2026 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Diagnosing Epistemic Frames in Digital Learning Environments: A Scoping Review

Presented at Computers in Education (CoED): Computing Pedagogy & Methods (6 of 8) -- T508C

The year 2025 was primed to be a pivotal one for online learning, with the number of undergraduates studying fully online surpassing those studying fully in person for the first time. This shift raises critical questions about how students construct and justify professional knowledge in digital learning environments (DLE), particularly within engineering education. This scoping review examines research at the intersection of epistemic frame theory (EFT) and learning analytics (LA), mapping how EFT, a model of professional reasoning grounded in the interplay of knowledge, skills, values, identity, and epistemology, has been applied to study how learners ``think like engineers'' in online contexts.

Despite growing methodological sophistication, applications in engineering-specific contexts remain sparse. Most studies operationalize EFT through Epistemic Network Analysis (ENA) to model co-occurrence patterns among epistemic elements in student discourse, simulation logs, or design artifacts. Emerging techniques, including ordered network analysis, sentiment modeling, and automated discourse tools, are increasingly used to capture temporal and affective dimensions of epistemic development. Yet few studies adapt EFT constructs to engineering-specific practices such as spatial reasoning, failure analysis, or design under constraint, and fewer still embed epistemic analytics into instructional systems in ways that inform real-time feedback.

The findings suggest that EFT-informed analytics hold significant promise for diagnosing and supporting epistemic development in engineering education. Realizing this potential requires closer alignment between cognitive theory and data science practice, integration that can shape not just how learning is measured, but how students learn to think as engineers.

Authors

Mr. Jobin Varughese http://orcid.org/https://0009-0002-9322-4179 Texas A&M University [biography]

Jobin Varughese is a doctoral student in the College of Engineering at Texas A&M University, where he also serves as Senior Educational Data Analyst at the Center for Teaching Excellence. He holds an M.S. in Management Information Systems with an emphasis in Data Science from Oklahoma State University and a B.S. in Electronics and Communication Engineering from Christ University. His research draws on learning analytics, AI in education, and human-computer interaction to observe, build, and study systems that learn how people learn. In this work, he partners closely with faculty, instructional staff, and students — believing that the most meaningful scholarship emerges not from research alone, but from collaborations with the people closest to the learning experience.
Dr. Gibin Raju http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2559-6931 Texas A&M University [biography]

Gibin Raju is a Postdoctoral Researcher in Engineering Education in the Department of Multidisciplinary Engineering at Texas A&M University. He earned his Ph.D. in Engineering Education from the University of Cincinnati and is a recipient of the ASEE Educational Research and Methods (ERM) Division Apprentice Faculty Grant. His research focuses on transformative learning, creativity, critical thinking skills, spatial skills, and engineering design, with particular attention to cognitive stress, cognitive load, and STEM accessibility. By integrating these strategies into a holistic framework, Dr. Raju enhances workforce development, strengthens engineering pathways, and broadens participation in STEM fields. His work equips educators with tools to personalize instruction and foster professional identity, ultimately preparing future engineers to thrive in a rapidly evolving global landscape.
Dianna Morganti Texas A&M University [biography]

Prof. Dianna Morganti is an Instructional Associate Professor at Texas A&M University teaching research-informed writing and publication practices to PhD students throughout the College of Engineering. She brings a focus on information literacy to the critical review of scholarly communication practices in the classroom.
Dr. Kristi J. Shryock Texas A&M University [biography]

Dr. Kristi J. Shryock is the Frank and Jean Raymond Foundation Inc. Endowed Associate Professor in Multidisciplinary Engineering and Affiliated Faculty in Aerospace Engineering in the College of Engineering at Texas A&M University. She also serves as Director of the Craig and Galen Brown Engineering Honors Program. She received her BS, MS, and PhD from the College of Engineering at Texas A&M. Kristi works to improve the undergraduate engineering experience through evaluating preparation in areas, such as mathematics and physics, evaluating engineering identity and its impact on retention, incorporating non-traditional teaching methods into the classroom, and engaging her students with interactive methods.

Note

The full paper will be available to logged in and registered conference attendees once the conference starts on June 21, 2026, and to all visitors after the conference ends on June 24, 2026

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