Search

This Research to Practice Full Paper outlines the use of an ABET-based engineering self-efficacy scale (ESE-ABET) to successfully measure changes in engineering self-efficacy pre-to-post over a course term. This scale can be used to measure learning progress toward the “instructor’s intent” for learning in a class, which will likely be unique to each engineering classroom experience. This scale also shows the differing changes in engineering self-efficacy for groups of students generally underrepresented in engineering education – women, ethnic minorities and first-generation college students. A discussion of the value of having a valid and reliable ABET-based self-efficacy measure is included.

This Research to Practice Full Paper outlines the process of converting the ABET Criterion 3 - Student Outcomes into an engineering self-efficacy scale (ESE-ABET) and in this format compares the current ABET 3.1-7 items with the previous ABET 3a-k items with undergraduate engineering students. In total, survey responses were collected from undergraduate engineering students (n =561) attending five institutions ranging from larger public universities to smaller private universities. Mean comparison, correlation and regression suggests that the ABET Criterion 3 do make valid and reliable measure of overall “engineeringness” self-efficacy and that self-efficacy scales based on ABET 3.1-7 and ABET 3a-k produce nearly identical results. Factor analysis and hierarchical clustering show that the ABET Criteria 3 items tend to form two groups - “Technical Skills” and “Professional Skills” - and this finding may make it easier to use the criteria as an organizing curricular structure and/or a measure of program effectiveness. Support was also found for a short form version (ESE-SF) of this scale when survey capacity is limited. A discussion of the value of having a valid and reliable ABET-based self-efficacy measure is included.