Professional Aspects of Engineering: Improving Prediction of Undergraduates’ Engineering Identity

Abstract

Identity, or how people choose to define themselves, is a popular lens for studying undergraduate persistence in engineering. Quantitative studies of engineering identity build on prior work on math and science identity, emphasizing the academic aspects of engineering. However, professional practice is also central to the formation of an engineering identity. In this research paper, the authors present a series of regression models that demonstrate the increased ability to predict engineering identity when engineering practice is included. The authors administered a questionnaire survey in the 2016 fall and 2017 spring semesters to 1,536 undergraduates in civil, architectural, mechanical, and biomedical engineering at two institutions. The authors conducted multiple sequential regression models to determine if engineering practice factors and engineering academic factors predicted engineering identity of undergraduate students. The engineering practice factors are tinkering, design, analysis, problem solving, collaboration, and project management. This study shows that factors capturing affect toward elements of engineering practice are meaningful predictors of engineering identity in addition to the academic aspects of engineering identity that have been examined in prior research.