksheet demonstrating preventative steps for supporting students in distress. This workshop worksheet outlines key steps for faculty who would like to prepare for supporting students who may be in distress.
For administrators: Infographic showing key actions to support student well-being. This infographic was developed after student interviews at one institution, though many of the findings likely apply elsewhere.
For Engineering Education Researchers
For new researchers: Practices in Engineering Education Research (PEER) Guides. These guides were developed to support researchers entering engineering education and include info-guides on topics around (1) grant funding, (2) networking at ASEE, and (3) developing a mentoring plan.
Also, check out these open-access conference papers about common engineering education research methods!
Cognitive Interviews: Conducting the cognitive interview: Sharing experiences and insight from two think aloud studies (opens in a new tab); J. F. Mirabelli et al., 2023
Exploratory Factor Analysis: Exploring the Exploratory Factor Analysis: Comparisons and Insights from Applying Five Procedures to Determining EFA Item Retention; J. F. Mirabelli et al., 2022