2023 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Interpersonal skills are increasingly gaining importance in graduates’ qualifications in engineering programs. The interconnected systems of the workflow of engineering products and projects necessitate certain technical and managerial skill sets. The need for multifaceted professionals is highlighted further by the advancement of tools and methods for remote collaboration on projects. The importance of the subject is even more pronounced when underrepresented groups are involved. However, a review of engineering curricula reveals that most courses are delivered on an individual basis, and teamwork is not practiced sufficiently. The lecture-based layout of most engineering courses creates hurdles for teamwork and student collaboration. Therefore, there is a need for a review of teamwork perceptions by engineering students, especially based on gender and race. This study’s objective was to explore students’ perceptions of the different aspects of teamwork. The first phase of this study was conducted in Fall 2022, in which students in the construction, biomedical, and mechanical engineering departments were recruited to participate in a survey on different aspects of teamwork. A quantitative approach was used to tackle essential facets of teamwork and provide content for in-depth exploration. This paper contains two main result sections. The first one addresses similarities and differences between gender-based students’ perceptions. The second section focuses on the perceptions of students from underrepresented groups and highlights distinctions among groups’ responses. This study contributes to the body of knowledge by providing key aspects of teamwork that can be incorporated into the engineering class layouts. Also, it reports on barriers and shortcomings in team-based practices and activities. The findings of this paper help engineering scholars and educators to design and develop opportunities to inclusively develop teamwork skill sets in engineering students.