Phenomenological Research of the Pedagogical Practices of Instructors Involved in Teaching Numerical Methods

Abstract

In science and engineering research, the dominant paradigm seeks to measure and quantify— commonly referred to as the positivist approach. It is not the only one; there is also the phenomenological paradigm, which aims to understand deeper meaning, emphasizes lived experience, and is qualitative— instead of measuring, it seeks to understand. In this study, we adopt a phenomenological paradigm to examine the pedagogical practices we, as instructors of numerical methods, propose to support student learning. We understand “practices” in a broad sense: the full set of activities we design and implement, not merely laboratory or practical assignments. Methodologically, we follow a heuristic– phenomenological approach, conducting a semi-structured interview via a survey form composed of two parts. The formal section collects hard data, while the semi-structured section poses brief open-ended questions. The results presented are a critical self-examination of the activities, instructors’ conceptions of learning, and the temporal evolution of these practices.