TY - JOUR
T1 - How Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering Undergraduate Students Define and Develop Data Proficiency
AU - Aikins, Godwyll
AU - Berdanier, Catherine G.P.
AU - Nguyen, Kim Doang
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© American Society for Engineering Education, 2024.
PY - 2024/6/23
Y1 - 2024/6/23
N2 - This paper examines how mechanical and aerospace engineering (MAE) students conceptualize and develop data proficiency within their engineering curriculum. The growing importance of data across all engineering fields means students must master data skills - including advanced techniques - to remain competitive. However, there's limited research on how non-computer science majors understand data proficiency and seek opportunities for skill development. We investigate the nature of data proficiency from the perspective of undergraduate MAE students, conducting 27 qualitative interviews at a research institution in the southeastern United States. Using the How People Learn framework with a postpositivist approach, we employed thematic analysis to evaluate the data within this study's context. Results indicate that MAE students perceive data proficiency as vital for their careers and evidence-based engineering decisions. Moreover, despite data proficiency being a "hidden competency," MAE students actively seek various ways to improve their skills. These findings offer insights for engineering educators, allowing them to tailor instruction, address misconceptions about data, and prepare a data-literate workforce.
AB - This paper examines how mechanical and aerospace engineering (MAE) students conceptualize and develop data proficiency within their engineering curriculum. The growing importance of data across all engineering fields means students must master data skills - including advanced techniques - to remain competitive. However, there's limited research on how non-computer science majors understand data proficiency and seek opportunities for skill development. We investigate the nature of data proficiency from the perspective of undergraduate MAE students, conducting 27 qualitative interviews at a research institution in the southeastern United States. Using the How People Learn framework with a postpositivist approach, we employed thematic analysis to evaluate the data within this study's context. Results indicate that MAE students perceive data proficiency as vital for their careers and evidence-based engineering decisions. Moreover, despite data proficiency being a "hidden competency," MAE students actively seek various ways to improve their skills. These findings offer insights for engineering educators, allowing them to tailor instruction, address misconceptions about data, and prepare a data-literate workforce.
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M3 - Conference article
AN - SCOPUS:85202060765
SN - 2153-5965
JO - ASEE Annual Conference and Exposition, Conference Proceedings
JF - ASEE Annual Conference and Exposition, Conference Proceedings
T2 - 2024 ASEE Annual Conference and Exposition
Y2 - 23 June 2024 through 26 June 2024
ER -