2025 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

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.