A mixed methods analysis of student experiences in diverse teams.

This work-in-progress research paper describes the initial findings of research on students' attitudes about diversity in first-year engineering teams. We used quantitative pre- and post-survey data and qualitative interviews with student teams to understand students' initial attitudes about diversity and teaming and how those were affected by engineering teaming experiences over a semester. The qualitative and quantitative data analyses interact throughout the project's iterations, with each informing the other. Here, we review the progress made through in-depth qualitative analysis when compared to survey data about changes in variance of students' attitudes towards teaming. By using an iterative mixed methods approach, we are able to explore the subtle distinctions in students' attitudes and experiences affecting diverse teaming experiences. In this paper, we will detail this iterative process and how it has produced more nuanced findings than a particular research paradigm alone.