High School Students' Perspectives on Pre-college Engineering Education Courses (Fundamental)

Jialing Wu; Medha Dalal

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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: June 26, 2024
Conference Session: Lisa's Legacy: Guiding Students Toward Engineering Careers, Excellent!
Tagged Division: Pre-College Engineering Education Division (PCEE)
Tagged Topic: Diversity
Page Count: 11
DOI: 10.18260/1-2--47527
Permanent URL: https://peer.asee.org/47527
Download Count: 104

Paper Authors

biography

Jialing Wu Vanderbilt University

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Jialing Wu is an incoming first-year PhD student in Engineering Education at the Ohio State University. She earned her M.Ed. in International Education Policy and Management at Vanderbilt University, Peabody College, and also holds a bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from China. Her research interests encompass international engineering education, pre-college engineering, as well as the application of quantitative methods and advanced technology in Engineering Education Research (EER).

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Medha Dalal Arizona State University orcid.org/0000-0001-5705-1800

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Medha Dalal’s career as an engineering education researcher focuses on addressing complex engineering education challenges by building capacity for stakeholders at the grassroots, while also informing policy. She is an assistant research professor and associate director of scholarly initiatives at the learning and teaching hub in the Fulton Schools of Engineering at Arizona State University. She has a Ph.D. in Engineering Education, a master’s in computer science, and a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering. Her research at the cross-roads of engineering, education, and technology seeks to transform and democratize engineering education by exploring ways of thinking, identifying effective professional development approaches, and uncovering pedagogical techniques to enhance students’ engineering curiosity, engagement, and learning.

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Abstract

Since the introduction of Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) in 2013, pre-college engineering education has been on the rise. However, the impact of pre-college engineering education courses on high school students’ perceptions of future careers remains unclear. Engineering for US All (e4usa) aims to establish an accessible engineering education environment by offering introductory engineering courses to high school students. The core objective is to enhance high school students’ understanding of the engineering design process and the real-world roles of engineers, empowering them to make well-informed career choices. This paper focuses on examining the aspects of the pre-college engineering education curriculum that are appreciated by the students which may influence engineering as their future career choice.

The study is part of a larger research project, where the research team conducted surveys of students participating in the e4usa during the 2022-2023 academic year. The survey was administered in 33 schools across 20 states and regions in the U.S. A qualitative analysis was conducted on the open-ended responses from the pre-test (n= 623) and post-test (n= 296) surveys. We analyzed students’ perspectives on 1) their preferred and least favored aspects of the engineering course and 2) their anticipated professions. We also conducted a quantitative analysis on the connections between student demographic data and their consideration of future engineering careers.

Results discuss five emergent themes impacting students’ engagement in pre-college engineering courses: Projects, Engineering Design Process, Flexibility and Creativity, Assignment and Writing, Timeframe. We also noted a significant increase in students’ interest in engineering in the post-test, especially for female students. Strengthening pre-college engineering education to assist students in pursuing higher education and careers in the field of engineering has become an urgent imperative. This paper will contribute to the growing body of knowledge on how Generation Z perceives engineering and provide insights for the enhancement of future engineering education programs.

Citation
Format

Wu, J., & Dalal, M. (2024, June), High School Students' Perspectives on Pre-college Engineering Education Courses (Fundamental) Paper presented at 2024 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, Portland, Oregon. 10.18260/1-2--47527

TY - CPAPER
AB - Since the introduction of Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) in 2013, pre-college engineering education has been on the rise. However, the impact of pre-college engineering education courses on high school students’ perceptions of future careers remains unclear. Engineering for US All (e4usa) aims to establish an accessible engineering education environment by offering introductory engineering courses to high school students. The core objective is to enhance high school students’ understanding of the engineering design process and the real-world roles of engineers, empowering them to make well-informed career choices. This paper focuses on examining the aspects of the pre-college engineering education curriculum that are appreciated by the students which may influence engineering as their future career choice.

The study is part of a larger research project, where the research team conducted surveys of students participating in the e4usa during the 2022-2023 academic year. The survey was administered in 33 schools across 20 states and regions in the U.S. A qualitative analysis was conducted on the open-ended responses from the pre-test (n= 623) and post-test (n= 296) surveys. We analyzed students’ perspectives on 1) their preferred and least favored aspects of the engineering course and 2) their anticipated professions. We also conducted a quantitative analysis on the connections between student demographic data and their consideration of future engineering careers.

Results discuss five emergent themes impacting students’ engagement in pre-college engineering courses: Projects, Engineering Design Process, Flexibility and Creativity, Assignment and Writing, Timeframe. We also noted a significant increase in students’ interest in engineering in the post-test, especially for female students. Strengthening pre-college engineering education to assist students in pursuing higher education and careers in the field of engineering has become an urgent imperative. This paper will contribute to the growing body of knowledge on how Generation Z perceives engineering and provide insights for the enhancement of future engineering education programs.

AU - Jialing Wu
AU - Medha Dalal
CY - Portland, Oregon
DA - 2024/06/23
PB - ASEE Conferences
TI - High School Students' Perspectives on Pre-college Engineering Education Courses (Fundamental)
UR - https://peer.asee.org/47527
DO - 10.18260/1-2--47527
ER -