Holly M. Matusovich

The Use of Motivation Theory in Engineering Education Research: A Systematic Review of Literature.

Motivation is frequently studied in the context of engineering education. However, the use of the term motivation can be inconsistent, both in how clearly it is defined and in how it is implemented in research designs and practice. This systematic literature review investigates the use of motivation across recent engineering education publications. Results show that the majority of engineering education publications referencing motivation as a concept do not provide a clear definition for the term, nor do they draw upon the existing body of literature surrounding motivation. Within the publications that do draw upon motivation literature, we found that a small number of frameworks were most prominent. We believe that both of these factors potentially inhibit the understanding of motivation in engineering education. Therefore, we provide a number of suggestions for how researchers and practitioners can work to rectify these trends.

Work in progress — Engineering pathways study: The college-career transition

Research in engineering education has shown that academic programs are often designed based on a projected image of engineering practice. However, this image may be outdated or misaligned with todays actual professional work. To develop a more complete picture, we designed the Engineering Pathways Study (EPS). EPS extends findings from the NSF-funded Center for the Advancement of Engineering Education (CAEE), and in particular findings from CAEEs multi-method, multi-institutional Academic Pathways Study (APS) research project. Following-up with participants from APS, we are uniquely positioned to explore transitions to the workforce and the needs/experiences of early career professionals (ECP). Over a period of two years, our sequential mixed-methods design uses outcomes from in-depth interviews to develop a survey for a broader sampling. Currently in early phases of interviews and analysis, preliminary findings highlight connections and gaps between current career experiences and academic career preparation.

Work in progress: Describing the responsibilities of Teaching Assistants in first-year engineering programs

Many engineering programs have a common first-year curriculum required for all students. The courses tend to be large in size requiring the use of Teaching Assistants (TAs) for implementation. The responsibilities of TAs vary including lecturer, lab instructor, and grader. Despite their significant presence and varied functions, little is known about the roles of TAs as a whole across institutions. This study fills a gap in the literature by describing the roles and responsibilities of TAs in multiple first-year engineering programs across the nation, providing a foundation for future work investigating TA experiences, motivation, and identity development.

Constructive Academic Controversy- What is it? Why use it? How to structure it?

Constructive Academic Controversy has been available as part of the repertoire of engineering faculty since the early 1980s. In this paper we strive to update and revitalize the approach through: 1) reviewing the development of Academic Constructive Controversy including the benefits of this type of cooperative learning approach, 2) providing instructional references and resources, and 3) reviewing current case examples in both engineering and engineering education classrooms.

Common configurations for Engineering Student Support Centers

In response to the persistent issues of retention and diversity, many colleges offer Engineering Student Support Centers (ESSCs). However, little is known about ESSC design or how these centers function alongside the engineering curriculum and within the larger systems of engineering education. Based on the current literature, there is a need to better understand ESSC design and how such centers influence the institutional experience of undergraduate engineering students. Our research seeks to address this gap by examining ESSCs of varying structure and configuration at multiple institutions. The overall study will use a multi-case study approach, which includes interviews and open-ended surveys with center administrators and engineering students. Preliminary results from the first phase of the project reveal a variety of ESSC structures and will assist us in representing the assortment of centers in the later phases of the study.

Teaching teamwork and communication in engineering: Strategies and Opportunities

Teamwork and communication skills are essential to engineering practice, but often play a tenuous role in engineering coursework. In this workshop, we explore the role that faculty beliefs play in curriculum decisions around the teaching and learning of these skills. In particular, we explore the ways that values, competence, and autonomy influence faculty practice, and discuss opportunities to enhance professional practice through reflection upon those beliefs.

Work in progress — Match or mismatch? the teaching and learning of teamwork and communication skills

Communication and teamwork skills remain top-priority outcomes for engineering graduates. Yet researchers and educators alike know comparatively little about the teaching and learning epistemologies engineering faculty employ, or about how faculty epistemologies affect the learning mechanisms of engineering students. Our research seeks to address this gap by first examining student and faculty beliefs about effective practice and transferable learning outcomes with respect to communication and teamwork, and then by developing and testing interventions to enhance the teaching and learning of these important skills. The overall study uses a mixed methods approach including interviews and focus groups with faculty and students, followed by surveys of a broader audience, and finally both qualitative and quantitative assessments of the interventions. Preliminary results from the first phase of the project indeed show a gap between faculty and student beliefs about the teaching and learning of teamwork and communication skills in engineering.

Work in progress — A mixed-methods study of the effects of first-year project pedagogies on the motivation, retention, and career plans of women in engineering

Our research project compares two first-year engineering course project pedagogies to identify approaches that enhance the likelihood of women continuing in engineering majors and entering engineering careers. Specifically, we compare the problem-based learning (PBL) model to a more general experiential learning approach centered on the engineering design process, referred to here as the traditional engineering design model (TED). We hypothesize that the PBL model, with extensive faculty facilitation, will increase the likelihood of women persisting in an engineering degree, achieving higher grades in future classes, and going into engineering careers. Our research is grounded in motivational theory, and particularly in a model that integrates aspects of existing theories including participation-identification, expectancy-value, and self-efficacy. We are testing this integrated model and the research hypothesis through a longitudinal, mixed-method analysis, with data collected from five cohorts at two large research universities.

A Qualitative Analysis of Career Choice Pathways of College-Oriented Rural Central Appalachian High School Students:

To explore the ways context may shape career choices, we used a qualitative approach to analyze interviews with college-oriented high school students from the rural Central Appalachia region of Virginia. Using social cognitive career theory, we analyzed pathways to career choices and relevant contextual factors, using data from 24 interviews. Results revealed that participants’ pathways partially matched the model, though we also found variant pathways triggered by significant environmental influences and incomplete pathways due to variations in possible career plans. Explanatory factors included status as prospective first-generation college student, outcome expectations that included remaining local and having job stability, and an emergent factor of continuing generation Appalachian. The patterns that emerged with respect to contextual factors and career choice pathways highlight the importance of culture and context when examining how students make career choices. This research extends prior research by examining career pathways using student’s own words as data. Moreover, the patterns offer insights career coaches, counselors, and educators can use in supporting students’ post–high school career planning.

Career Goals, self-efficacy and persistence in Engineering Students

Research connected on both career goals and self-efficacy has linked each to the persistence of undergraduate students in engineering programs: self-efficacy through numerous qualitative and quantitative studies, and career goals through a recently conducted study. Additionally, research suggests that self-efficacy plays a role in the goals that individuals set, and whether they persist towards the accomplishment of those goals. In this work in progress study, we focus on how those relationships can provide researchers and educators with new ways of considering factors related to persistence in engineering programs. In this paper, we discuss results from a piloted survey, and their meaning for continued research. Initial results revealed a relationship between career goals and self-efficacy. Self-efficacy for persistence correlated significantly (p <; 0.05) to ambiguity that students have about their career goals. The next investigative steps in this study will include the collection of additional interview data. New interview data will help us build more of an understanding of how self-efficacy and career goals relate. After an interview protocol has been created, future work will focus on comparing career goals and self-efficacy to persistence data.