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Examining the Relationship Between Cooperative Education Experiences and Professional Identity Development

Robles, Richard A.
http://orcid.org/0000-0002-8880-5406
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=xavier1591881959276035

Abstract Details

2020, Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) in Leadership Studies, Xavier University, Leadership Studies and Human Resource Development.
The purpose of this study was to determine the extent to which professional development experiences like cooperative education (co-op) may influence undergraduate students’ sense of professional identity as engineers. Researchers surveyed 97 baccalaureate engineering students using a modified engineering identity survey first developed by Meyers (2009), which was based on Arnett’s (1994) Theory of Emerging Adulthood. Exploratory factor analysis responses generated two factors of identity development explaining 43.8% of the variance among respondents. The first factor (tasks) is composed of tasks students perceive they need to complete in order to become an engineer, while the second reflects behaviors that project confidence in being an engineer (confidence). The task factor showed weak predictive utility in differentiating fifth-year and first-year students and was found to be negatively correlated with the number of academic semesters and co-op experiences completed. The confidence factor did not have any correlation with either metric. Results of the study call for researchers to continue efforts to explore the dimensions of engineering identity and seek to understand the separate and reciprocal effects of classroom learning and co-op work experiences on student identity development.
Gail F. Latta, Ph.D. (Committee Chair)
Michael Flick, Ph.D. (Committee Member)
Michael Chikeleze, Ph.D. (Committee Member)
89 p.
Adult Education; Engineering; Higher Education; Higher Education Administration
Identity; Engineering Education; Cooperative Education; Work Integrated Learning; College Students;

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Robles, R. A. (2020). Examining the Relationship Between Cooperative Education Experiences and Professional Identity Development [Doctoral dissertation, Xavier University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=xavier1591881959276035

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Robles, Richard. Examining the Relationship Between Cooperative Education Experiences and Professional Identity Development. 2020. Xavier University, Doctoral dissertation. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=xavier1591881959276035.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Robles, Richard. "Examining the Relationship Between Cooperative Education Experiences and Professional Identity Development." Doctoral dissertation, Xavier University, 2020. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=xavier1591881959276035

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

xavier1591881959276035
96
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This open access ETD is published by Xavier University Leadership Studies and Human Resource Development and OhioLINK.