Motivation, Attitude and Retention Survey Development

Faculty from the Department of Engineering and Science Education (Lisa Benson) and the Eugene Moore School of Education (Deborah Switzer) collaborated on a study that posed the question, "How does participation in conducting pre-college outreach activities impact the retention, concept comprehension, and communication skills of freshman engineering students?" The study engaged engineering students in creating physical or computer-based models and activities that demonstrate math, physics or engineering concepts, processes or technology, targeting middle and high school students.

In order to answer the research question, a survey was developed based on the VIE (Valence, Instrumentality, and Expectancy) theory of motivation (Green, 1992). The survey assesses students'motivation to remain in an engineering discipline (the "behavior"). The behavior leads to the goal of entering the profession as an engineer. VIE states that Motivation is equal to the product of Valence, Instrumentality, and Expectancy. Valence is the value of the behavior and the goal (the value of being an engineering major and of becoming an engineer). Instrumentality is the perception that the behavior will lead to the goal (being an engineering major will lead to being a successful engineer). And Expectancy is the perception that the student has the knowledge, skills, and resources needed to successfully accomplish the behavior (be an engineering major).

The study was partially funded by a mini-grant from the Rigorous Research in Engineering Education program (grant number NSF DUE-0341127). The survey was validated and implemented before and after students participated in an outreach project. Results were presented at the 2007 ASEE Annual Conference and Exposition in Honolulu, Hawaii.

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The publication includes a sample of the survey, which is also available electronically upon request.