2024 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

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.