A Meta Analysis Of Studies Of Cognition In Engineering Education

Abstract

This study is a survey of current literature related to cognition in engineering education. The extensiveness of current empirical evidence is examined and the magnitude and direction of recent studies is determined. The study also examined procedural and cognitive characteristics that might indicate a relationship between cognition and student outcomes. The study represents an extensive search of 27,464 published studies from 10 library holdings and 10 Journals in engineering education. Twenty studies, meeting study criteria, were coded for 39 variables in six categories. Studies were assigned to one of two groups based on the statistical evidence that was reported. Group I reported p-values only and Group II reported F, t, or chi square values. Significance of Group I studies is shown through a summary chi square and p value. A summary weighted unbiased effect size was determined for Group II studies. With only 0.07% of studies meeting search criteria, it was determined that there is a limited amount of empirical evidence in this area of study. Both Group I and Group II studies indicated that there is a positive relationship between cognition and undergraduate engineering student outcomes. There was not enough evidence to suggest a trend between procedural characteristics and cognitive characteristics to student outcomes in undergraduate student outcomes.