Examining First Year Students' Preparedness for Studying Engineering

Abstract

Background: This national project builds on recent studies that have aimed to develop strategies to enhance enrolment, progression, and graduation rates in engineering programs. Implementing these strategies will help to address the critical skills shortages in the engineering profession in Australia. To ensure the outcomes have wide applicability, the project team has deliberately drawn students from five universities that cover the spectrum of Australian universities and engineering programs: the University of Southern Queensland, the University of Queensland, the University of Technology, Sydney, the University of Newcastle, and the University of New England. Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to report on initial descriptive data of this longitudinal project which will examine the knowledge, motivation, personality, and learning approaches of first year engineering students and how well they each predict subsequent retention and academic performance. These outcomes are yet to be achieved and are beyond the scope of this paper. Design/Method: An online battery of self-assessment tests was developed for this project based on diagnostic pre-testing used by a number of the participating universities, and other standard measures. The battery measures cognitive abilities (e.g., spatial, maths, physics, and chemistry) and non-cognitive abilities and traits (e.g., personality traits, career interests, and approaches to learning) of first year engineering students. Retention and academic results at the end of first year will be used as outcome variables, and regression analyses will be used to ascertain which of these variables are reliable predictors of academic success. Focus group data will enable some qualitative amplification of these results. Results: Outcome variables for the project will not be available until the end of 2012, however, this paper reports on preliminary descriptive and cognitive data from 505 first-year students commencing engineering studies at the five partner universities in Semester 1, 2012. Overall, students reported that they found the self-assessments and personalised feedback helpful in preparing them for their studies. Half of those who completed the cognitive skills quiz scored better than 70% across the range of questions. Results in physics, chemistry and spatial abilities were consistent across programs and study modes. However, students in two-year and three-year programs did not perform as well in maths as those in four-year degree (or equivalent) programs, and external students did not score as well in maths as did students enrolled on-campus. The implications of these findings are discussed. Conclusions: First-year engineering students indicated that they enjoyed the opportunity to self-assess their readiness and to be linked with early support where needed. Data from the battery will inform the development of the Engineering Career Appraisal Tool (EngCAT), an online educational resource that will enable school students and mature-age people who might be considering engineering as a career option to self-assess their cognitive and non-cognitive capabilities and skills.