Additional Qualifying Paper Readers Dale Baker (Arizona State University)
Jody Skinner (Universität Koblenz-Landeau, Germany)
Goal
The goal of this research is to examine and characterize the perceptions, beliefs, traits, and self-concepts of learning through service students.
Research Questions
What
are the perceptions of service as a source for engineering learning,
engineering epistemological beliefs, personality traits, and self-concepts –
self-efficacy, motivation, outcome expectancy, and anxiety – toward engineering
design for students participating in an engineering learning through service
experience?
How
do perceived sources of engineering learning, engineering epistemological
beliefs, personality traits, and self-concepts toward engineering design of
students participating in engineering learning through service vary in terms of
gender and academic year? What, if any, interactions exist between gender and
academic year?
How
well do perceived sources of engineering learning, epistemological beliefs, and
personality traits predict the engineering achievement of learning through service
students?
Methodology
The study conducted was a one-time cross-sectional assessment
of multiple constructs designed to provide an in depth characterization of learning through service students who volunteered to be part of the study. These combined
sources were designed to provide a broad overview of the students attracted to
learning through service. The chosen constructs analyze how a student perceives
service compared to traditional coursework as a source of learning professional
and technical skills, what their epistemological beliefs are toward engineering,
what their personality traits are, and their self-concepts toward the key service component
of engineering design. Each construct was measured and analyzed to investigate
the dynamic interplay between constructs and the predicting power of
achievement.
For a copy of the dissertation please contact Adam Carberry directly.
