Predicting Persistence in Engineering through an Engineering Identity Scale

Anita Patrick · Maura J. Borrego · Alexis N. Prybutok

96 citations0/0 files storedTexas Digital Library (University of Texas)

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Career Development and Diversity Higher Education Research Studies Engineering Education and Curriculum Development

Abstract

Identity is emerging as an underlying explanation for persistence in engineering, but few prior studies have directlymeasured the engineering identity of engineering students, nor compared it with observed persistence. Of these studies,there are connections between (a) students’ math, physics, and science reported interest, performance, competence, andrecognition and (b) their identification and persistence in these domains and engineering. This study expands on thatresearch by adapting previously validated scales of math and science identity to predict engineering identity andpersistence. Data used in this study were drawn from a cross-sectional sample of undergraduate engineering students inmechanical and civil engineering (n = 474). We used exploratory factor analysis to analyze engineering identity itemsadapted from prior survey studies. We used logistic regression to predict engineeringidentity and one-year persistence aftercontrolling for gender, major, students classification, and mother’s education. The engineering identity factors align wellwith previously validated math and physics identity factors as evidenced by the factor loadings and Cronbach’s alpha.Results from logistic regression models indicate that engineering interest, recognition, and performance/competencesignificantly predict engineering identity after controlling for student classification, major, and mother’s education.Moreover, males and females report approximately the same attitudes on these predictors. Major, classification, andengineering interest were significant predictors of persistence in engineering. Gender was neither a significant predictor ofengineering identity nor persistence in engineering. This study is the first step in using an engineering identity scale todirectly measure engineering identity in undergraduate students beyond the first-year.

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References

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2021The power of interest: minoritized women’s interest in engineering fosters persistence beliefs beyond belongingness and engineering identity 2021Examining engineering students' perceptions of learner agency enactment in problem‐ and project‐based learning using Q methodology 2021Unpacking professional shame: Patterns of White male engineering students living in and out of threats to their identities 2019Prediction of Engineering Identity in Engineering Graduate Students 2019Factors Influencing Engineering Identity Development of Latinx Students

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