2025 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

The increasing demand for data-driven decision-making in engineering necessitates that graduates possess strong data proficiency, encompassing abilities to collect, analyze, interpret, and communicate data effectively. While this skillset is widely recognized as essential, research exploring the relationship between data proficiency and engineering identity formation in non-computer science engineering fields remains limited. This qualitative study investigates how different facets of data proficiency contribute to the development of engineering identity in engineering undergraduate students.

Drawing upon our previous work in Aikins et al. (2024) identifying key facets of data proficiency (information literacy, data application, data representation and interpretation), and Godwin (2016) engineering identity framework (interest, competence, and recognition), this study analyzed data from 52 semi-structured interviews with undergraduate engineering students at a research institution in the southeastern United States. An abductive analysis approach was employed to analyze the interview transcripts, allowing for the emergence of dominant themes grounded in both existing theory and the lived experiences of the participants. The research question guiding this study was: How do different aspects of data proficiency influence the formation of engineering identity in undergraduate engineering students?

The study uncovered a strong correlation between students' perceived data proficiency and their sense of belonging and self-efficacy as engineers. The results suggest that as students gain confidence in their data proficiency, it positively reinforces their engineering identity, particularly in the areas of performance/competence beliefs and recognition by others as an engineer. Students who exhibited higher levels of data proficiency expressed greater confidence in their ability to tackle complex engineering challenges, contributing to a stronger engineering identity. Conversely, students who struggled with data analysis often exhibited lower levels of confidence and a weaker sense of belonging within the field.

These results highlight the need for engineering educators to integrate data proficiency into curricula, emphasizing its broader applications across disciplines and providing experiential learning opportunities. Future research should examine the longitudinal impact of data proficiency on engineering identity development, evaluate pedagogical strategies promoting data skills, and investigate its long-term influence on career choices and professional success in diverse engineering fields.

References:
Aikins, G., Berdanier, C. G. P., & Nguyen, K.-D. (2024). How Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering Undergraduate Students Define and Develop Data Proficiency. 2024 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition.
Godwin, A. (2016). The Development of a Measure of Engineering Identity. ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition Proceedings. https://doi.org/10.18260/p.26122