<p>  </p> <p>Informal learning environments are critical to supplemental student learning outside the formal classroom space. The problem the research addressed is the lack of informal STEM learning programs for underrepresented minority, female, urban, and rural students. The purpose of this research was to demonstrate the effect informal STEM learning has on the population’s self-efficacy and interest in STEM. The intervention for this research study was a seven-day informal learning summer camp involving five STEM projects from around the field and aligned with relevant fields offered by the Purdue University Polytechnic Institute. The participants worked in large and small group sessions with program volunteers to gain foundational learning outcomes. The outcome was measured using the STEM-CIS survey instrument in a pre-and post-testing format. The data was coded from the Likert scale and then used to calculate statistics and effect size for Likert-style data. The intervention was performed during the summer of 2021 and yielded results showing that students felt the effect of having role models and professionals involved in the STEM field. </p>

No description available.

The purpose of this study is to determine the required attributes and competencies required for a graduate from a manufacturing engineering technology baccalaureate program. A document called “Competencies of Manufacturing Engineering Technology Graduates” was compiled in October 2004. This document lists twelve attributes thought to be important for MET graduates: Leadership, Professionalism, Creativity and Problem Solving, Management, Materials, Processes, Quality, Systems, Design, Communication, Safety and Environmental Issues, and Global Awareness. Under each attribute is a list of five to seven competencies creating a total of seventy-three competencies for graduates of an MET baccalaureate program. This list of attributes and competencies was converted into a survey for the purpose of evaluation by two manufacturing groups: educators and industry representatives. Overall, educators and industry representatives rated the attributes and competencies as important. Ninety-nine percent of the combined educator's and industry representative's competency questions had a mean response of 3.50 and above. Therefore, the competencies are relevant for MET graduates. It was determined that educators did significantly differ from industry representatives for their ratings of the attributes, but educators did not significantly differ from industry representatives for their ratings of the competencies. Generally, industry representatives rated attributes less highly than educators; however, the pattern of responses was similar across educators and industry representatives. The rankings of each attribute section from those rated most important to those rated least important were as follows: Professionalism, Communication, Creativity and Problem Solving, Manufacturing Processes, Design, Safety and Environmental Issues, Quality, Materials, Leadership, Management, Manufacturing Systems, and Global Awareness. Current literature mentions aspects of manufacturing that are considered important and these include: global or international awareness, lean manufacturing, life long learning, and communication. This survey indicated that the Global Awareness section was rated the least important of any section. The lean manufacturing competency had an average ranking out of all seventy-three competencies. Communication has been an important concern for MET graduates since the earliest studies and the survey results suggest that communication continues to be highly valued. MET educational programs should provide many opportunities for students to improve their communication skills.

No description available.

Public involvement is defined as a two-way communication aimed at providing information to the public and incorporating the views, concerns, and issues of the public in transportation decision making. According to U.S. Census data, 60% of U.S. counties are considered rural. Rural communities face unique challenges such as scarce resources, technological and geographical issues, and demographic shifts, which can limit effective engagement capabilities. Engagement strategies that are effective for urbanized and metropolitan areas may not be as effective for these rural communities. This study employed a mixed methods research approach to identify readily deployable practices for meaningful rural community engagement in transportation planning. The research methodology involves a literature review, interviews with supervisors from offices of community transportation, interviews with 24 community leaders in four case communities in Tennessee, and two rounds of Delphi community survey. The research process brought together all key stakeholders to build a true consensus of best practices to engage rural communities in transportation planning. Data analysis showed rural communities feel detached and unaware of the role of Departments of Transportation (DOT) in and their plans for community transportation. Engaging rural communities using social media and conducting virtual meetings can reach wider sections of the community. Lack of consistent internet coverage in rural communities, however, means this type of outreach cannot replace in-person engagement. Securing the support of community leaders, building partnerships, and having a presence in the community will increase trust in DOTs and foster better engagement. A list of recommendations is provided that will enhance rural community engagement for longrange transportation planning in predominantly rural states.

Latinx population is growing rapidly, however, they are falling behind in educational attainment. In Tennessee, 17% of Latinx adults have earned an associate degree or higher, compared to 32% of all adults. This study focuses on improving Latinx students' access to STEM higher education in the Northeast Tennessee region. A survey was conducted among Latinx students who identified legal, financial and social challenges as barriers in their journey to higher education in STEM fields. An innovative collective impact model is proposed as a solution for this socially complex problem. Early data shows positive effects of the initiative.

The desire to produce a learning environment which promotes student motivation, collaboration, and higher order thinking is common within the higher education system of today. Such learning environments also have the ability to address challenges’ Mechanical Engineering Technology (MET) students face entering the workforce. Through the vertical and horizontal integration of courses, this research presents how a scaffolded learning environment with a centralized theme of energy can increase motivation and conceptual retention within students. The integration of courses allows students to systematically translate their competency of concepts between energy based courses through experiential learning. The goal of this work is to develop a competency based learning model where students earn a professionally recognizable credential. The credential is earned through demonstrating their mastery of industry desired skills at a level that goes above and beyond the stock curriculum. The result is a more continuous curriculum that enhances multi-disciplinary problem solving while better preparing MET students for the workforce.

<p>The aim of the research project is to investigate the effectiveness of an information literacy intervention for first year engineering students at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology. Information literacy has been identified as a necessary outcome of tertiary education. It refers to the life-long learning competencies of finding and using information in order to solve problems, to make decisions and to create new knowledge. Information literacy education has evolved from earlier forms of library user education, such as bibliographic instruction, and is central to the mission of academic libraries. However, librarians responsible for information literacy programmes seldom evaluate the effectiveness of their interventions. In today&rsquo / s climate of accountability and outcomes-based education, it is necessary to provide evidence of the benefits of the user education that libraries provide. The researcher uses the American College and Research Library (ACRL) Information Literacy Competency Standards for Higher Education, which are internationally recognized and widely used by South African academic librarians, as a benchmark to evaluate an intervention for a group of first year students enrolled for a mechanical engineering course. The intervention consists of two workshops which aim to teach the students to find information relevant to their essays via the university&rsquo / s OPAC, various engineering databases and to teach them how to reference and cite their sources in their essays. The research methodology assessed students&rsquo / information literacy before and after the two workshops with the use of a questionnaire consisting of a set of questions based on some of the ACRL standards. The questionnaire also gathered data on students&rsquo / prior experience of libraries, reading and computers, which might impact on their information literacy...</p>

L'èxit de la carrera és un resultat important de la trajectòria personal que sovint s'ignora. Totes les empreses i les organitzacions actuals operen en un món canviant, amb crisis globals en el sector energètic, financer i de les tecnologies emergents. Aquestes organitzacions necessiten disposar d'enginyers amb èxit per tal de desenvolupar els avantatges competitius que sustentin el seu desenvolupament futur. La finalitat primera d'aquest estudi ha estat explicar l'èxit en la carrera dels enginyers. Sobre la base de la literatura acadèmica (entre d'altres, Arthur et al., 2005; Heslin, 2005; Gunz, 2005; Baruch, 2006), s'ha elaborat un model de determinants d'èxit de la carrera que considera la perspectiva objectiva i subjectiva d'aquest constructe i s'ha desenvolupat l'evidència empírica de l'èxit en la carrera d'aquesta categoria de treballador del coneixement a l'Amèrica Llatina.Les preguntes de recerca s'han centrat a verificar la relació entre l'èxit en la carrera dels enginyers i els graduats de programes amb orientació pràctica, i la xarxa personal de contactes, la competència individual per a l'administració, l'experiència professional, l'estructura organitzativa i les aspiracions individuals. Les dades s'han obtingut d'una enquesta a 1.135 graduats, que van respondre 1.011, cosa que representa un índex de resposta de 89,7 %, i d'arxius complementaris de l'escola d'enginyeria Tecsup.Els resultats suggereixen que l'èxit en la carrera sovint és determinat, primer, per l'estructura de la carrera a les organitzacions; en un segon nivell, per la xarxa personal i, en un tercer nivell, per l'experiència professional i les aspiracions individuals.Es fan suggeriments per a futures investigacions i s'esmenten les implicacions que poden tenir per als investigadors, els gerents de recursos humans i les organitzacions educatives. / El éxito de carrera es un importante pero frecuentemente ignorado resultado de la carrera personal. Todas las compañías y organizaciones operan en este mundo cambiante, con crisis globales en el sector energético, financiero y tecnologías emergentes. Estas organizaciones necesitan ingenieros más exitosos para el desarrollo de ventajas competitivas que sustente su desarrollo futuro. El propósito primario de este estudio fue explicar el éxito de carrera de los ingenieros. Construido sobre las bases de la literatura académica (entre otros, Arthur et al (2005); Heslin (2005); Gunz (2005); Baruch (2006) )un modelo de determinantes de éxito de carrera fue estudiado que considera la perspectiva objetiva y subjetiva de este constructo, desarrollo la evidencia empírica del éxito de carrera de esta categoría de trabajador del conocimiento en latino America.Las preguntas de investigación estuvieron centradas en verificar la relación entre el éxito de carrera de ingenieros, graduados de programas con orientación practica, y la red personal de contactos, la competencia individual para la administración, la experiencia Professional, la estructura organizacional y las aspiraciones individuales. Los data fueron obtenidos de un encuestar a 1135 graduados,; 1011 respondieron, representando un tasa de respuesta de 89.7 % y archivos complementarios de la escuela de ingeniería Tecsup.Los resultados sugieren que el éxito de carrera esta fuertemente determinada por la estructura de carrera en las organizaciones. En segundo nivel, el éxito de carrera es determinado por la red personal y en un tercer nivel por la experiencia Professional y las aspiraciones individuales.Sugerencias para futuras investigaciones e implicaciones para investigadores, gerentes de recursos humanos y organizaciones educativas son provistas. / Career Success is an important but often overlooked outcome of a person's career experiences. All businesses and organizations operate in a changing World, with global energy crisis and emerging technologies. These organizations need more successful engineers for the development of competitive advantages that sustain his future development. The primary purpose of this study was to explain engineer's career success. Building upon academic literature (e.g, Arthur et al (2005); Heslin(2005); Gunz (2005); Baruch (2006) ) a model of determinants of career success was studied; both objective and subjective perspectives were used, developing empirical evidence for career success of this category of knowledge workers in Latin America.Research questions were focused on the relationship between technologists' career success and their personal network, individual competences, professional experience, organizational structures, and individual aspirations. Data were gathered from a survey of 1135 graduates of engineering technology programs; 1011 responded, for a response rate of 89.7 % and archives of Engineering School.The results suggest that career success of technologist are strongly determined by organizational structures and individual competences. In second level, career success s determined by personal network and in third level the professional experience, and individual aspirations.Suggestions for future research and implications for practitioners, researchers and educative organizations are provided.

<p>The aim of the research project is to investigate the effectiveness of an information literacy intervention for first year engineering students at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology. Information literacy has been identified as a necessary outcome of tertiary education. It refers to the life-long learning competencies of finding and using information in order to solve problems, to make decisions and to create new knowledge. Information literacy education has evolved from earlier forms of library user education, such as bibliographic instruction, and is central to the mission of academic libraries. However, librarians responsible for information literacy programmes seldom evaluate the effectiveness of their interventions. In today&rsquo / s climate of accountability and outcomes-based education, it is necessary to provide evidence of the benefits of the user education that libraries provide. The researcher uses the American College and Research Library (ACRL) Information Literacy Competency Standards for Higher Education, which are internationally recognized and widely used by South African academic librarians, as a benchmark to evaluate an intervention for a group of first year students enrolled for a mechanical engineering course. The intervention consists of two workshops which aim to teach the students to find information relevant to their essays via the university&rsquo / s OPAC, various engineering databases and to teach them how to reference and cite their sources in their essays. The research methodology assessed students&rsquo / information literacy before and after the two workshops with the use of a questionnaire consisting of a set of questions based on some of the ACRL standards. The questionnaire also gathered data on students&rsquo / prior experience of libraries, reading and computers, which might impact on their information literacy...</p>