Integrating institutional theory into a construction management course: a scaffolding perspective and implications for engineering education

The integration of social sciences and humanities (SSH) into science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education is increasingly recognised as essential for preparing students to address complex, real-world problems. This study explores how institutional theory, a SSH theory rooted in sociology, can be integrated into engineering education through the concept of scaffolding. The research is situated in a graduate-level construction management course and focuses on the implementation of SSH theory within a STEM curriculum. Findings indicate that aligning scaffolding with SSH learning objectives, combining collaborative and individual learning artifacts, and iteratively adapting course design can enhance students’ ability to link abstract theory with real-world analysis. Nevertheless, students defaulted to descriptive reasoning and deductive categorisation, reflecting entrenched STEM thinking patterns. The study concludes that intentional scaffolding, reflexive course adaptation, and repeated opportunities for interpretative analysis provide a transferable model for integrating SSH theory, such as institutional theory, into engineering education.