Showing papers in "Journal of Engineering Education in 2008"

Advancing Engineering Education in P-12 Classrooms

Abstract: Engineering as a profession faces the challenge of making the use of technology ubiquitous and transparent in society while at the same time raising young learners' interest and understanding of how technology works. Educational efforts in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (i.e., STEM disciplines) continue to grow in pre-kindergarten through 12th grade (P-12) as part of addressing this challenge. This article explores how engineering education can support acquisition of a wide range of knowledge and skills associated with comprehending and using STEM knowledge to accomplish real world problem solving through design, troubleshooting, and analysis activities. We present several promising instructional models for teaching engineering in P-12 classrooms as examples of how engineering can be integrated into the curriculum. While the introduction of engineering education into P-12 classrooms presents a number of opportunities for STEM learning, it also raises issues regarding teacher knowledge and professional development, and institutional challenges such as curricular standards and high-stakes assessments. These issues are considered briefly with respect to providing direction for future research and development on engineering in P-12.

Persistence, Engagement, and Migration in Engineering Programs

Abstract: Records from the Multiple-Institution Database for Investigating Engineering Longitudinal Development indicate that engineering students are typical of students in other majors with respect to: persistence in major; persistence by gender and ethnicity; racial/ethnic distribution; and grade distribution. Data from the National Survey of Student Engagement show that this similarity extends to engagement outcomes including course challenge, faculty interaction, satisfaction with institution, and overall satisfaction. Engineering differs from other majors most notably by a dearth of female students and a low rate of migration into the major. Noting the similarity of students of engineering and other majors with respect to persistence and engagement, we propose that engagement is a precursor to persistence. We explore this hypothesis using data from the Academic Pathways Study of the Center for the Advancement of Engineering Education. Further exploration reveals that although persistence and engagement do not vary as much as expected by discipline, there is significant institutional variation, and we assert a need to address persistence and engagement at the institutional level and throughout higher education. Finally, our findings highlight the potential of making the study of engineering more attractive to qualified students. Our findings suggest that a two-pronged approach holds the greatest potential for increasing the number of students graduating with engineering degrees: identify programming that retains the students who come to college committed to an engineering major, and develop programming and policies that allow other students to migrate in. There is already considerable discourse on persistence, so our findings suggest that more research focus is needed on the pathways into engineering, including pathways from other majors.

Becoming an Engineer: Toward a Three Dimensional View of Engineering Learning

Abstract: In this paper we develop an analytical framework we refer to as “Becoming an Engineer” that focuses upon changes occurring over time as students traverse their undergraduate educations in engineering. This analytical framework involves three related dimensions that we track over time: disciplinary knowledge, identification, and navigation. Our analysis illustrates how these three dimensions enable us to understand how students become, or do not become, engineers by examining how these three interrelated dimensions unfold over time. This study is based on longitudinal ethnographic data from which we have developed “person-centered ethnographies” focused on individual students' pathways through engineering. We present comparative analysis, spanning four schools and four years. We also present person-centered ethnographic case studies that illustrate how our conceptual dimensions interrelate. Our discussion draws some educational implications from our analysis and proposes further lines of research.

Middle-School Science Through Design-Based Learning versus Scripted Inquiry: Better Overall Science Concept Learning and Equity Gap Reduction

Abstract: This paper contrasts performances overall and by gender, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status (SES) for middle school students learning science through traditional scripted inquiry versus a design-based, systems approach. Students designed and built electrical alarm systems to learn electricity concepts over a four-week period using authentic engineering design methods. The contrast study took place in the eighth grade of an urban, public school district, with the systems approach implemented in 26 science classes (10 teachers and 587 students) and the scripted inquiry approach implemented in inquiry groups of 20 science classes (five teachers and 466 students). The results suggest that a systems design approach for teaching science concepts has superior performance in terms of knowledge gain achievements in core science concepts, engagement, and retention when compared to a scripted inquiry approach. The systems design approach was most helpful to low-achieving African American students.

Learning Conceptual Knowledge in the Engineering Sciences: Overview and Future Research Directions

Abstract: Learning conceptual knowledge in engineering science is a critical element in the development of competence and expertise in engineering To date, however, research on conceptual learning in engineering science has been limited Therefore, this article draws heavily on fundamental research by cognitive psychologists and applied research by science educators to provide a background on fundamental issues in the field and methods for assessing conceptual knowledge Some of the most common conceptual difficulties from three domains: mechanics, thermal science and direct current electricity, are discussed to provide concrete examples of what students find difficult to learn The article concludes with a discussion of possible sources of these difficulties, implications for instruction, and suggestions for future research

Faculty as a Critical Juncture in Student Retention and Performance in Engineering Programs

Abstract: Large numbers of students depart from engineering programs before graduation. For example, in fields such as engineering and computer science, students have commented on the inaccessible or unapproachable nature of faculty. To evaluate this problem, this study gathered data across four research universities. Using structural equation modeling, it measured environmental effects, i.e., academic integration or faculty distance on (a) self-efficacy, (b) academic confidence and (c) self-regulated learning behaviors effort, critical thinking, help-seeking and peer learning, and (d) GPA. Results showed that faculty distance lowered self-efficacy, academic confidence and GPA. Conversely, academic integration had a positive effect on self-efficacy, which in turn had strong positive effects on effort and critical thinking. Consequently, ongoing educational reform efforts must encourage engineering faculty to understand the significance of their student/professor relationships and seriously undertake measures to become personally available to students.

Ethics Teaching in Undergraduate Engineering Education

Abstract: This paper asks how undergraduate engineering education supports students' ethical development, broadly defined, in a diverse sample of U.S. engineering schools and offers an analysis of the strengths and weaknesses of those efforts. The paper draws on observational case studies that were based on site visits to undergraduate mechanical and electrical engineering programs at seven universities or engineering schools in the U.S. It begins by proposing professional codes of ethics in engineering as a useful framework for thinking about the goals for student learning in the area of ethics and professional responsibility. The paper then discusses how and to what degree these goals are being addressed in the case study schools, with additional context provided through reference to published research in the field. The paper concludes with recommendations for strengthening the teaching of engineering ethics and professional responsibility.

Characteristics of Successful Cross‐disciplinary Engineering Education Collaborations

Abstract: This article employs theory to demonstrate the characteristics of successful cross-disciplinary engineering education collaborations. Specifically, we analyzed data from interviews with 24 recent Journal of Engineering Education authors from engineer-nonengineer teams. Theoretical frameworks from education and psychology are used to ground the results and contribute to broader research on collaboration across technology and social science disciplines. The data suggest that the way an individual understands and appreciates the nature of knowledge affects the way he or she collaborates with colleagues in different academic disciplines, especially when the disciplines are fundamentally different. Although the literature criticizes engineers for not understanding or respecting other viewpoints, we found that nine engineers and eight nonengineers articulated awareness of their collaborators' perspectives, worked to integrate these into the research, and noted increased satisfaction and quality of work as a result. Recommendations for fostering this type of interdisciplinary integration in engineering education are offered along with suggestions for future research.

Characterizing Design Learning: A Mixed‐Methods Study of Engineering Designers' Use of Language

Abstract: Using multiple quantitative and qualitative methods to examine engineering design learning, we found that students taking a course in engineering design and/or studying engineering for four years acquired engineering design language that is common to a larger community of practice as well as common to their own programs and institutions of higher learning. The study also suggests that engineering design language shapes the knowledge that students have about engineering design. Finally, students did not always put their design knowledge into practice, suggesting the need for educational improvements and research to bridge this gap.

Competencies Beyond Countries: The Re‐Organization of Engineering Education in the United States, Europe, and Latin America

Abstract: For over two centuries, the competencies that engineers have been expected to gain from engineering education have been associated with countries. Increased mobility in the workplace is generating pressure to expand competencies beyond countries. A key indicator of changing expectations is found in efforts by engineering education organizations to extend themselves beyond countries. This article compares the transformation of engineering education organizations in the United States with those in Europe and Latin America. In the U.S., organizations are attempting to expand directly from the country to the globe, relying upon prior acceptance of a redefinition of required competencies. In Europe, the redefinition of engineering competencies is taking longer to develop as participating organizations have worked first to define a new regional identity in terms of continental mobility and economic competitiveness. Finally, in Latin America, the redefinition of competencies awaits a resolution of a competition between alternative models of the region. This study of the expected competencies of engineers contributes to the research area of engineering epistemologies. Overall, the contemporary re-definition of competencies in engineering education is not a universal phenomenon but depends upon success in defining identities that extend beyond the country.

Providing a Voice: Qualitative Investigation of the Impact of a First-Year Engineering Experience on Students' Efficacy Beliefs

Abstract: This qualitative study explored the engineering self-efficacy beliefs held by students enrolled in their first engineering course at Purdue University. Findings from the thematic analysis of one-on-one interviews with 12 students enrolled in the course are presented. Results demonstrate the susceptibility of first-year engineering students’ self-efficacy beliefs to the influence of performance comparisons based on the speed with which students were able to perform various tasks, the degree of contribution they were able to achieve when working with others, how much material they had mastered, and their grades. Gender differences were also identified in the way in which men and women were influenced by these experiences. Descriptions of how students made performance comparisons, including the logical progression from a specific experience through the modification of confidence in success, are offered.

Looking Beyond Content: Skill Development for Engineers

Abstract: Current concerns over reforming engineering education have focused attention on helping students develop skills and an adaptive expertise. Phenomenological guidelines for instruction along these lines can be understood as arising out of an emerging theory of thinking and learning built on results in the neural, cognitive, and behavioral sciences. We outline this framework and consider some of its implications, such as developing a more detailed understanding of the specific skill of using mathematics in modeling physical situations. This approach provides theoretical underpinnings for some best-practice instructional methods designed to help students develop this skill and provides guidance for further research in the area.

State of Qualitative Research in Engineering Education: Meta-Analysis of JEE Articles, 2005–2006

Abstract: With recent calls for expanding the scope and rigor of engineering education research, use of qualitative methods to answer research questions that can not be answered through quantitative methods is taking on increasing significance. Well-designed qualitative studies often build on epistemological consistency across theoretical perspectives, research questions, and research methods. We examine recent articles published in the Journal of Engineering Education to determine the overall prevalence of qualitative articles and the extent to which they appear epistemologically and methodologically consistent with the goals of qualitative inquiry. We find that there are very few qualitative articles published, and even fewer which show epistemological consistency across different aspects of the research design. These issues may limit the rich, descriptive information that could be gained from qualitative inquiry, limiting the contributions qualitative studies could make to engineering education. We call on researchers to expand their use of qualitative methods and to design their studies with careful attention to epistemological consistency across the design.

Teaching Communication in Capstone Design: The Role of the Instructor in Situated Learning

Abstract: Calls for engineers to communicate more effectively are ubiquitous, and engineering education literature includes numerous examples of assignments and courses that integrate writing and speaking with technical content. However, little of this literature examines in detail how engineering students develop communication skills and how those learning mechanisms influence classroom practice. To address this gap, this article synthesizes research on communication learning in college from the fields of composition and technical communication and illustrates its relevance to the engineering classroom with a case study of a capstone design course. The principles of situated learning and activity theory, in particular, provide strong evidence that the ways in which course instructors and students interact around communication tasks play a significant role in helping students develop transferable communication skills.

Conceptualizing Engagement: Contributions of Faculty to Student Engagement in Engineering

Abstract: The concept of student engagement, now prominent in the engineering education and higher education communities, has a long intellectual history. Yet only recently has attention focused on the role that faculty play as designers of educational environments to support student engagement. Drawing from examples and data from the Engineering Change study (which evaluated the impact of the new EC2000 accreditation standards on engineering programs and student learning), the Academic Pathways Study of the Center for the Advancement of Engineering Education, and studies underway at the United States Air Force Academy, we explore the role of faculty, as the institutional agents who are most proximal to the student experience, in developing, facilitating, and sustaining high levels of student engagement.

The Relations of Ethnicity to Female Engineering Students' Educational Experiences and College and Career Plans in an Ethnically Diverse Learning Environment

Abstract: This paper describes a mixed-methods study employing a social cognitive theoretical framework that emphasizes the interplay of person factors, environment, and behavior to explore the educational experiences of female students in an ethnically diverse learning environment. Specifically, we investigate the relations of ethnicity to female students' perceptions and experiences related to engineering, as well as their selection of and persistence in undergraduate engineering majors. An ethnically diverse sample of female engineering undergraduates at an urban research university completed an online survey and participated in semi-structured interviews. Results revealed that participants of all ethnicities perceived strong institutional and peer supports in this diverse learning environment. Additionally, differences in participants' perceived barriers for achieving engineering educational and career plans were found based on ethnicity and parental level of education.

Development of a Fast Remedial Course to Improve the Spatial Abilities of Engineering Students

Abstract: This paper presents the results of a pilot study designed to evaluate the feasibility of launching a fast remedial course based on 3D CAD modeling for improving spatial abilities of engineering students. The study was carried out with civil engineering students at the University of La Laguna (Spain) during the 2006–2007 academic year. The main requirements in the design of the course were: short and intensive (12 hours worth of work during 3 weeks), attractive for the students, and use of free 3D CAD modeling software. The chosen software was Google SketchUp. Exercises based on practice with this modeling tool had a measurable and positive impact on students' spatial ability, measured by both MRT and DAT:SR tests. The results are then compared to our previous studies at La Laguna University based on classic pencil and paper exercises, multimedia Web-based applications, and exercises using a sketch-based modeling application.

Getting the Numbers Right: International Engineering Education in the United States, China, and India

Abstract: This article challenges the commonly cited statistics for engineering graduates in the United States, China, and India. Our research shows that the gap between the number of engineers and related technology specialists produced in the United States versus those in India and China is smaller than previously reported, and the United States remains a leading source of high-quality global engineering talent. Furthermore, engineering graduates in China and India face the prospect of substantial unemployment, despite high corporate demand for their services; this raises questions about the quality of recent graduates. The United States, however, also confronts problems in its continued ability to attract and retain top engineering talent from abroad because of visa uncertainties and growing economic opportunities in their countries of origin. We argue that the key issue in engineering education should be the quality of graduates, not just the quantity, since quality factors have the biggest impact on innovation and entrepreneurship.

Factors Associated With Persistence in Science and Engineering Majors: An Exploratory Study Using Classification Trees and Random Forests

Abstract: Many students who start college intending to major in science or engineering do not graduate, or decide to switch to a non-science major. We used the recently developed statistical method of random forests to obtain a new perspective of variables that are associated with persistence to a science or engineering degree. We describe classification trees and random forests and contrast the results from these methods with results from the more commonly used method of logistic regression. Among the variables available in Arizona State University data, high school and freshman year GPAs have highest importance for predicting persistence; other variables such as number of science and engineering courses taken freshman year are important for subgroups of the student population. The method used in this study could be employed in other settings to identify faculty practices, teaching methods, and other factors that are associated with high persistence to a degree.

Is Modeling of Freshman Engineering Success Different from Modeling of Non‐Engineering Success?

Abstract: The engineering community has recognized the need for a higher retention rate in freshman engineering. If we are to increase the freshman retention rate, we need to better understand the characteristics of academic success for engineering students. One approach is to compare academic performance of engineering students to that of non-engineering students. This study explores the differences in predicting academic success (defined as the first year GPA) for freshman engineering students compared to three non-engineering student sectors (Pre-Med, STEM, and nonSTEM disciplines) within a university. Academic success is predicted with pre-college variables from the UCLA/CIRP survey using factor analysis and regression analysis. Except for the factor related to the high school GPA and rank, the predictors for each student sector were discipline specific. Predictors unique to the engineering sector included the factors related to quantitative skills (ACT Math and Science test scores and placement test scores) and confidence in quantitative skills.

2006 Bernard M. Gordon Prize Lecture*: The Learning Factory: Industry‐Partnered Active Learning

Abstract: On February 21, 2006, the National Academy of Engineering recognized the achievements of the Learning Factory with the Bernard M. Gordon Prize for Innovation in Engineering and Technology Education. The co-founders were commended “for creating the Learning Factory, where multidisciplinary student teams develop engineering leadership skills by working with industry to solve real-world problems.” This paper describes the origins, motivation, philosophy, and implementation of the Learning Factory. The specific innovations of the Learning Factory partnership were: active learning facilities, called Learning Factories, that provide experiential reinforcement of engineering science, and a realization of its limitations; strong collaborations with industry through advisory boards, engineers in the classroom, and industry-sponsored capstone design projects; practice-based engineering courses integrating analytical and theoretical knowledge with manufacturing, design, business concepts, and professional skills; and dissemination to other academic institutions (domestic and international), government and industry.

Using Writing Assignments to Improve Self-Assessment and Communication Skills in an Engineering Statics Course

Abstract: This study explores the use of writing as a tool for metacognition in the engineering classroom. We used the “explain-a-problem” type of assignment in the Engineering Statics course for four terms. The objectives associated with the assignments were grouped under student self-assessment, student communication, and administration. Performance on each of four grading criteria for each assignment was tracked throughout the terms. The data indicate that explain-a-problem does help students achieve the self-assessment and communication objectives, although the impact on overall course performance was not as significant as hoped. The assignment evolved to the point that the administrative objectives were also met.

Coefficient Alpha: An Engineer's Interpretation of Test Reliability

Abstract: Reliability is a fundamental concept of test construction. The most common measure of reliability, coefficient alpha, is frequently used without an understanding of its behavior. This article contributes to the understanding of test reliability by demonstrating that questions which lower reliability are inconsistent with the bulk of the test, being prone to test-taking tricks and guessing. These qualitative characteristics, obtained from focus groups, provide possible causes of lower reliability such as poorly written questions (e.g., the correct answer looks different from the incorrect answers), questions where students must guess (e.g., the topic is too advanced), and questions where recalling a definition is crucial. Quantitative findings confirm that questions lower reliability when students who answer correctly have lower overall scores than students who answer incorrectly. This phenomenon is quantified by the “gap” between these students' overall scores, which is shown to be highly correlated with other item metrics. An increasing number of concept inventory tests are being developed to assess student learning in engineering. Scores and student comments from the Statistics Concept Inventory are used to make these judgments.

“What's to keep you from dropping out?” Student Immigration into and within Engineering

Abstract: Nearly one-half of the industrial engineering undergraduate interviewees in an investigation of their degree program indicated they previously had been enrolled in another major. Understanding why these students chose to remain in or enter a science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) major when their previous choice lost its appeal is an important piece of the STEM participation puzzle. Our data indicate effective formal and informal recruiting, contact with dynamic individuals who conveyed commitment to and excitement about the department and program, and a department that welcomed immigrants and promoted a clear, relevant image of its discipline’s identity, influenced student decisions to relocate within STEM rather than attrite. The high proportion of females within the immigrant students is one factor contributing to the department’s attainment of sex parity. Our students’ stories offer lessons to other departments for attracting and retaining students who enter the higher education STEM pipeline.

Educating Generation Net—Can U.S. Engineering Woo and Win the Competition for Talent?

Abstract: U.S. engineering education needs to evolve if the country is to maintain its preeminence in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics fields. This paper, building on both national engineering student data and findings from the Academic Pathways Study, conjectures and reports on analyses of what matters to future generations of engineers. The paper compares the current generation of college students, Generation Net, with previous generations, explores motivations and choices along the engineering pathway (pre-college to the workforce), examines students' knowledge and skills relative to faculty practices, and concludes with three scenarios of engineering education and the workforce, including the consequences of stasis or change.

Development of an Instrument to Measure Perspectives of Engineering Education Among College Students

Abstract: The number of engineering students has been declining for decades and attracting qualified students has become an urgent task for engineering schools in The United States. Perspectives students hold towards engineering play an important role in their college major selection. An effective standardized instrument measuring general perspectives about engineering among college students is designed in this project and survey development, instrument administration, and factor analysis are presented. The statistical analysis reveals that college students in general agree that engineering is beneficial to the society; however, they tend to believe that it takes too much effort to gain an engineering degree and that engineering is a demanding career. Further, they are neutral about the personal benefits of pursuing a degree in engineering, and finally, they do not feel that studying engineering or making engineering as their profession is particularly interesting. These findings provide a good explanation to the declining enrollment and increasing dropout rates in engineering schools in the United States.

A new paradigm for a new field: Communicating representations of engineering education research

Abstract: Based on a three-year experience of developing, facilitating, and assessing NSF-funded workshops on Rigorous Research in Engineering Education (RREE), the authors present four representations of engineering education scholarly work in the United States, specifically teaching and research. Many of the representations describe the relationships between engineering research, education research, teaching, and assessment. For each of the representations, assessment data are presented to evaluate which aspects resonated with workshop participants and which needed to be changed for wide acceptance by a U.S. engineering education audience. It was found that participants preferred continua to dichotomy and were more receptive to models that were introduced inductively through active learning exercises. Lessons learned, implications for the field, and future plans for further development of the paradigm are also included.