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From Engineering Students to Student Engineers: Reflections, Identity, and Positioning in Co-curricular Activities

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Conference

2023 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Location

Baltimore , Maryland

Publication Date

June 25, 2023

Start Date

June 25, 2023

End Date

June 28, 2023

Conference Session

Student Experiences and Development – Session 1

Tagged Division

Educational Research and Methods Division (ERM)

Page Count

21

DOI

10.18260/1-2--43751

Permanent URL

https://peer.asee.org/43751

Download Count

152

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Paper Authors

biography

Zhiyi Liu University at Buffalo

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Zhiyi Liu is a researcher and educator with research interests in learning and instruction. Dr. Liu was a postdoctoral associate in the Department of Engineering Education at the State University of New York at Buffalo.

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biography

Andrew Olewnik University at Buffalo, The State University of New York

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Andrew Olewnik is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Engineering Education at the University at Buffalo. His research includes undergraduate engineering education with focus on engineering design, problem-based learning, co-curricular involvement and its impact on professional formation, and the role of reflection practices in supporting engineering undergraduates as they transition from student to professional.

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Abstract

In this research paper, we aim to examine whether an existing Professional Development Survey (PDS) captures evidence of student engineering identity. To do this, we consider students’ descriptions of their co-curricular experiences through the lens of positioning theory to understand how they construct and develop their engineering and professional identities. The data used for this study was secondary and gathered by a large state research university in 2020. A positioning analysis of undergraduate engineering students’ PDS reflections on co-curricular experiences (i.e., technical work and research) indicates that the students build their engineering identities primarily in the process of positioning themselves as: 1) an engineering intern; 2) a research assistant; and 3) taking up agentic positions related to successfully completing the tasks and future career goals. Storylines show how individual students take up their responsibilities within a particular context in co-curricular activities. The results also reveal that the students develop their professional identity by positioning themselves as potential future engineers while reflecting on career goals. The PDS enables undergraduate engineering students to have opportunities to understand and reflect on their co-curricular experiences and see their reflections as an essential part of their ongoing development as engineers. It also serves as a reflection tool for educators to understand how students construct their engineering identity and develop their professional identity. Keywords Co-curricular activities, Reflection, Positioning, Identity Development

Liu, Z., & Olewnik, A. (2023, June), From Engineering Students to Student Engineers: Reflections, Identity, and Positioning in Co-curricular Activities Paper presented at 2023 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, Baltimore , Maryland. 10.18260/1-2--43751

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