Computational Thinking in the Formation of Engineers: Year 2

Computational Thinking in the Formation of Engineers: Year 2

Abstract

This poster presentation reports the results during the second year of the “Collaborative Research Project: Research in Improving Computational Thinking in the Formation of Engineers, a Multi-Institutional Initiative.” During this year, the validation of the ECTD, as a mechanism to assess entry level computational thinking skills as one factor, has been completed. The progress also includes 27 interviews done with 3 cohorts of students that shared similar social identities in one institution (e.g. race/ethnicity, gender, first generation/gifted classification, decrease in level of confidence) to explore aspects in the first year experience that might affect the decision to be an engineer. The interviews were done with students that reported different levels of stress given position-of-stress questions added to the ECTD and later asked in the semester (at a different point of stress). These interviews revealed privilege of those with prior computing training or experience. For the next year of this project, the research team expects to expand to mixed-method data collection for all three institutions in the collaborative and to continue gathering longitudinal data. The results are expected to inform current first-year engineering programs and impact curriculum, enculturation of engineers, and increase participation. The research team expects these results will improve the preparation of an inclusive community of diverse engineers.