2023 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Board 240: Computational Thinking in the Formation of Engineers: Year 3

Presented at NSF Grantees Poster Session

This project has been dedicated to advance the way computational thinking is taught to engineering undergraduate students with a multitude of social identities. It is an expectation that with the understanding of the multiple factors that affect computational thinking skills development, students succeed in enculturating to the engineering professional practice.
During the third year of this project, the first major result is the conclusion of the validation process of the Engineering Computational Thinking Diagnostic (ECTD) making use of exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses (EFA-CFA). Our validation showed that the ECTD questions cluster in one factor, what we call the computational thinking factor for engineers. Other validation statistical processes (i.e. correlations, regressions, ANOVA and t-tests) proved the predictability potential use of this tool in determining how well prepared students arrive to the engineering classroom and how their prior coding experience can determine their success in introductory coding engineering courses.
The second major result is the revelation that the inequities caused by the many forms of privilege that some engineering students benefit from are being exacerbated by the integration of computational thinking into introductory engineering classes. Due to pandemic-related challenges in recruiting a representative sample of participants, the majority of the self-selected participants in our research identify with groups with disproportionately large participation in engineering (specifically White and Asian) and are academically successful in engineering. To respond to this challenge we are seeking to broaden our perspective by seeking participants with failing grades for a final round of data collection, although we are well aware that students in this group are often reluctant to participate in research.
The fourth and last major result is related to the position of stress versus Artificial Intelligence (AI) perceptions, both part of the ECTD instrument. The position of stress questions involved perceived difficulty and confidence level after taking the ECTD. The artificial intelligence question asked the perceived impact of AI in students’ future career prospects. Preliminary analysis is suggesting that confidence level is correlated with AI positive perceptions. Although not part of the original NSF grant, we considered AI the natural evolution of computational thinking in the formation of engineers and plan to continue our work in this direction.

Authors

Dr. Noemi V Mendoza Diaz http://orcid.org/0000-0003-1215-1554 Texas A&M University [biography]

Dr. Mendoza is a faculty member of Technology Management in the College of Education-Engineering at Texas A&M University. She has worked as electrical engineering professor in Mexico. She recently obtained funds from NSF to investigate enculturation to engineering and computational thinking in engineering students. She is the co-advisor of the Society for Hispanic Professional Engineers and advisor of Latinos in Engineering and Science at TAMU and is interested in computing engineering education and Latinx engineering studies.
Dr. Russ Meier http://orcid.org/0000-0002-9380-9049 Milwaukee School of Engineering [biography]

Dr. Russ Meier teaches computer architecture at Milwaukee School of Engineering. He is also the Computer Engineering Program Director. His funded research explores how first year students develop computational thinking. He received the Iowa State University Teaching Excellence Award, the Iowa State University Warren B. Boast Award for Undergraduate Teaching Excellence, and the MSOE Oscar Werwath Distinguished Teacher Award.

He belongs to IEEE and its HKN, Computer and Education Societies, as well as the American Society for Engineering Education and its Electrical and Computer Engineering, Educational Research and Methods, and First Year Programs divisions. In these groups, he helps deliver engineering education conferences, webinars, and certificate programs. He leads teams accrediting engineering degrees as an Engineering Area Commissioner in ABET.

IEEE elevated him to Fellow for contributions to global online engineering education. And, the International Society for Engineering Education bestowed International Engineering Educator Honoris Causa for outstanding contributions in engineering education.
Dr. Deborah Anne Trytten The University of Oklahoma [biography]

Dr. Deborah A. Trytten is a Professor of Computer Science and Womens' and Gender Studies at the University of Oklahoma. Her main research focus is diversity in engineering education and introductory software engineering education.
Dr. Janie M Moore http://orcid.org/0000-0002-3138-9632 Texas A&M University [biography]

Dr. Janie McClurkin Moore is an Assistant Professor in the Biological and Agricultural Engineering Department at Texas A&M University in College Station. A native of Columbus, Ohio, she attended North Carolina A&T State University where she received a B.S. in Bio Environmental Engineering in 2006. She then began pursuing her graduate education at Purdue University in the Agricultural and Biological Engineering Department, completing her Ph.D. in 2015. Her primary research areas include 1) mycotoxin risk assessment and treatment in stored grains and 2) innovate instructional strategies for Biological and Agricultural Engineering students. She is also a Member of the Engineering Education Faculty, Institute for Engineering Education and Innovation, Food Science Graduate Faculty, and Multidisciplinary Engineering Graduate Faculty groups at Texas A&M University.
Dr. So Yoon Yoon http://orcid.org/0000-0003-1868-1054 University of Cincinnati [biography]

Dr. So Yoon Yoon is an assistant professor in the Department of Engineering and Computing Education in the College of Engineering and Applied Science at the University of Cincinnati, OH, USA. Dr. Yoon received her Ph.D. in Gifted Education, and an M.S.Ed. in Research Methods and Measurement with a specialization in Educational Psychology, both from Purdue University, IN, USA. She also holds an M.S. in Astronomy and Astrophysics and a B.S. in Astronomy and Meteorology from Kyungpook National University, South Korea. Her work centers on elementary, secondary, and postsecondary engineering education research as a psychometrician, data analyst, and program evaluator with research interests in spatial ability, STEAM education, workplace climate, and research synthesis with a particular focus on meta-analysis. She has developed, validated, revised, and copyrighted several instruments beneficial for STEM education research and practice. Dr. Yoon has authored more than 80 peer-reviewed journal articles and conference proceedings and served as a journal reviewer in engineering education, STEM education, and educational psychology. She has also served as a PI, co-PI, advisory board member, or external evaluator on several NSF-funded projects.
Dr. Harry A. Hogan Texas A&M University [biography]

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