20,327 research outputs found

    Evaluations of Interactive Learning Tools Among Engineering Students: Effects of Grit and Gender

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    This study explores what determines engineering students’ evaluations of interactive learning tools (ILTs). Engineering students (n = 323) from large U.S. universities who had used McGraw-Hill’s SmartBook and Connect participated in the study. This study confirms that grit and gender are important factors in opinions and attitudes toward such tools. Specifically, among males, those with higher grit found ILTs as more useful and usable. Moreover, higher levels of grit were related to favorable attitudes toward ILTs. Interesting to note was that females reported more favorable evaluations on ILTs overall. These findings suggest strategies for the use of interactive learning tools for engineering students to succeed. Implications and recommendations for future research will also discussed

    The Study of Grit in Engineering Education Research: a Systematic Literature Review

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    Researchontheroleofgrit–definedasbothperseveranceandpassionfor long-termgoals–onhumanperformancehasbeenconductedforthepast decade. It has been suggested that this non-cognitive factor is a better predictor of students’ retention than traditional academic measures. These findings hold relevance for engineering education research but studies on this area are still scarce. This paper provides a systematic review of the current state of research on grit and its correlates in engineering higher education research. Publications were identified using three types of databases specific to engineering education; a final set of 31 relevant records was analysed by type of population, methods, research topics and main results. Most of the reviewed studies implemented quantitative methodologies to assess grit and also used one of the two versions of Duckworth’s Grit scale. Key findings are that in engineering education research, both the conceptualisation of grit and research reporting procedures have been inconsistent. Such inconsistency hinders interpretation of the impact of grit in engineering education. In response, new research avenues and best practices for reporting are proffered

    The study of grit in engineering education research: a systematic literature review

    Get PDF
    Researchontheroleofgrit–definedasbothperseveranceandpassionfor long-termgoals–onhumanperformancehasbeenconductedforthepast decade. It has been suggested that this non-cognitive factor is a better predictor of students’ retention than traditional academic measures. These findings hold relevance for engineering education research but studies on this area are still scarce. This paper provides a systematic review of the current state of research on grit and its correlates in engineering higher education research. Publications were identified using three types of databases specific to engineering education; a final set of 31 relevant records was analysed by type of population, methods, research topics and main results. Most of the reviewed studies implemented quantitative methodologies to assess grit and also used one of the two versions of Duckworth’s Grit scale. Key findings are that in engineering education research, both the conceptualisation of grit and research reporting procedures have been inconsistent. Such inconsistency hinders interpretation of the impact of grit in engineering education. In response, new research avenues and best practices for reporting are proffered

    Understanding How Engineering Identity and Belongingness Predict Grit for First-Generation College Students

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    Increasing the participation of underrepresented students, including first-generation college students, in engineering plays a central role in sustaining the U.S. research and innovation capacity. Diversity continues to be recognized as an asset in engineering. However, we also know that the culture of engineering has an implicit assumption about who can be and who is recognized as an engineer. There is also a complex relationship between participation in a community of practice and identity. Diverse students must not only author an identity as an engineer but also must grapple with how that identity, historically constructed as white and masculine, becomes a part of how they see themselves. This research study uses structural equation modeling to examine how first-generation college students’ engineering identity and sense of belongingness in engineering serve as mediators for students’ grit in terms of persistence of effort and consistency of interest. Results reveal that engineering identity has a positive direct effect on students’ sense of belongingness. Both engineering identity and belongingness have a positive direct effect on persistence of effort but were not significant predictors of consistency of interest. Additionally, belongingness is a mediator between engineering identity and persistence of effort. These results begin to uncover how grit is not a stand-alone measure and defies the idea that some students have it while others do not. Persistence of effort is present for first-generation college students when they see themselves as the kinds of people that can do engineering and feel a sense of belongingness within the field. The results of this work highlights ways to support grit development in first-generation college students

    Increasing STEM Grit among Underrepresented Groups: Lessons from Our Fathers

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    Research indicates that students with a high level of Grit and self-efficacy have higher levels of academic achievement. Grit is comprised of passion (consistency of interest) and perseverance of effort, for long-term goals. The purpose of this model is to increase Grit among underrepresented groups. It utilizes one aspect of self-efficacy, “vicarious experiences”, to increase STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) Grit among underrepresented groups. Historical contributions from individuals from underrepresented groups in STEM fields are used vicariously to promote student Grit by showing examples of perseverance resulting in academic excellence. This model has implications for curriculum, instruction, assessment, professional development, and public policy articulation

    Utilizing Parent and Educator Self Efficacy and Grit Training to Encourage the Pursuit of STEM Careers for Elementary Students from Traditionally Underrepresented Groups

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    In the United States, there is an increased demand for professionals in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). Research indicates that individuals with higher levels of self-efficacy and grit have higher levels of academic achievement. Traditional research has focused on the self-efficacy and grit of students. Realizing the impact that parents and educators have in the lives of students, the purpose of this model is to determine the effect that parent and educator self-efficacy and grit training has on the pursuit of STEM careers for elementary students from traditionally underrepresented groups. The data gathered, will examine the impact that professional development has on student career choice. This model has implications for curriculum development, professional development, instruction and policy articulation

    Relative importance of college success predictors: fluid intelligence, crystallized intelligence, and grit

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    [EN] This study aimed to compare the predictive power of grit and two cognitive ability tests of fluid and crystallized intelligence used for university admission on the success of college students in Turkey. Utilizing Cattell’s Investment Theory and Ackerman’s PPIK Theory of Adult Intelligence, we hypothesized that knowledge tests would be a better predictor of academic achievement in college than tests of fluid intelligence. We collected data from 441 students enrolled in engineering, physical sciences, social sciences, and administrative sciences majors in a technical university. Our results based on hierarchical regression and dominance analyses provided support for our hypothesis. For science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) students, the test of crystallized intelligence not only was a better predictor of college GPA compared to the test of fluid intelligence but also explained incremental variance over and above the fluid intelligence test. For social-administrative sciences, the predictive powers of tests were equivalent to each other. We also found that the perseverance of effort dimension of grit was the best predictor of GPA. Our findings support the notions of the adult intelligence theories suggesting that domain knowledge is a better predictor of typical performance in adults.Mete, I.; Toker, Y. (2017). Relative importance of college success predictors: fluid intelligence, crystallized intelligence, and grit. En Proceedings of the 3rd International Conference on Higher Education Advances. Editorial Universitat Politècnica de València. 1246-1254. https://doi.org/10.4995/HEAD17.2017.5568OCS1246125

    Grit, Mindsets, and Persistence of Engineering Students

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    Undergraduate engineering programs in the United States suffer from high rates of attrition. To develop the knowledge base that can inform efforts to reduce attrition rates, I conducted three studies focused on helping students persist in engineering. In the first study, I investigated whether grit would help students persist in engineering. In the second study, I explored the gritty behaviors of engineering students who persisted through academic failures. In the third study, I developed an intervention to encourage students to adopt healthy learning dispositions and behaviors to help them persist in engineering. The first study investigates whether a noncognitive factor called Grit could predict engineering retention. Specifically, I explored whether Grit predicts one- and two-year engineering retention, and whether student characteristics and academic performance affect the relationship between Grit and retention. I aggregated data from two first-year engineering cohorts who enrolled in a large public university in Fall 2014 and in Fall 2015. I used binary logistic regression to predict retention with Grit and its two subscales, Perseverance of Effort (PE) and Consistency of Interest (CI), gender, socioeconomic status, ACT math, high school grade-point-average (GPA), first math grade in college, first-semester GPA, first-year cumulative GPA, and second-year cumulative GPA. Grit and second-year cumulative GPA were significant predictors for two-year retention but not one-year retention. PE was a better predictor of retention than Grit for both one- and two-year retention, whereas CI was not a significant predictor of retention at all. Additionally, ACT math, high school GPA, first-semester GPA, and first-year cumulative GPA were significant predictors for both one- and two-year retention. Grit’s utility in predicting engineering retention relies on the PE construct. I recommend more research on the CI construct to better understand how it relates to Grit and success. Though PE is a statistically significant predictor of retention, estimates of predictive power suggest that PE should not be used to predict engineering retention. The second study explores the gritty behaviors of engineering students who persisted through academic failures. Academic failures can influence students to depart from engineering programs. In addition, researchers have identified many reasons for why students depart from engineering including perceived academic difficulty, chilly climates, and poor teaching and advising. However, the problems that departers experience are not unique to them; persisters share the same kinds of problems. To better understand the experience of persisters, I explored the experiences of persisting engineering students who had previously failed a required technical course. I used phenomenography as the qualitative research method to construct categories of description that describe the variety of ways persisting engineering students experienced academic failures. Based on 26 student interviews, I constructed four categories to describe their failure experiences: Unresponsive, Avoidant, Floundering, and Rebounding. Also, I found that students do not always experience failure the same way every time; they can experience failure differently for different instances of failure. Based on our findings, I recommend that failure be normalized in engineering education, and that course and program policies be revised to promote learning from failure. The third study entails the development of a course to encourage students to adopt healthy learning dispositions and behaviors to help them persist in engineering. Healthy learning dispositions encompass attitudes and beliefs that promote learning. Healthy learning behaviors comprise actions such as planning, monitoring, and reflecting that produce effective learning. I used the design-based research methodology to bridge from laboratory studies to classroom implementation. Following design-based research, I used the Transtheoretical Model of Health Behavior Change to guide this translation of theories related to healthy learning dispositions and behaviors into the design of the course. I found that this course helped students adopt the growth mindset and that elements of course design helped students engage in several processes of change. This study demonstrates that theory-informed interventions, like this course, can be effective in helping students adopt healthy learning dispositions. However, more research is needed to help students adopt healthy academic behaviors.National Science Foundation / DUE-1626287Campus Research Board, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign / RB15010Ope

    Grit Mobile: Data Collection App for the Grit Research Project

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    This project consists of one part of a larger University research project aimed at determining if active learning builds the character trait of grit in students while they learn in the domain of mechanical engineering. The research project has three goals: the development of a mobile app to measure the quantity and quality of active learning, a model of student success using the quantity and quality of active learning, and a characterization of the relationship between active learning and grit growth. This senior project focuses on the mobile app as part of the larger research project. The mobile app will provide users with the means to submit research data via their mobile phones. The mobile app, named \Grit Mobile , is developed for the Android platform. The mobile app is written in Java, using the Android SDKs. Additionally, the Parse platform is used for backend data collection and user management

    THE SHORT GRIT SCALE: A DIMENSIONALITY ANALYSIS

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    This study aimed to examine the internal structure, score reliability, scoring, and interpretation of the Short Grit Scale (Grit-S; Duckworth & Quinn, 2009) using a sample of engineering students (N = 610) from one large southeastern university located in the United States. Confirmatory factor analysis was used to compare four competing theoretical models: (a) a unidimensional model, (b) a two-factor model, (c) a second-order model, and (d) a bi-factor model. Given that researchers have used Grit-S as a single factor, a unidimensional model was examined. Two-factor and second-order models were considered based upon the work done by Duckworth, Peterson, Matthew, and Kelly (2007), and Duckworth and Quinn (2009). Finally, Reise, Morizot, and Hays (2007) have suggested a bi-factor model be considered when dealing with multidimensional scales given its ability to aid researches about the dimensionality and scoring of instruments consisting of heterogeneous item content. Findings from this study show that Grit-S was best represented by a bi-factor solution. Results indicate that the general grit factor possesses satisfactory score reliability and information, however, the results are not entirely clear or supportive of subscale scoring for either consistency of effort subscale or interest. The implications of these findings and future research are discussed
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