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Transactional schooling and consequential learning: The dual object model of engineering department culture.

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Title: Transactional schooling and consequential learning: The dual object model of engineering department culture.
Authors: Grundy, Lorena S.1 (AUTHOR) lgrundy@engineering.upenn.edu, Koretsky, Milo D.2,3 (AUTHOR) milo.koretsky@tufts.edu
Source: Journal of Engineering Education. Jul2026, Vol. 115 Issue 3, p1-26. 26p.
Subjects: Engineering education, Activity theory (Sociology), Ethnographic analysis, Cultural education, Educational outcomes, Effective teaching, Organizational change, Subcultures
Abstract: Background: For organizational change efforts targeting propagation of reform teaching practices in university engineering education to succeed, there is a need to understand the interacting cultural systems governing teaching and learning. Previous studies have typically foregrounded either faculty, student, or classroom culture. Purpose: We propose a cultural model based on third‐generation cultural‐historical activity theory to account for the complexity of interacting faculty and student activity systems across scales. This model can help educators understand the factors influencing engineering teaching and learning. Design/Method: In a two‐year ethnography, the first author participated in a chemical engineering department at a research‐intensive university, serving as an instructor, attending community meetings and events, and interviewing subjects. Through the data collected, we analyze department and classroom activity systems to develop and illustrate key elements of the cultural model. Results: We find that faculty and student subjects exhibit a dual object, simultaneously pursuing both transactional schooling and consequential learning. This finding suggests that rather than eliminating transactional schooling, we need to understand how transactional schooling and consequential learning interact. To that end, we identify contradictions between this dual object and other aspects of the nested activity systems. Classroom‐level activity systems are entangled, with students carrying cultural practices from one course to another. Conclusions: In charting a path toward consequential learning, leaders should consider the dual object of activity through a systems lens spanning multiple scales. This cultural model can provide instructors and students with the support they need to productively resolve systemic tensions impeding their progress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Copyright of Journal of Engineering Education is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
Database: Engineering Source
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PubType: Academic Journal
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  Data: Transactional schooling and consequential learning: The dual object model of engineering department culture.
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Grundy%2C+Lorena+S%2E%22">Grundy, Lorena S.</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<i> lgrundy@engineering.upenn.edu</i><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Koretsky%2C+Milo+D%2E%22">Koretsky, Milo D.</searchLink><relatesTo>2,3</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<i> milo.koretsky@tufts.edu</i>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Journal+of+Engineering+Education%22">Journal of Engineering Education</searchLink>. Jul2026, Vol. 115 Issue 3, p1-26. 26p.
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Engineering+education%22">Engineering education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Activity+theory+%28Sociology%29%22">Activity theory (Sociology)</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Ethnographic+analysis%22">Ethnographic analysis</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Cultural+education%22">Cultural education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Educational+outcomes%22">Educational outcomes</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Effective+teaching%22">Effective teaching</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Organizational+change%22">Organizational change</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Subcultures%22">Subcultures</searchLink>
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: Background: For organizational change efforts targeting propagation of reform teaching practices in university engineering education to succeed, there is a need to understand the interacting cultural systems governing teaching and learning. Previous studies have typically foregrounded either faculty, student, or classroom culture. Purpose: We propose a cultural model based on third‐generation cultural‐historical activity theory to account for the complexity of interacting faculty and student activity systems across scales. This model can help educators understand the factors influencing engineering teaching and learning. Design/Method: In a two‐year ethnography, the first author participated in a chemical engineering department at a research‐intensive university, serving as an instructor, attending community meetings and events, and interviewing subjects. Through the data collected, we analyze department and classroom activity systems to develop and illustrate key elements of the cultural model. Results: We find that faculty and student subjects exhibit a dual object, simultaneously pursuing both transactional schooling and consequential learning. This finding suggests that rather than eliminating transactional schooling, we need to understand how transactional schooling and consequential learning interact. To that end, we identify contradictions between this dual object and other aspects of the nested activity systems. Classroom‐level activity systems are entangled, with students carrying cultural practices from one course to another. Conclusions: In charting a path toward consequential learning, leaders should consider the dual object of activity through a systems lens spanning multiple scales. This cultural model can provide instructors and students with the support they need to productively resolve systemic tensions impeding their progress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
– Name: AbstractSuppliedCopyright
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  Data: <i>Copyright of Journal of Engineering Education is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
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        Value: 10.1002/jee.70072
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              Text: Jul2026
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