  As Engineering Education Research (EER) develops as a discipline it is
necessary for EER scholars to contribute to the development of learning theory
rather than simply being informed by it. It has been suggested that to do this
effectively will require partnerships between Engineering scholars and
psychologists, education researchers, including other social scientists. The
formation of such partnerships is particularly important when considering the
introduction of business-related skills into engineering curriculum designed to
prepare 21st Century Engineering Students for workplace challenges. In order to
encourage scholars beyond Engineering to engage with EER, it is necessary to
provide an introduction to the complexities of EER. With this aim in mind, this
paper provides an outline review of what is considered rigorous research from
an EER perspective as well as highlighting some of the core methodological
traditions of EER. The paper aims to facilitate further discussion between EER
scholars and researchers from other disciplines, ultimately leading to future
collaboration on innovative and rigorous EER.
