Collaborative Research: Impacts of Prior Work Experience on Adult, Non-traditional, Engineering Students

合作研究：先前工作经验对成人、非传统、工程专业学生的影响

• 批准号: 1360987
• 负责人: Maria-Isabel Carnasciali
• 金额: $ 29.21万
• 依托单位: University of New Haven
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2014
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2014-06-01 至 2018-05-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1360987&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Collaborative; Research; Impacts; Prior; Work

This project aims to create new pathways for non-traditional engineering students by examining the role of prior work experiences, identity, and expertise. By applying the theoretical framework of multiple identities, this work collects and analyzes qualitative and quantitative data from traditional and non-traditional engineering undergraduate students at three diverse institutes of higher education: a large public university (U. C. Berkeley), a small private university (University of New Haven), and a community college (Cañada College). The primary research question being addressed is: How does prior engineering-related work experience impact engineering student identity and approach to engineering study? This is investigated through a systematic mixed-methods approach combining semi-structured interviews, think-aloud protocols, surveys, and the collection of persistence data.The study provides critical insights to enable engineering educators to be more effective in their educational efforts, and makes substantial contributions to our understanding of engineering identities and understanding of students' abilities and thinking processes. By filling gaps in current understanding of the identities, level of expertise, and experiences of these students, the study aims to improve persistence outcomes for engineering students and increase the number of qualified engineering graduates. The results help build and diversify STEM education by reaching out to and increasing the retention of older students which include females and underrepresented minorities. The partnership between the small private university, the large state institution, and the community college maximize opportunities for widespread integration and dissemination of findings, and strengthen pathways for non-traditional students. This work supports efforts to expose all engineering students to obtain work experience/internships and help encourage the current workforce to pursue a degree. The PIs plan to offer several regional workshops and webinars to broadly disseminate the findings and make the data collected easily available to academic advisors, especially at community colleges or those working with transfer students; veterans' affairs groups, college admissions, enrollment management, and recruiting officers; engineering faculty and administration; and engineering student leaders.

该项目旨在通过检查以前的工作经验、身份和专业知识的作用，为非传统工程专业的学生创造新的途径。通过应用多重身份的理论框架，这项工作从传统和非传统和非传统的领域收集定性和定量数据并对其进行建模。三所不同高等教育机构的传统工程本科生：一所大型公立大学（加州大学伯克利分校）、一所小型私立大学（纽黑文大学）和一所社区学院（加拿大学院）。要解决的主要研究问题是：如何进行研究。之前有工程相关的工作吗工作经验会影响工程学生的身份和工程研究方法吗？这是通过结合半结构化访谈、出声思考协议、调查和持久性数据收集的系统混合方法进行调查的。该研究为实现工程提供了重要的见解。通过填补当前对这些学生的身份、专业水平和经验的理解空白，教育工作者能够更有效地进行教育工作，并为我们对工程身份的理解以及对学生能力和思维过程的理解做出重大贡献。该研究旨在提高工程专业学生的毅力成果并提高合格的工程毕业生数量，通过接触和增加老年学生（包括女性和代表性不足的少数族裔）的保留率，帮助建立 STEM 教育并使其多样化。 小型私立大学、大型公立机构和社区学院之间的合作关系最大化。广泛整合和传播研究结果的机会，并加强非传统学生的途径 这项工作支持让所有工程专业的学生获得工作经验/实习机会，并帮助鼓励当前的劳动力攻读学位。区域研讨会和举办网络研讨会，广泛传播研究结果，并使学术顾问能够轻松获取收集到的数据，尤其是社区大学或退伍军人事务小组、大学招生、招生管理以及招聘官员和工程人员；学生领袖。