2025 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Development of a Diagnostic Tool to Identify Graduate Students' Self-Determined Communication

Presented at GSD 2: Identity and Motivation

Effective communication is essential for the professional development and preparation of graduate engineering students, yet existing instruments do not adequately define and assess how students develop autonomy, competence, and relatedness in academic discourse. Grounded in Self-Determination Theory (SDT), this study presents the Communication & Facilitation of Learning in Oral & Written Scholarship (COMM-FLOWS) diagnostic tool, a novel instrument designed to identify self-determined communication in graduate education. This research addresses two key questions: (1) How do the adaptation steps contribute to the theoretical and practical development of the COMM-FLOWS tool? (2) In what ways do the measures of the COMM-FLOWS tool differ from those of the original Basic Psychological Needs Satisfaction – General (BPNS-G) scale in capturing self-determined communication in graduate education?

Using an adaptation framework informed by Chenel et al. (2018)’s decision-aid methodology, this study modifies the BPNS-G scale to capture the nuances of oral and written communication in an academic setting. The adaptation process involved seven structured steps: (1) identifying a scale for adaptation, (2) appraising the original scale, (3) understanding the context of graduate student communication, (4) adapting and developing items, (5) aligning items with SDT and graduate student experiences, (6) validating content and testing usability, and (7) preparing the tool for deployment. These steps ensured that the COMM-FLOWS tool remained both theoretically grounded and practically relevant for assessing how engineering graduate students navigate advisor-student and peer-peer interactions, scholarly writing, and professional presentations.

This study makes two novel contributions to graduate engineering education. First, it introduces a decision-aid approach to communication assessment by transforming COMM-FLOWS from a static diagnostic instrument into an active component of an interactive framework designed to support advisor-student dialogue and individual self-reflection. Second, it advances self-determination theory in engineering education by extending SDT constructs beyond research motivation to the development of communication necessary for academic and professional success. Pilot testing indicated that participants completed the 76-item tool within 20 minutes, with feedback confirming its engagement, clarity, and relevance.

The findings have significant implications for graduate advising, curriculum design, and professional development programs in engineering education. By embedding COMM-FLOWS into advisor training, communication workshops, and peer mentoring, institutions can foster more autonomous, competent, and connected communicators—ultimately enhancing students’ preparedness for academic and industry careers. Future research should explore the tool’s broader applicability across disciplines and its potential to improve advisor-student communication, research productivity, and graduate student well-being.

Authors

Dr. Denise Rutledge Simmons P.E. http://orcid.org/0000-0002-3401-2048 University of Florida [biography]

Denise R. Simmons, Ph.D., PE, F.ASEE, PMP, LEED-AP is a distinguished figure in civil engineering education and workforce development. With tenure at the University of Florida's Department of Civil and Coastal Engineering, she blends deep academic knowledge with hands-on industry experience. With over three decades of work experience in positions across consulting, professional engineering, and academia, Dr. Simmons has served in diverse roles, from leadership positions in for-profit entities to guiding minority-serving institutions.

As the inaugural Associate Dean for Workforce Development in the Herbert Wertheim College of Engineering, her leadership highlights her unparalleled foresight and industry relevance. She has dedicated over a decade to engineering leadership roles in industry.

Her pioneering research, backed by $9M in federal funding and resulting in over 100 refereed articles, positions her at the nexus of civil engineering education and real-world applications. In 2023, her contributions earned her the grade of Fellow Member in the American Society for Engineering Education.

A fervent advocate for diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in engineering, Dr. Simmons champions a business ethos where inclusivity aligns with profitability and societal impact. Esteemed in academia, Dr. Simmons' advisory role for numerous NSF grants underscores her reputation. Her expertise in deciphering industry challenges and tailoring solutions is unmatched, making her a sought-after consultant for academic institutions and businesses aiming to navigate the evolving engineering landscape.
Miss Ifeoma Mary Nwanua University of Florida [biography]

Mary I. Nwanua is a first-year Ph.D. student and a graduate research assistant in the Department of Civil &
Coastal Engineering at the University of Florida. She is engaged at the Simmons Research Lab in research
that fosters diversity and inclusion of underrepresented populations in academia and the workforce. She is
an international student with an African root committed to increasing the presence of foreign-born talents
in the US STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) industry. Her current research
interest centers on illuminating the lived experiences of Black Ph.D. students in academic institutions to
boost their resilience, sense of belonging, and participation. Through her research, she hopes to create a
diverse and inclusive environment where individuals from Black and other underrepresented populations
can flourish in science and engineering.
Jasmine E. McNealy University of Florida [biography]

Dr. Jasmine McNealy is a a professor at the University of Florida's College of Journalism and Communications where she directs the Infrastructure for Communities, Ecology for Data Hub (ICED Hub). She is also Faculty Associate at the Berkman Klein Center for Internet & Society at Harvard University. An internationally recognized scholar, her research is interdisciplinary, centered at the intersection of media, technology, policy, and law. Of particular focus are the areas of privacy, surveillance, and data governance and emphasizing technological and the impacts on marginalized and vulnerable communities.
Idalis Villanueva Alarcón http://orcid.org/https://0000-0002-8767-2576 University of Florida [biography]

Dr. Idalis Villanueva Alarcón is Chair and tenured Associate Professor in the Department of Engineering Education in the Herbert Wertheim College of Engineering. A PECASE awardee, she has led multiple pioneering efforts in engineering education including multimodal methods in engineering education using sensor technologies and biophysiological tools, hidden curriculum, mentoring, active learning, professional identity, among others. She is a renowned national and international leader in engineering education earning her multiple accolades and honors through professional organizations such as the National Academy of Engineering, IEEE, and ASEE. She integrates her multiple experiences as a Chemical Engineering, Biological Engineer, Analytical Cell Biologist, and Engineering Education Researcher to tackle complex engineering education problems across the learner life span.

Note

The full paper will be available to logged in and registered conference attendees once the conference starts on June 22, 2025, and to all visitors after the conference ends on June 25, 2025

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