Research Initiation: Exploring the role of innovation and social self-efficacy within a diverse engineering ecosystem at New Mexico State University's College of Engineering

New Mexico State University, Las Cruces NM

Investigators

Abstract

As a Hispanic Serving Institution, New Mexico State University (NMSU) has branded itself as a place for self-discovery and transformation. How this "branding" actually translates to the educational experience of engineering students is the focus of this proposal. The College of Engineering (CoE) at NMSU has a diverse population of students composed of Hispanic minorities (57%), first-generation students, non-traditional students, English language learners (ELL), and students from rural communities. These unique demographics are known to impact student learning abilities, individual perception of the ability to succeed, and the ability to persevere. The overall goal of this work is to strengthen the educational experience of engineers from diverse backgrounds and identify the set of innovation and entrepreneurial resources that enhance student success. The first aim will be to correlate social self-efficacy, the belief students can succeed, to the successful formation of engineers. The second aim of this project will be to take what is learned and disseminate it. The impact of this work comes from the unique social backgrounds of underrepresented students that can impact their self-efficacy. For example, the ability for students to believe they can succeed in engineering is linked to their "hard working" mindset and inherent willingness to try new tasks and fail, both of which are at least partially developed through their cultural background. Conversely social influences that are unique to underrepresented minorities can increase self-doubt and decrease a student's belief that perseverance is possible in the engineering program of their choice. By correlating self-efficacy with these cultural factors we are developing an understanding of how student demographics affects long term identity as engineers. Much is known about the value of innovation and entrepreneurship in engineering education. The New Mexico State University College of Engineering, like many institutions, has created resources, spaces, and opportunities to increase the creation of engineers with entrepreneurial mindsets. Despite these efforts, forces related to social identity challenge innovation self-efficacy (ISE). It is recognized that social influence plays a significant role in engineering formation, and that it is important to understand how social self-efficacy is related to engineering identity. The intellectual merit of this work addresses this disconnect through two major thrusts. The first thrust is to involve freshmen engineering students in a study that aims to measure relationships between social identity, engineering identity and the interconnection between self-efficacy and social environments. This effort will include an intervention-like study that incorporates metacognition, entrepreneurial-minded learning, design thinking activities, and assessment of the study with mock industry interviews, student surveys, and comparison to a national engineering survey. The second thrust will focus on the professional development of the principal investigators. The aim is to foster their transition from consumers of engineering education to producers of engineering education. The intent is to initiate both engineering faculty into educational research and simultaneously establish a mechanism to sustain entrepreneurial minded learning throughout core classes offered in the college. Activities by the investigators include interaction with a social sciences mentor, interaction with topical-coaches, team teaching, transformation of core engineering courses, and dissemination to other engineering faculty. The broader impacts of this work are addressed by a strong focus on underrepresented groups across the different disciplines of engineering. The project will result in practical ways to increase retention and progression of underrepresented minority students into the workforce through research-based teaching practices, role induction and socialization of minority students in engineering, and developing a true meaning of community engagement through integrated principles transcending the cultural values of the student and the engineering program.