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Contribution: This study shows that identification with engineering for engineering graduate students is positively and significantly predicted by engineering interest, competence, recognition, and interpersonal skills competence. Background: Prior studies of engineering identity on undergraduates identified several factors (e.g., engineering interest, engineering recognition) as positive predictors of identification of engineering. Engineering competence, achieved by participating in design projects, is a crucial part of students’ efforts to become more innovative engineers. Identity theory is used to understand undergraduates’ persistence in engineering, as students with stronger engineering identification are more likely to persist. More work is needed focusing on graduate students. Research Questions: Do engineering identity measurement frameworks studied for undergraduate students also apply to graduate students? Do they correlate with intention to complete the degree? What predicts the engineering identity of engineering Master's and doctoral students? Methodology: Interviews informed development and adaptation of a multi-scale survey instrument. Factor analyses identified four factors that relate to graduate engineering identity: engineering interest, engineering recognition, engineering competence, and interpersonal skills competence. Three sequential multiple linear regression models were used to predict engineering graduate students’ engineering identity. Findings: The final regression model, which includes student characteristics and the four factors resulting from Confirmatory Factor Analysis, predicts 60% of the variance in engineering identity—substantially more than similar undergraduate engineering identity models. All four factors were significant and positive predictors of graduate students’ engineering identity. The engineering recognition factor in particular needed adaptation to emphasize peers and faculty members over family, although family remained important.
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This content will become publicly available on November 14, 2025
Preservice Teachers Advocating 4-8 Grades Engineering Literacy in a Summer Program
This presentation highlights the experiences of 18 preservice teachers who designed and carried out linguistically and culturally appropriate science and engineering activities for 81 multilingual K–8 pupils over a summer program. It addresses the advantages of using translanguaging in engineering education and discusses the opportunities and difficulties of advancing engineering literacy.
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- Award ID(s):
- 2121351
- PAR ID:
- 10562308
- Editor(s):
- na
- Publisher / Repository:
- Georgia Association of Colleges for Teacher Education
- Date Published:
- Edition / Version:
- 2024
- Volume:
- na
- Issue:
- na
- Page Range / eLocation ID:
- na
- Subject(s) / Keyword(s):
- science/engineering education
- Format(s):
- Medium: X Size: na Other: na
- Size(s):
- na
- Location:
- Atlanta, GA
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
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