2024 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

In the face of evolving engineering challenges, it is increasingly vital to nurture engineers who possess a holistic sociotechnical mindset, one that acknowledges the broader socio-cultural and political contexts in which their work unfolds. Consequently, a critical aspect of this study is to explore how students perceive the sociotechnical facet of engineering and how their educational experiences shape their attitudes and comprehension of the profession. This research paper builds on previous investigations into students’ attitudes towards engineering and their appreciation of the sociotechnical dimensions of the field, introducing a novel investigation into gender disparities, while advancing the research through the application of Structural Equation Modeling (SEM).
To this end, we have developed a questionnaire comprising a substantial array of Likert-type items, thoughtfully adapted from established tools, including the Engineering Attitudes Questionnaire and the Engineering Professional Responsibility Assessment (EPRA). The questionnaire aligns with a framework developed by Fila et al. that applies a humanistic lens to engineering and engineering education, placing people as the centerpiece of engineering work. The framework provides a structure for understanding the sociotechnical views of engineering that includes three dimensions: engineering for, engineering with, and engineering as people. The questionnaire addresses students’ perceptions across all three of these dimensions.
Exploratory Factor Analysis previously determined the core structure of our questionnaire to entail six unique key constructs: (1) Appreciation of the Importance of Non-Technical Skills in Engineering; (2) Sense of Belonging in Engineering; (3) Academic Self-Confidence and Self-Efficacy; (4) Understanding of the Broad Nature of Engineering; (5) Attitudes toward Persisting and Succeeding in Engineering; and (6) Appreciation of the Importance of Technical Skills in Engineering. We have extended this research to incorporate Structural Equation Modeling (SEM), an advanced analytical tool enabling a comprehensive exploration of the intricate interrelationships among these constructs. Preliminary SEM analysis has revealed several interesting relationships. We found that among the overall sample of 314 undergraduate engineering students who responded to the initial round of survey administration, academic self-confidence and self-efficacy is influencing their attitudes toward persisting and succeeding in engineering. We further found that students’ attitudes toward persisting and succeeding in engineering in turn influenced their sense of belonging in engineering. These results are informing the next steps of our research.
Based on psychometric analysis, a revised version of the questionnaire has been distributed to approximately 1500 undergraduate engineering students from a range of disciplines at xx University. In this next phase of research, we will continue to leverage Structural Equation Modeling, which is well-suited for dissecting gender-specific nuances within and among the six constructs. This innovative approach will offer deeper insights into how male and female students' exposure to sociotechnical coursework shapes their overall attitudes and sense of belonging within the realm of engineering. Our endeavor aims to facilitate a more comprehensive analysis, ultimately providing a robust framework for the identification of factors that influence students' attitudes and perceptions within the engineering field.