Characterization of Stress, Sense of Belonging, and Engineering Identity in First-Year Engineering Students

Wee Sing Yeo; Muhammad Asghar; Sheryl A. Sorby

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Conference: 2024 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition
Location: Portland, Oregon
Publication Date: June 23, 2024
Start Date: June 23, 2024
End Date: July 12, 2024
Conference Session: First-Year Programs Division Technical Session 5: Identity & Belonging
Tagged Division: First-Year Programs Division (FYP)
Tagged Topic: Diversity
Permanent URL: https://peer.asee.org/48452

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Paper Authors

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Wee Sing Yeo University of Cincinnati

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WS Yeo is a Chartered Engineer registered with the UK's Institution of Mechanical Engineers. They have a proven track record of experience and have been actively involved in promoting Outcome-Based Engineering (OBE) education in higher institutions from 2006 to 2022. WS Yeo holds a Ph.D. in Nanocomposite and a Master’s in Materials Engineering, solidifying their expertise in the field.

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Muhammad Asghar Utah State University orcid.org/0000-0002-2811-9172

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Muhammad Asghar is a Postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Engineering and Computing Education at the University of Cincinnati (UC). Before coming to UC, he earned a Ph.D. in engineering education, a master's degree in clinical psychology, a master's degree in educational psychology, and a bachelor's degree in computer information systems engineering. Muhammad’s research interests currently focus on students' mental health and wellbeing in engineering education and their behavioral and cognitive problem-solving capabilities. He is actively involved in research related to the integration of positive psychological tools and methods in engineering education practice and research.

Muhammad is also interested in the development and use of new technological and non-technological methods to enhance the learning processes of undergraduate engineering students. He is currently leading a second research project related to use of mobile learning technologies in undergraduate engineering education. This research explores available empirical evidence about the role mobile learning technologies may play in improving student accessibility to knowledge, academic engagement and motivation, and self-regulation.

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Sheryl A. Sorby University of Cincinnati

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Dr. Sheryl Sorby is currently a Professor of STEM Education at the University of Cincinnati and was recently a Fulbright Scholar at the Dublin Institute of Technology in Dublin, Ireland. She is a professor emerita of Mechanical Engineering-Engineering Mec

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Abstract

This is a complete analysis work on establishing the relationship between all three factors namely sense of belonging, mental health and well-being (MHW), and engineering identity in the context of Engineering Stress Culture (ESC) within first-year engineering courses at a large mid-western university for Fall 2023. The analysis on gender focuses on Female and Male, while ethnicity/race focuses on the underrepresented group (African American) and the overrepresented group (White). The results indicate a strong correlation between the engineering major and the engineering classroom across gender and ethnic groups. Specifically, fostering an inclusive and supportive environment within the engineering major is crucial for enhancing the classroom experience, benefiting both Male and African American students. Female and African American students tend to perceive higher levels of stress compared to Males and Whites, respectively, with Female and African Americans exhibiting a greater ability to predict the connection between perceived stress and the sense of belonging within their gender and ethnic contexts. The findings suggest that competence and interest play a more significant role in shaping male students' identity in engineering compared to females. White students exhibit stronger correlations between recognition by others and interest, as well as competence and interest, indicating a more pronounced influence on their engineering identity compared to African American students. Furthermore, while interest appears to have a greater influence on engineering identity across Female, Male, and White groups, this trend differs for African Americans, suggesting that feeling recognized by others significantly shapes their perceptions of identity in engineering. Lastly, perceived stress is less strongly associated with individuals' interest in engineering than with their perceived competence or recognition by others, implying a lower risk of stress even when interest is not strong. Further research is needed to determine causality and identify any underlying factors influencing this relationship. This work may further examine the evolution of these factors as first-year students advance through subsequent semesters. This exploration contributes depth to our understanding of the dynamic relationship among sense of belonging, engineering identity, the ESC, and students' mental health and well-being over time.

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Format

Yeo, W. S., & Asghar, M., & Sorby, S. A. (2024, June), Characterization of Stress, Sense of Belonging, and Engineering Identity in First-Year Engineering Students Paper presented at 2024 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, Portland, Oregon. https://peer.asee.org/48452

TY  - CPAPER
AB  - This is a complete analysis work on establishing the relationship between all three factors namely sense of belonging, mental health and well-being (MHW), and engineering identity in the context of Engineering Stress Culture (ESC) within first-year engineering courses at a large mid-western university for Fall 2023. The analysis on gender focuses on Female and Male, while ethnicity/race focuses on the underrepresented group (African American) and the overrepresented group (White). The results indicate a strong correlation between the engineering major and the engineering classroom across gender and ethnic groups. Specifically, fostering an inclusive and supportive environment within the engineering major is crucial for enhancing the classroom experience, benefiting both Male and African American students. Female and African American students tend to perceive higher levels of stress compared to Males and Whites, respectively, with Female and African Americans exhibiting a greater ability to predict the connection between perceived stress and the sense of belonging within their gender and ethnic contexts. The findings suggest that competence and interest play a more significant role in shaping male students&#39; identity in engineering compared to females. White students exhibit stronger correlations between recognition by others and interest, as well as competence and interest, indicating a more pronounced influence on their engineering identity compared to African American students. Furthermore, while interest appears to have a greater influence on engineering identity across Female, Male, and White groups, this trend differs for African Americans, suggesting that feeling recognized by others significantly shapes their perceptions of identity in engineering. Lastly, perceived stress is less strongly associated with individuals&#39; interest in engineering than with their perceived competence or recognition by others, implying a lower risk of stress even when interest is not strong. Further research is needed to determine causality and identify any underlying factors influencing this relationship. This work may further examine the evolution of these factors as first-year students advance through subsequent semesters. This exploration contributes depth to our understanding of the dynamic relationship among sense of belonging, engineering identity, the ESC, and students&#39; mental health and well-being over time.
AU  - Wee Sing Yeo
AU  - Muhammad Asghar
AU  - Sheryl A. Sorby
CY  - Portland, Oregon
DA  - 2024/06/23
PB  - ASEE Conferences
TI  - Characterization of Stress, Sense of Belonging, and Engineering Identity in First-Year Engineering Students
UR  - https://peer.asee.org/48452
ER  -