Unveiling Learning Mechanisms in the Engineering Design Process: A Sequential Mixed Analysis of Primary School Students’ Cognitive Processes Through the Lens of Engineering Habits of Mind

Background The Engineering Design Process (EDP) is considered as a signature pedagogy for cultivating the Engineering Habits of Mind (EHoMs). However, empirical studies tracing the development of the EHoMs within STEM education are limited. How these habits evolve across EDP stages and the cognitive mechanisms driving this evolution remains a “black box”. This study aims to reveal this process by tracking 63 fifth-grade students during a four-week rubber-band-powered car project. A sequential mixed analysis strategy was employed. Data from online discourse, classroom observations, design workbooks, iterative artifacts, and interviews were integrated and analyzed using Qualitative Content Analysis (QCA), Epistemic Network Analysis (ENA), and Thematic Analysis (TA).