Assessing technology and engineering learning outcomes of pre-service preschool teachers through epistemic networks of DSRP systems thinkingKurent, Brina (Avtor) Avsec, Stanislav (Avtor) epistemic network analysislearning outcome assessmentpre-service preschool teacherssystems thinkingtechnology and engineering educationAs technology-enhanced learning environments increasingly promote active and situated engagement, assessment must move beyond isolated tests of knowledge and skills to capture learners’ performance in authentic contexts. In technology and engineering education, systems thinking is often embedded in product-based learning, yet technical product quality alone may not show how pre-service preschool teachers organise, connect, and justify systemsrelated ideas. The aim of this study was to examine systems-oriented reasoning as part of complex technology and engineering learning outcomes by combining the Distinctions, Systems, Relationships, and Perspectives (DSRP) framework with Epistemic Network Analysis (ENA). Students’ written reflections on the “Product as a System” were coded across the four DSRP dimensions and re-encoded as binary indicators of DSRP achievement levels for ENA. Using ENA, we identified differences in the prominence and cooccurrence of DSRP-related reasoning elements between students taught through the technology-enhanced systems-thinking approach (STICT) and those taught through a traditional approach. The findings revealed distinguishable DSRP epistemic network structures between the two groups, with the STICT group displaying a more heterogeneous structure and the traditional group showing a more concentrated network around system organisation, functional relationships, and multiple perspectives. The ENA indicators were more clearly associated with written report quality than with technical product quality. This study contributes to the assessment of systems-oriented reasoning. It suggests that integrating DSRP-based coding and ENA provides complementary evidence about systems-oriented reasoning beyond that captured by product quality alone, thereby contributing to a broader assessment of technology and engineering learning outcomes in authentic higher education assessment tasks.20262026-09-24 12:50:05Članek v reviji188611sl