Asee peer logo

Professional Identity Formation in an ET Capstone Course

Download Paper |

Conference

2025 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Location

Montreal, Quebec, Canada

Publication Date

June 22, 2025

Start Date

June 22, 2025

End Date

August 15, 2025

Conference Session

Engineering Technology Division (ETD) Technical Session 6

Tagged Division

Engineering Technology Division (ETD)

Page Count

9

Permanent URL

https://peer.asee.org/57074

Paper Authors

biography

Jeritt Williams Illinois State University Orcid 16x16 orcid.org/0000-0001-5117-8915

visit author page

Jeritt Williams is an assistant professor of Engineering Technology at Illinois State University, where he teaches applied industrial automation and robotics.

visit author page

Download Paper |

Abstract

Despite a growing trend in identity-related research in STEM and engineering education, there has been little focus on engineering technology. This study examined professional identity formation in an undergraduate engineering technology (ET) capstone course. The Professional Identity Status Questionnaire - 5 Dimensions (PISQ-5d) [1] instrument was adapted for ET students in a 4-year program and administered to all students in the capstone course at the beginning and end of the term. Then it was analyzed as a diagnostic tool to inform practice. Students provided self-reported ratings to indicators measuring five dimensions of professional identity formation: Affirmation, In-depth exploration, Practices, Identification with commitment, and Reconsideration of commitment. Based on these results, cluster analysis determined a professional identity status by grouping students into Achievement, Foreclosure, Moratorium, and Diffusion statuses. Comparisons were made between the pre- and post-course surveys and previous data that examined ET students across all levels within an undergraduate ET program at a mid-sized, midwestern institution in the United States. A discussion of the course's organization, the study's methodology, and the results are provided. The paper concludes with recommendations for future research and practice.

Williams, J. (2025, June), Professional Identity Formation in an ET Capstone Course Paper presented at 2025 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition , Montreal, Quebec, Canada . https://peer.asee.org/57074

ASEE holds the copyright on this document. It may be read by the public free of charge. Authors may archive their work on personal websites or in institutional repositories with the following citation: © 2025 American Society for Engineering Education. Other scholars may excerpt or quote from these materials with the same citation. When excerpting or quoting from Conference Proceedings, authors should, in addition to noting the ASEE copyright, list all the original authors and their institutions and name the host city of the conference. - Last updated April 1, 2015