Assessing Engineering Students' Understanding of Social Responsibility from Undergraduate and Graduate Education into Professional Life

University Of Colorado At Boulder, Boulder CO

Investigators

Abstract

This engineering education research project seeks to understand the long-term impact of service learning on engineering students' career trajectories and their ability to make ethical decision making in their careers. The project will both develop fundamental understanding of service learning's impact on students as well as develop metrics for measuring the impact of service learning which can be widely adopted by the increasing number of engineering programs that utilize service learning in their curricula. One particular element of note in this study is that it engages current and former Army officers. The broader significance and importance of this project will be that it will generate knowledge that can broadly impact how universities design and evaluate service learning programs, which is of particular relevance for engineering degree programs due to accreditation requirements. Service learning programs have been shown to attract a large number of students who are traditionally under-represented in engineering degree programs, thus this research may additionally result in increased diversity. This project overlaps with NSF's strategic goal of transforming the frontiers through preparation of an engineering workforce with new capabilities and expertise. Additionally NSF's goal of innovating for society is enabled by supporting the development of innovative learning systems.