Conference Session

Measurement Tools

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Adam Carberry, Tufts University; Matthew Ohland, Purdue University; Hee-Sun Lee, Tufts University

Tagged Divisions

Educational Research and Methods

and development of science curriculum, technology, and assessment that can help middle and high school students develop an integrated understanding across topics and disciplines over time. Page 14.450.1© American Society for Engineering Education, 2009 Developing an Instrument to Measure Engineering Design Self-Efficacy: A Pilot StudyKeywords: self-efficacy, engineering designAbstractThe following pilot study is an investigation of how to develop an instrument thatmeasures students’ self-efficacy regarding engineering design. 36 items weredeveloped and tested using three types of validity evidence

Conference Session

Student Attitudes and Perceptions

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Barbara Masi, MIT

Tagged Divisions

Educational Research and Methods

afundamentals-focused math and science freshman curriculum. A second goal was todevelop students’ self-efficacy in a range of abilities associated with engineeringincluding design, problem solving, innovation, communication, teamwork, application offundamental engineering and math concepts, teamwork, and being able to consider socialimpacts in technology in design. A third goal was to examine impact of different types ofsubjects by gender. The final goal was to discern if any gains in self-efficacy weresustained over time.An engineering self efficacy survey tool was developed for this study, with an expandedset of engineering self efficacy measures, that permit a more nuanced portrait of theimpact of different types of engineering curricular

Conference Session

Educational Research

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Kenneth Reid, Ohio Northern University; P.K. Imbrie, Purdue University

Tagged Divisions

Educational Research and Methods

subfactors identified through factor analysis14; each subfactor isin turn comprised of individual items. The constructs include:- Motivation, consisting of 25 items in four subfactors: Control, Challenge, Curiosity and Career.- Metacognition: consisting of 20 items in four subfactors: Planning, Self-monitoring/Self- Checking, Cognitive Strategy and Awareness.- Deep Learning, consisting of 10 items in two subfactors, Motive and Strategy.- Surface Learning, consisting of 10 items in two subfactors, Memorization and Studying.- Academic Self-Efficacy, consisting of ten individual items that do not form specific subfactors.- Leadership, consisting of 20 items with four subfactors, Motivation, Planning, Self- Assessment and

Conference Session

ERM Potpourri

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Michele Miller, Michigan Technological University; Leonard Bohmann, Michigan Technological University; William Helton, Michigan Technological University; Anna Pereira, Michigan Technological University

Tagged Divisions

Educational Research and Methods

, practical abilityand intuition about physical phenomenon remain important. In fact, the NAE cites “practicalingenuity” as one of the key attributes of the engineer of 20201. Because students today are lesslikely to have grown up in rural communities than their predecessors, they have probably hadfewer opportunities to tinker. Instead of fixing the family tractor or the hay bailer, theengineering students of today and tomorrow will have lived a cocooned virtual life of videogames and online chat forums. While facility with computers is advantageous, our curricula donot provide adequate opportunities for many students to overcome this tinkering deficit. Moreimportantly, there is some evidence that low self-efficacy with respect to tinkering may even

Conference Session

Engineering Design: Implementation and Evaluation

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

John Layer, University of Evansville; Chris Gwaltney, University of Evansville

Tagged Divisions

Educational Research and Methods

internationalcapstone design experience.Service learning appears as a manifest variable measuring Humanitarian Attributes. Despite thefact that there has been evidence provided that our society is turning from a value system basedon self-sacrifice and duty, to more of a value system based on self-attention11 and self-servingbehaviors, service learning remains an important factor in facilitating student engagement anddeveloping student motivation12. This experiential service learning component enhances studentlearning while facilitating the development of self-efficacy. Service learning opportunitiesprovide immediate feedback concerning the student’s contribution in addressing a particularsocietal need, thereby greatly bolstering the student’s self-view of

Conference Session

Knowing Our Students, Faculty, and Profession

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Marisa Orr, Clemson University; Zahra Hazari, Clemson University; Philip Sadler, Science Education Department, Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics; Gerhard Sonnert, Science Education Department, Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics

Tagged Divisions

Educational Research and Methods

Bandura’s theory to explain the development of career interests, choices, andperformance. According to their Social Cognitive Career Choice Model, shown in Figure 1,person inputs, such as gender, affect outcome expectations through learning experiences.Outcome expectations in turn have both direct and indirect effects on choice goals. In this Page 14.306.2context, a choice goal is the occupation that a person chooses to pursue, which leads to choiceactions, such as enrolling in an appropriate program for the chosen profession. Self-efficacy alsoplays a large role in the development of outcome expectations, interests, choice goals, choiceactions, and

Conference Session

New Learning Paradigms II

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Julie Trenor, Clemson University; Shirley Yu, University of Houston; Denise Grant, Clemson University; Hibah Salem, Univesity of Houston

Tagged Divisions

Educational Research and Methods

teachers’: 1) knowledge about and perceptions of the field of engineering andthe work engineers do5,6 and 2) efficacy to teach7 engineering-related topics. Theconceptualization of teacher efficacy is rooted in Bandura’s self-efficacy theory8, whichidentifies four sources of efficacy: mastery experiences, vicarious learning, verbal persuasion,and physiological arousal.The conceptualization and measurement of teacher efficacy, or “individual teachers’ beliefs intheir own abilities to plan, organize, and carry out activities required to attain given educationalgoals”9 has received significant attention over the last 30 years from educational researchers.One reason this has been a popular subject is that there is “compelling evidence”10

Conference Session

ERM Potpourri

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Olga Pierrakos, James Madison University; Julie Trenor, Clemson University

Tagged Divisions

Educational Research and Methods

provided a strong foundation of findings, one limitation was that the studypredominantly focused on science students and not engineering undergraduate researchers.Our own prior work 7 on undergraduate research experiences previously focused on socialcognitive aspects of an NSF funded Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) program,finding that the experience positively impacted participants’ academic and career plans,especially for doctoral level work. We utilized a mixed-methods approach to gain in-depthinformation about the impact of the undergraduate research experience, and particularly the roleof graduate student mentors, on participants’ self efficacy

Conference Session

Using Classroom Technologies

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Christine B. Masters, Pennsylvania State University; Alexander Yin, Pennsylvania State University; Gül Okudan, Pennsylvania State University; Mieke Schuurman, Pennsylvania State University

Tagged Divisions

Educational Research and Methods

(“artifacts”) that demonstrates certain competenciesfrom which the student has selected a subset to demonstrate growth over time. Theportfolio contains a reflection on each artifact as well as an overall reflection on thecontent of the portfolio (see for example reference 6).One of the most importantadvantages of portfolios is their potential to engage students in intentional learning,resulting in an increased ability in life-long learning 7-12. Portfolios are expected to have apositive effect on attitudinal, motivational, affective, and professional outcomes 13. Thesemay include increased self-confidence, increased awareness of professional identity,more positive attitudes toward profession, improved career-decision self-efficacy, andincreased

Conference Session

Engineering Design: Implementation and Evaluation

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Cameron Denson, Utah State University; Nathan Mentzer, Utah State University; Jodi Cullum, Utah State University

Tagged Divisions

Educational Research and Methods

AC 2009-1678: HIGH SCHOOL TEACHERS ENGINEERING DESIGN LESSONPLANNING THROUGH PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENTCameron Denson, Utah State University Cameron Denson is a post doctoral research associate for the National Center for Engineering and Technology Education at Utah State University. He earned a Ph.D. in occupational studies from the University of Georgia. His research interests include diversity initiatives and increasing student self-efficacy in science and math through infusing engineering design into 9-12 technology education. Previously, he was a middle school technology educator in North Carolina, active in the community activism and grassroots initiatives.Nathan Mentzer, Utah State University

Conference Session

Student Attitudes and Perceptions

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Johannes Strobel, Purdue University; Inez Hua, Purdue University; Jun Fang, Purdue University; Constance Harris, Purdue University; Lindsey Tracy, Purdue University

Tagged Divisions

Educational Research and Methods

“threshold concepts” (TC). SCCT maintains that people’s interests in certain careersstem partly from their self-efficacy (beliefs about personal capabilities) and outcomeexpectations (beliefs about the out-comes of engaging in particular courses of action)19, 20, 21. TCargues that there are key concepts, once understood change the way in which students view adiscipline11. This study researches students’ change of attitudes and conceptions especially inregards to outcome expectations (as defined by SCCT), meaning: how well do studentsunderstand that their environmental/ecological impact is extremely high by choosing anengineering career and which concepts seem to be “threshold” concepts?This study will address the following questions

Conference Session

New Learning Paradigms I

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

John Duffy, University of Massachusetts, Lowell; Carol Barry, University Massachusetts Lowell; Linda Barrington, University of Massachusetts, Lowell; Manuel Heredia, University of Massachusetts, Lowell

Tagged Divisions

Educational Research and Methods

, cooperative learning, andrecruitment of under-represented groups in engineering; it also leads to better retention ofstudents, and citizenship (3), as well as helping meet the well-known ABET criteria (a)-(k) (4).Astin et al. (5) found with longitudinal data of 22,000 students that S-L had significant positive Page 14.1055.2effects on 11 outcome measures: academic performance (GPA, writing skills, critical thinkingskills), values (commitment to activism and to promoting racial understanding), self-efficacy,leadership (leadership activities, self-rated leadership ability, interpersonal skills), choice of aservice career, and plans to participate in