Aspiring to become an engineer in Hong Kong: effects of engineering education and demographic background on secondary students’ expectation to become an engineer

TY - JOUR

T1 - Aspiring to become an engineer in Hong Kong

T2 - effects of engineering education and demographic background on secondary students’ expectation to become an engineer

AU - Kutnick, Peter

AU - Chan, Rosanna Yuen-Yan

AU - Chan, Cecilia Ka Yuk

AU - Good, David

AU - Lee, Betty Pok-Yee

AU - Lai, Veronica Ka Wai

N1 - Academic output related to Hong Kong funded General Research Grant 744013

PY - 2018/2/6

Y1 - 2018/2/6

N2 - Many post-industrial societies have seen a decline in secondary school students’ aspirations to become an engineer. Hong Kong (HK) is a postindustrial region within a larger industrialising society where no current study identifies engineering aspirations of secondary students. A representative sample of HK (3724 students/23 schools) explored engineering attitudes, perceptions, motivation, efficacy and curricular/ extracurricular experiences using a purposely defined questionnaire. Contributions of these factors to students’ aspirations were differentiated into individual and school contexts using hierarchical linear modelling and structural equation modelling. Descriptive analyses identified boys and younger students in single-sex schools had the most positive attitudes towards engineering but school-based engineering opportunities did not provide significant contributions to students’ aspirations. Aspirations were affected by students’ engineering efficacy, practical ‘hands-on’ experience and limited science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) curricular experience. Similarities between HK and many post-industrial societies, and curriculum/ pedagogical implications concerning efficacy for secondary school engineering education are identified.

AB - Many post-industrial societies have seen a decline in secondary school students’ aspirations to become an engineer. Hong Kong (HK) is a postindustrial region within a larger industrialising society where no current study identifies engineering aspirations of secondary students. A representative sample of HK (3724 students/23 schools) explored engineering attitudes, perceptions, motivation, efficacy and curricular/ extracurricular experiences using a purposely defined questionnaire. Contributions of these factors to students’ aspirations were differentiated into individual and school contexts using hierarchical linear modelling and structural equation modelling. Descriptive analyses identified boys and younger students in single-sex schools had the most positive attitudes towards engineering but school-based engineering opportunities did not provide significant contributions to students’ aspirations. Aspirations were affected by students’ engineering efficacy, practical ‘hands-on’ experience and limited science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) curricular experience. Similarities between HK and many post-industrial societies, and curriculum/ pedagogical implications concerning efficacy for secondary school engineering education are identified.

KW - Engineering education

KW - Hong Kong

KW - Secondary school

KW - Engineering efficacy

U2 - 10.1080/03043797.2018.1435629

DO - 10.1080/03043797.2018.1435629

M3 - Article

SN - 0304-3797

VL - 43

SP - 824

EP - 841

JO - European Journal of Engineering Education

JF - European Journal of Engineering Education

IS - 6

ER -