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Many students do not truly encounter engineering education during their school years despite numerous calls to increase focus on engineering-centric knowledge and skills in pre-college education. This study uses a Social Cognitive Career Theory framing to examine the nuanced experiences of pre-college students who learned the engineering design process through multiple, progressively complex project experiences in an introductory engineering course designed for all. Data was collected from 80 students within eight schools across the United States using multiple focus groups. Iterative thematic analysis revealed four themes that collectively depict how design experiences provide an anchor or a comprehensive knowledge base for engineering pathways. The study provides insights into the complex interplay of learning activities and wider educational contexts that influence students’ higher education and career choices. Under-standing the anchors associated with students’ design experiences has the potential to impact future motivation and design of pre-college engineering experiences that can lead to improved student recruitment and retention in higher education
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Challenges in a Freshman General Education Class
How undergraduates are introduced to the discipline of engineering at the college level can have long-term educational and professional implications, including influencing decisions to pursue or leave engineering majors and validating beliefs about the purpose of engineering in society. Classroom lectures have been traditionally used within introductory engineering courses as they can transmit large amounts of content. However, they are generally less effective in helping undergraduates engage with and apply content. In recognition of this, learner-centered approaches are increasingly being used in introductory engineering classes. Our overarching purpose in this paper was to describe the use of the design process in an introductory engineering course that enrolled close to two hundred students, most of whom were in their first year in college. As we argued, these are the students who might most benefit from design process participation. We found that in general, the design process was transferable to this educational context. Most students seemed far more engaged than students in previous course offerings that had been delivered in a traditional format. Notably, students reported that in addition to learning course content, they learned creativity, persistence, problem-solving skills, leadership skills, and teamwork skills. However, perhaps the main contribution of engaging freshmen and other early-stage students in the design process was in fostering in them a greater understanding of the impact that engineers can have on society.
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- Award ID(s):
- 1930402
- PAR ID:
- 10201905
- Date Published:
- Journal Name:
- 2020 ASEE Virtual Annual Conference
- Format(s):
- Medium: X
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
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null (Ed.)Many students do not truly encounter engineering education during their school years despite numerous calls to increase focus on engineering-centric knowledge and skills in pre-college education. This study uses a Social Cognitive Career Theory framing to examine the nuanced experiences of pre-college students who learned the engineering design process through multiple, progressively complex project experiences in an introductory engineering course designed for all. Data was collected from 80 students within eight schools across the United States using multiple focus group sessions. Iterative thematic analysis revealed four themes that collectively depict how design experiences provide an anchor for engineering pathways. The study provides insights into the complex interplay of learning activities and wider educational contexts that influence students’ higher education and career choices. Understanding the anchors associated with students’ design experiences has the potential to impact future motivation and design of pre-college engineering experiences that can lead to improved student recruitment and retention in higher education.more » « less
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- Free Publicly Accessible Full Text
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Accepted Manuscript1.0
- Conference Paper:
- https://doi.org/10.18260/1-2--34268
