NDLI: Students' perceptions of the engineering profession and implications for interest in the field

Content Provider	IEEE Xplore Digital Library
Author	Towers, E. Simonovich, J.A. Zastavker, Y.V.
Copyright Year	2011
Description	Author affiliation: Franklin W. Olin College of Engineering (Towers, E.; Simonovich, J.A.; Zastavker, Y.V.)
Abstract	Understanding personal learning goals and perceptions of engineering is critical in encouraging students' interest in the field. This work defines engineering in terms of the students' course-related learning outcomes (e.g., skills and knowledge) described in the latest version of the Accreditation Board of Engineering and Technology (ABET) Engineering Criteria 2000 (EC2000). We argue that aligning students' perceptions of course task value with the EC2000 should enhance students' perceptions of the engineering profession and increase their interest in the field overall. Using student interviews from a larger study of instructor and student experiences in three undergraduate engineering programs, this study is guided by the following questions: 1) What are students' perceptions of the skills required by the engineering profession? 2) How do these perceptions compare to the skill set defined by ABET EC2000? 3) How do these perceptions affect students' assessment of course value and interest in the relevant coursework? Two required introductory engineering courses, Physics Laboratory and Engineering Design, are investigated. The ensuing theoretical framework is placed in the broader context of Eccles and Wigfield's expectancy-value model, specifically focusing on utility value. Our findings indicate that students' perceptions of the skills and knowledge required in professional engineering diverge from those defined by ABET. This disparity is negatively correlated to the students' assessment of the required coursework utility value. The absence of perceived utility then contributes to the students' lack of interest in their courses.
File Size	507164
File Format	PDF
ISBN	9781612844688
ISSN	01905848
e-ISBN	9781612844695
e-ISBN	9781612844671
DOI	10.1109/FIE.2011.6142960
Language	English
Publisher	Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc. (IEEE)
Publisher Date	2011-10-12
Publisher Place	USA
Access Restriction	Subscribed
Rights Holder	Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc. (IEEE)
Subject Keyword	Physics Engineering profession Mathematics Writing Laboratories Interviews Knowledge engineering Student Motivation Expectancy Value Theory First-Year Program Student Perceptions
Content Type	Text
Resource Type	Article
Subject	Education Computer Science Applications Software

Sl.	Authority	Responsibilities	Communication Details
1	Ministry of Education (GoI), Department of Higher Education	Sanctioning Authority	https://www.education.gov.in/ict-initiatives
2	Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur	Host Institute of the Project: The host institute of the project is responsible for providing infrastructure support and hosting the project	https://www.iitkgp.ac.in
3	National Digital Library of India Office, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur	The administrative and infrastructural headquarters of the project	Dr. B. Sutradhar bsutra@ndl.gov.in
4	Project PI / Joint PI	Principal Investigator and Joint Principal Investigators of the project	Dr. B. Sutradhar bsutra@ndl.gov.in Prof. Saswat Chakrabarti will be added soon
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