Journal of Research in Science, Mathematics and Technology Education

Developing Engineering Identity in an Introductory Engineering Course: A Multi-Case Analysis

Christine Allison Gray 1,
Ron E. Gray 2 * ,
Martha M. Canipe 2,
Shadow W. J. Armfield 2,
Robin Tuchscherer 2
1 Coconino Community College2 Northern Arizona University* Corresponding Author
Download PDF
Journal of Research in Science, Mathematics and Technology Education, Volume 4, Issue 3, September 2021, pp. 153-177
OPEN ACCESS VIEWS: 711 DOWNLOADS: 477 Publication date: 15 Sep 2021
ABSTRACT
Research in engineering education has identified several factors relevant to the development of students’ identity as engineers. Here we examine the engineering identity of undergraduate engineering students after an introductory engineering course. The specific research question explored here is: "How do engineering students in an introductory engineering course interpret competence, performance, and recognition in relation to their identities as engineers?” We used a modified engineering identity framework to explore the development of engineering identity within the undergraduate engineering context through a multiple case study approach. Six students majoring in engineering participated in the study. The students had divergent perspectives on what it meant to be competent as an engineer. In all cases, students connected both competence and performance as an engineer with persistence. At this introductory stage, self-recognition as an engineering person took center stage for each student. All were able to identify themselves strongly as an engineering person. The findings add to the current understandings about the development of engineering identity, and suggest that engineering identity may be critically important in conversations about the steps faculty may take in working with students to promote increased retention of undergraduate students in engineering.
KEYWORDS
Engineering Identity, Multi-case study, Undergraduate.
CITATION (APA)
Gray, C. A., Gray, R. E., Canipe, M. M., Armfield, S. W. J., & Tuchscherer, R. (2021). Developing Engineering Identity in an Introductory Engineering Course: A Multi-Case Analysis. Journal of Research in Science, Mathematics and Technology Education, 4(3), 153-177. https://doi.org/10.31756/jrsmte.431
REFERENCES
  1. Bastalich, W., Franzway, S., Gill, J., Mills, J., & Sharp, R. (2007). Disrupting masculinities: Women engineers and engineering workplace culture. Australian Feminist Studies, 22(54), 385-400. https://doi.org/10.1080/08164640701578765
  2. Beauchamp, C., & Thomas, L. (2009). Understanding teacher identity: An overview of issues in the literature and implications for teacher education. Cambridge Journal of Education, 39(2), 175-189. https://doi.org/10.1080/03057640902902252
  3. Blickenstaff, J.C. (2005). Women and science careers: Leaky pipeline or gender filter? Gender and Education, 17(4), 369-386. https://doi.org/10.1080/09540250500145072
  4. Carlone, H. B., & Johnson, A. (2007). Understanding the science experiences of successful women of color: Science identity as an analytic lens. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 44(8), 1187-1218. https://doi.org/10.1002/tea.20237
  5. Cass, C. A. P., Hazari, Z., Cribbs, J., Sadler, P. M., & Sonnert, G. (2011). Examining the impact of mathematics identity on the choice of engineering careers for male and female students. Frontiers in Education Conference (FIE), F2H-1-F2H-5. https://doi.org/10.1109/FIE.2011.6142881
  6. Choe, N. H., Martins, L. L., Borrego, M., & Kendall, M. R. (2019). Professional aspects of engineering: Improving prediction of undergraduates’ engineering identity. Journal of Professional Issues in Engineering
  7. Education and Practice, 145(3), 04019006. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)EI.1943-5541.0000413
  8. Dringenberg, E., Secules, S., & Kramer, A. (2019). Smartness in engineering culture: An interdisciplinary dialogue.
  9. ASEE Conference, Tampa, FL. DOI: https://Doi. Org/10.18260/1-2–33272.
  10. Erikson, E.H. (1968). Youth, identity and crisis. Norton.
  11. Fontana, A., & Prokos, A. H. (2007). The interview from formal to postmodern. Left Coast Press.
  12. Freud, S. (1961). Five lectures on psycho-analysis. Norton.
  13. Gee, J. P. (2000). Identity as an analytic lens for research in education. Review of Research in Education, 25(1), 99125. https://doi.org/10.3102%2F0091732X025001099
  14. Godwin, A. (2016). The development of a measure of engineering identity. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the American Society for Engineering Education, New Orleans, LA. https://doi.org/10.18260/p.26122
  15. Godwin, A., & Lee, W. C. (2017). A cross-sectional study of engineering identity during undergraduate education.
  16. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the American Society for Engineering Education, Columbus, OH.
  17. Goffman, E. (1963). Behavior in public place.: The Free Press.
  18. Gray, C.A., Tuchscherer, R., & Gray, R.E. (2017). Examining micro-interventions to improve classroom community in introductory engineering classrooms. Proceedings from ASEE 2017: American Society for Engineering Education Annual Conference & Exposition (p. 36). Columbus, OH.
  19. Gray, C.A., Tuchscherer, R., & Gray, R.E. (2018). The challenges and affordances of engineering identity as an analytic lens. Proceedings from ASEE 2018: American Society for Engineering Education Annual Conference & Exposition. Salt Lake City, UT.
  20. Jones, B. D., Osborne, J. W., Paretti, M. C., & Matusovich, H. M. (2014). Relationships among students’ perceptions of a first-year engineering design course and their engineering identification, motivational beliefs, course effort, and academic outcomes. International Journal of Engineering Education, 30(6(A)), 1340–1356.
  21. Kuhn, M. H., & McPartland, T. S. (1954). An empirical investigation of self-attitudes. American Sociological Review, 19(1), 68-76.
  22. Marshall, C., & Rossman, G. B. (2010). Designing qualitative research (Fifth edition). Sage.
  23. Meyers, K. L., Ohland, M. W., Pawley, A. L., Silliman, S. E., & Smith, K. A. (2012). Factors relating to engineering identity. Global Journal of Engineering Education, 14(1), 119-131.
  24. Miles, M. B., & Huberman, A. M. (1994). Qualitative data analysis: An expanded sourcebook. Sage.
  25. Morelock, J. R. (2017). A systematic literature review of engineering identity: Definitions, factors, and interventions affecting development, and means of measurement. European Journal of Engineering Education, 42(6), 1240–1262. https://doi.org/10.1080/03043797.2017.1287664
  26. National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics. (2021). Women, Minorities, and Persons with Disabilities in Science and Engineering: 2021. National Science Foundation.
  27. Patrick, A., Borrego, M., & Prybutiok, A. N. (2018). Predicting persistence in engineering through an engineering identity scale. International Journal of Engineering Education, 34(2(A)), 351–363.
  28. Patrick, A., Borrego, M., & Seepersad, C. C. (2018). A combined model for predicting engineering identity in undergraduate students. ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, Salt Lake City, UT.
  29. Patrick, A., Riegle-Crumb, C., & Borrego, M. (2021). Examining the gender gap in engineering professional identification. Journal of Women and Minorities in Science and Engineering, 27(1). https://doi.org/10.1615/JWomenMinorScienEng.2020030909
  30. Pierrakos, O., Beam, T. K., Constantz, J., Johri, A., & Anderson, R. (2009). On the development of a professional identity: Engineering persisters vs engineering switchers. 2009 39th IEEE Frontiers in Education Conference, 1–6. https://doi.org/10.1109/FIE.2009.5350571
  31. Seymour, E. & Hewitt, N.M. (1997). Talking about leaving: Why undergraduates leave the sciences. Westview.
  32. Stake, R. E. (2006). Multiple case study analysis. Guilford.
  33. Stets, J. E., & Burke, P. J. (2000). Identity theory and social identity theory. Social Psychology Quarterly, 224-237. https://doi.org/10.2307/2695870
  34. Stryker, S. & Burke, P. J. (2000). The past, present, and future of an identity theory. Social Psychological Quarterly, 63, 284-297. https://doi.org/10.2307/2695840
  35. Tajfel, H., & Turner, J. C. (1986). The social identity theory of intergroup behavior. In Worshel, S.; Austin, W.
  36. (Eds.) The psychology of intergroup relations. Nelson-Hall.
  37. Tonso, K. L. (2006). Student engineers and engineer identity: Campus engineer identities as figured world. Cultural
  38. Studies of Science Education, 1(2), 273-307. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11422-005-9009-2
  39. Tuchscherer, R., Gray, C.A., & Gray, R.E. (2017). Reshaping engineering classroom norms to expand the profession. Proceedings from ASEE 2017: American Society for Engineering Education Annual Conference & Exposition (p. 15). Columbus, OH.
  40. Tonso, K. L. (2014). Engineering identity. In Handbook of engineering education research, (p. 267-282).
  41. Cambridge.
  42. Wenger, E. (1998). Communities of practice: Learning, meaning, and identity. Cambridge University Press.
  43. Yin, R. K. (2003). Applications of case study research (2nd ed.). Sage.
LICENSE
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.