The purpose of this study was to uncover and describe the multiple, divergent student viewpoints about an undergraduate mechanical engineering program at a public university in the US Midwest and their persistence in that program. This study uses Q methodology which mixes qualitative and quantitative research aspects to reveal and describe the…

Background: While researchers in graduate engineering education are beginning to study facets of student experiences as they relate to attrition and persistence, theoretical applications of thriving theory have not been applied to graduate education contexts. Literature addresses students who persist and those who depart, inherently making…

Background: The demand for engineers in the workforce continues to rise, which requires increased retention and degree completion at the undergraduate level. Engineering educators need to better understand opportunities to retain students in engineering majors. A strong sense of belonging in engineering represents one important contributor to…

Background: In the United States, the current 6-year completion rate in engineering is a mere 54% among full-time students who enter a 4-year course. Researchers have identified many reasons why students leave engineering, including academic difficulties and poor teaching. However, the problems experienced by the departing students are also…

Contribution: This study examined the role of the engineering and smartness identities of three women as they made decisions about their participation in engineering majors. In addressing the under-representation of women in engineering, particularly in electrical engineering and computer science fields where they have been extremely…

Future engineering professionals have to deal with increasing complexity and uncertainty, as global challenges, such as climate change, globalisation and digitalisation, require creative, innovative solutions and interdisciplinary perspectives. Accordingly, engineering graduates have to be prepared to deal with those kinds of problems at different…

Engineering identity is a rapidly evolving construct within engineering, primarily due to its link to engineering persistence. Yet, most engineering identity research has been qualitative in nature or has described individuals within the analytical technique as coming from a single population. This study is the first to allow for the detection of…

The need to integrate online learning tools into higher education, accelerated by advancements in technology, coupled with past realities that challenge physical engagements such as the COVID19 pandemic, is now an established reality (Li, 2022; Thomas & Abanikannda, 2023). Globally, it is correct to assert that the integration of technology…

In Indonesia, the percentage of students dropping out from private universities is always much higher than that of public universities, and the second-highest number of dropouts comes from the engineering field. This study aims to improve the sustainability of engineering faculty in Indonesian private universities by obtaining variables that…

Background: While previous work in higher education documents the impact of high tuition costs of attending graduate school as a key motivator in attrition decisions, in engineering, most graduate students are fully funded on research fellowships, indicating there are different issues causing individuals to consider departure. There has been…

Background: Engineering education research frequently examines students' persistence (or intentions to persist) into engineering careers from engineering school. However, the variety of engineering-related occupations has increased substantially in recent years, challenging researchers' abilities to discern what constitutes persistence in…

Undergraduates' first-year experience in engineering education impacts their retention and persistence. Strategic learning strategies (i.e. skill, will, and self-regulation) are important for students' academic achievement and retention. We examined to what extent (1) students' skill mediated the relationship between self-regulation and will and…

Engineering identity has been repeatedly linked to the retention and success of engineering students, however, the current methods for understanding identity may not capture the holistic engineering identity journey. This study reviewed the method of utilising journey maps as a new approach to capture student engineering identity experiences.…

Objective: To investigate the influence of grit on physical activity, sleep and diet in undergraduate students during the COVID-19 pandemic. Participants: 125 undergraduate students participated in the study. Participants completed an online survey while enrolled in an online class during June, 2020. Methods: The online questionairre featured the…

Although graduate-educated engineers are essential for the professoriate, technological advancement, and the growth of the U.S. economy, there is concern about the shortage of future PhD-holding engineers pursuing careers in academia and industry. This shortage relates, in part, to high levels of attrition among engineering graduate students. It…