Engineering Students' Thinking About Technical Systems: An Ontological Categories Approach

Abstract

This paper aims at identifying ontological categories as higher-order knowledge structures that underlie engineering students' thinking about technical systems. Derived from interviews, these ontological categories include, inter alia, a focus on the behavior, structure, or purpose of a technical system. We designed and administered a paper-based test to assess these ontological categories in a sample of N = 340 first-year students in different engineering disciplines. Based on their activation patterns across ontological categories, students clustered into six different ontological profiles. Study program, gender as well as objective and self-perceived cognitive abilities were associated with differences in jointly activated ontological categories. Additional idiosyncratic influences and experiences, however, seemed to play a more important role. Our results can inform university instruction and support successful co-operation in engineering.

A Systematic Review of Academic Self-Concept Measures in First-year Engineering Education

“…Math ability [18], [19] Academic self-description [20] College persistence [21], [33] STEM intrinsic value [22] STEM interest [18], [30] Academic competence [24] Perceived competence [25], [30] Perceived STEM performance [18] Belief in performance [25] Professional identity (vocational identity) [21] STEM identity [30] Sense of belonging [23], [26] Resiliency [23] Future goals/intentions [23] Academic ability [18], [19], [31], [32] Intellectual self-confidence [19], [27], [32] Drive to achieve [19], [32] Self-acceptance [27] Self-esteem [27] Academic involvement [28], [32] Expectancy for success [29] Attainment value [30] Utility value [30] Recognition [30] Motivation [26]…”