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Background: Many engineering education researchers acknowledge that their positionality impacts their research. Practices for reporting positionality vary widely and rarely incorporate a nuanced discussion of the impact of demographic identities on research. Researchers holding marginalized or relatively hidden identities must navigate additional layers regarding transparency of their positionality. Purpose: We identify ways in which positionality impacts research, with a particular emphasis on demographic identity dimensions. We note that whether identities are relatively marginalized, privileged, hidden, or apparent in a research context creates complexities for conceptualizing, practicing, and disclosing one's positionality. Method: In a collaborative inquiry informed by autoethnography, we assemble positionality reflections of current engineering education researchers to demonstrate the primary ways in which positionality impacts research. Results: We find that positionality impacts six fundamental aspects of research: research topic, epistemology, ontology, methodology, relation to participants, and communication. These aspects of research delve deeper than conceptions of positionality as a methodological limitation, a measure to prevent bias, or a requirement for research quality. Conclusion: The impact of positionality on research is complex, particularly when researchers occupy minoritized identities and for research topics that interrogate power relations between identity groups. By demonstrating the practices of interrogating and representing positionality, we hope to encourage more researchers to represent positionality transparently, thus making researchers' transparency safer for all. We argue that positionality is an important tool for reflecting on and dislocating privilege, particularly when working on equity research.

In this work, we examined the problem of preparing future faculty (graduate students) regarding their development in multiple roles, focusing on students in science and engineering disciplines. The purpose of the presented research was to address the questions, "Do graduate students believe that their current experiences align with the roles they will perform in their academic careers?" and "How do graduate students' perceptions of their professional roles change during the process of constructing portfolios?" We used the theoretical lens of role identity to guide this work; academic careers are typically categorized in terms of teaching, research, and service, which can be mapped as professional identity roles. We conducted a survey and focus groups with participants working through an ePortfolio development curriculum. Our findings suggest that there is a perception of misalignment between current and future roles, and that the construction of ePortfolios can be utilized to promote reflective practices leading to changed perceptions of those roles.

Background: Many engineering education researchers acknowledge that their positionality impacts their research. Practices for reporting positionality vary widely and rarely incorporate a nuanced discussion of the impact of demographic identities on research. Researchers holding marginalized or relatively hidden identities must navigate additional layers regarding transparency of their positionality. Purpose We identify ways in which positionality impacts research, with a particular emphasis on demographic identity dimensions. We note that whether identities are relatively marginalized, privileged, hidden, or apparent in a research context creates complexities for conceptualizing, practicing, and disclosing one's positionality. Method: In a collaborative inquiry informed by autoethnography, we assemble positionality reflections of current engineering education researchers to demonstrate the primary ways in which positionality impacts research. Results: We find that positionality impacts six fundamental aspects of research: research topic, epistemology, ontology, methodology, relation to participants, and communication. These aspects of research delve deeper than conceptions of positionality as a methodological limitation, a measure to prevent bias, or a requirement for research quality. Conclusion: The impact of positionality on research is complex, particularly when researchers occupy minoritized identities and for research topics that interrogate power relations between identity groups. By demonstrating the practices of interrogating and representing positionality, we hope to encourage more researchers to represent positionality transparently, thus making researchers' transparency safer for all. We argue that positionality is an important tool for reflecting on and dislocating privilege, particularly when working on equity research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, we examined the problem of preparing future faculty (graduate students) regarding their development in multiple roles, focusing on students in science and engineering disciplines. The purpose of the presented research was to address the questions, "Do graduate students believe that their current experiences align with the roles they will perform in their academic careers?" and "How do graduate students' perceptions of their professional roles change during the process of constructing portfolios?" We used the theoretical lens of role identity to guide this work; academic careers are typically categorized in terms of teaching, research, and service, which can be mapped as professional identity roles. We conducted a survey and focus groups with participants working through an ePortfolio development curriculum. Our findings suggest that there is a perception of misalignment between current and future roles, and that the construction of ePortfolios can be utilized to promote reflective practices leading to changed perceptions of those roles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]