Exploring senior engineering students’ engineering identity: the impact of practice-oriented learning experiences
Abstract Background Engineering identity reflects students' acceptance and recognition of engineering, which has a great influence on their willingness to enter and stay in the engineering field. Existing studies have shown that curricular and co-curricular practice-oriented experiences may be...
| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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SpringerOpen
2023-07-01
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| Series: | International Journal of STEM Education |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s40594-023-00439-2 |
| _version_ | 1797784403585269760 |
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| author | Tongjie Ju Jiabin Zhu |
| author_facet | Tongjie Ju Jiabin Zhu |
| author_sort | Tongjie Ju |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Engineering identity reflects students' acceptance and recognition of engineering, which has a great influence on their willingness to enter and stay in the engineering field. Existing studies have shown that curricular and co-curricular practice-oriented experiences may be helpful for developing students’ engineering identity. However, the actual impact of various practice-oriented learning experiences remained to be further examined. This quantitative study aims to explore the impact of three types of practice-oriented learning experiences (capstone experiences, technological innovation and entrepreneurship competitions, and engineering-related internships) in the development of engineering talents' engineering identity. A theoretical framework of engineering identity, which consists of three dimensions, that is, Interest, Performance/Competence and Recognition, was adopted to guide the research. Results Through responses from 160 senior engineering students at a leading research intensive Chinese university, the study explored the relationships between engagement in practice-oriented learning experiences and engineering identity. Senior capstone design was found to be associated positively with students' development of engineering identity and recognition by others. Participating in two or more technological innovation and entrepreneurship competitions associated positively with students' development of engineering identity, performance/competence and recognition. Meanwhile, internships did not show any statistically significant effect on engineering identity. Moreover, by analyzing the potential mediating effect, we found that recognition played a complete intermediary role between senior capstone design and engineering identity. In addition, recognition and performance/competence mediated the relationship between twice or more technological innovation and entrepreneurship competitions and engineering identity. Conclusions These findings add to our current understanding about the role of different practice-oriented learning activities on students’ development of engineering identity. These findings point to the importance of learning activities, including technological innovation and entrepreneurship competitions and senior capstone design, on the development of engineering identity. Moreover, the results highlighted the important role of students’ engagement in multiple authentic engineering projects throughout the curriculum and their gaining recognitions through these project experiences. Based on these findings, practical suggestions are proposed to help nurture students’ engineering identity. In addition, future qualitative investigations about the underlying mechanisms are recommended to facilitate the understanding of students’ development of engineering identity. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-13T00:39:24Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-1d71a90bbda24a8da5336eb65972be7f |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2196-7822 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-13T00:39:24Z |
| publishDate | 2023-07-01 |
| publisher | SpringerOpen |
| record_format | Article |
| series | International Journal of STEM Education |
| spelling | doaj.art-1d71a90bbda24a8da5336eb65972be7f2023-07-09T11:23:44ZengSpringerOpenInternational Journal of STEM Education2196-78222023-07-0110111410.1186/s40594-023-00439-2Exploring senior engineering students’ engineering identity: the impact of practice-oriented learning experiencesTongjie Ju0Jiabin Zhu1School of Education, Shanghai Jiao Tong UniversitySchool of Education, Shanghai Jiao Tong UniversityAbstract Background Engineering identity reflects students' acceptance and recognition of engineering, which has a great influence on their willingness to enter and stay in the engineering field. Existing studies have shown that curricular and co-curricular practice-oriented experiences may be helpful for developing students’ engineering identity. However, the actual impact of various practice-oriented learning experiences remained to be further examined. This quantitative study aims to explore the impact of three types of practice-oriented learning experiences (capstone experiences, technological innovation and entrepreneurship competitions, and engineering-related internships) in the development of engineering talents' engineering identity. A theoretical framework of engineering identity, which consists of three dimensions, that is, Interest, Performance/Competence and Recognition, was adopted to guide the research. Results Through responses from 160 senior engineering students at a leading research intensive Chinese university, the study explored the relationships between engagement in practice-oriented learning experiences and engineering identity. Senior capstone design was found to be associated positively with students' development of engineering identity and recognition by others. Participating in two or more technological innovation and entrepreneurship competitions associated positively with students' development of engineering identity, performance/competence and recognition. Meanwhile, internships did not show any statistically significant effect on engineering identity. Moreover, by analyzing the potential mediating effect, we found that recognition played a complete intermediary role between senior capstone design and engineering identity. In addition, recognition and performance/competence mediated the relationship between twice or more technological innovation and entrepreneurship competitions and engineering identity. Conclusions These findings add to our current understanding about the role of different practice-oriented learning activities on students’ development of engineering identity. These findings point to the importance of learning activities, including technological innovation and entrepreneurship competitions and senior capstone design, on the development of engineering identity. Moreover, the results highlighted the important role of students’ engagement in multiple authentic engineering projects throughout the curriculum and their gaining recognitions through these project experiences. Based on these findings, practical suggestions are proposed to help nurture students’ engineering identity. In addition, future qualitative investigations about the underlying mechanisms are recommended to facilitate the understanding of students’ development of engineering identity.https://doi.org/10.1186/s40594-023-00439-2Engineering identityCapstone designTechnological innovation and entrepreneurship competitionInternship |
| spellingShingle | Tongjie Ju Jiabin Zhu Exploring senior engineering students’ engineering identity: the impact of practice-oriented learning experiences International Journal of STEM Education Engineering identity Capstone design Technological innovation and entrepreneurship competition Internship |
| title | Exploring senior engineering students’ engineering identity: the impact of practice-oriented learning experiences |
| title_full | Exploring senior engineering students’ engineering identity: the impact of practice-oriented learning experiences |
| title_fullStr | Exploring senior engineering students’ engineering identity: the impact of practice-oriented learning experiences |
| title_full_unstemmed | Exploring senior engineering students’ engineering identity: the impact of practice-oriented learning experiences |
| title_short | Exploring senior engineering students’ engineering identity: the impact of practice-oriented learning experiences |
| title_sort | exploring senior engineering students engineering identity the impact of practice oriented learning experiences |
| topic | Engineering identity Capstone design Technological innovation and entrepreneurship competition Internship |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s40594-023-00439-2 |
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