Effects of Motivational Beliefs and Instructional Practice on Students' Intention to Pursue Majors and Careers in Engineering

Tendhar, Chosang

Effects of Motivational Beliefs and Instructional Practice on Students' Intention to Pursue Majors and Careers in Engineering

dc.contributor.author	Tendhar, Chosang	en
dc.contributor.committeechair	Singh, Kusum	en
dc.contributor.committeemember	Paretti, Marie C.	en
dc.contributor.committeemember	Creamer, Elizabeth G.	en
dc.contributor.committeemember	Jones, Brett D.	en
dc.contributor.department	Educational Leadership and Policy Studies	en
dc.date.accessioned	2017-10-16T06:00:18Z	en
dc.date.available	2017-10-16T06:00:18Z	en
dc.date.issued	2015-04-24	en
dc.description.abstract	This dissertation examined the differences in group mean scores of traditional and pilot groups on the students' motivational beliefs and their intention to pursue majors and careers in engineering. The difference between the two groups was in terms of instruction techniques used. The instructional techniques used for the traditional group was that of traditional engineering design (TED), while the technique used for the pilot group had more features of an active learning approach. Further, it tested the tenability of the domain identification model. The domain identification model was used to understand students' decision-making processes in committing to engineering majors and engineering careers. The data for this study was collected via online survey from first-year engineering students enrolled in an introductory engineering course at a research-intensive university located in southeastern US. The sample sizes of the traditional group and pilot group at the beginning of the semester were 875 and 188, respectively. The sample sizes of the traditional group and pilot group at the end of the semester were 812 and 242, respectively. The mean differences between the two groups were computed using t-tests via SPSS version 22.0. The causality hypothesized among variables in the domain identification model were tested using structural equation modeling (SEM) techniques. The measurement and structural models were estimated using LISREL version 9.1. This study followed the two-step SEM approach that Anderson and Gerbing (1988) suggested. A measurement model with an acceptable fit to the data was obtained followed by an estimation and evaluation of structural models. All the independent sample t-tests were not statistically significant indicating that the mean scores of students in the two groups did not differ significantly on any of the motivational and intention variables. The hypothesized measurement and structural models provided a good fit to the data. A few post-hoc revisions were made to the models. This study brought empirical evidence that the domain identification model can be used to understand students' major-and career-decision making processes. Engineering identification was a better predictor of major intention and career intention compared to engineering program utility, engineering program belonging, and engineering program expectancy.	en
dc.description.degree	Ph. D.	en
dc.format.medium	ETD	en
dc.identifier.other	vt_gsexam:5212	en
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/10919/79664	en
dc.publisher	Virginia Tech	en
dc.rights	In Copyright	en
dc.rights.uri	http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/	en
dc.subject	Domain Identification Model	en
dc.subject	Engineering Identification	en
dc.subject	Structural Equation Modeling (SEM)	en
dc.subject	STEM	en
dc.subject	MUSIC Model	en
dc.subject	Major Intention	en
dc.subject	Career Intention	en
dc.title	Effects of Motivational Beliefs and Instructional Practice on Students' Intention to Pursue Majors and Careers in Engineering	en
dc.type	Dissertation	en
thesis.degree.discipline	Educational Research and Evaluation	en
thesis.degree.grantor	Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University	en
thesis.degree.level	doctoral	en
thesis.degree.name	Ph. D.	en