CONSTRUCTIVIST VIEW OF ENGINEERING TECH

Jason X Yang¹Mia Marie Rodriguez¹Martha C Boss¹Anne Lucietto^1*Monita Mungo²Lesley Berhan²Revathy Kumar²Joshua Archer²Jeanne Chen¹

• ¹Purdue University, West Lafayette, United States
• ²The University of Toledo, Toledo, United States

The academic journey of engineering students is characterized by unique motivations, challenges, and a profound sense of connection that influences their educational choices and career aspirations. Recent studies have underscored the significance of connection in fostering persistence among overlooked groups in engineering, particularly students, who often navigate structural unfair practices and microaggressions within predominantly white institutions (Halkiyo and Hailu, 2023;Brisbane et al., 2024; Miles, Brockman and Maphan-Kingery, 2020). This paper aims to explore the factors that shape the decision-making processes of engineering technology students, and the role of supportive communities in enhancing their academic experiences. The choice of engineering technology as a major among students is influenced by personal, academic, and social factors. Research indicates that demographic characteristics, prior academic achievement, and the presence of individuality-based organizations significantly impact students' decisions to enter engineering technology and other related engineering disciplines (Main et al., 2022;Cruz and Kellam, 2018). Halkiyo and Hailu (2023) and Tichavakunda (2024) highlight how group-based and interpersonal factors contribute to forming supportive environments that affirm students' individuality and aspirations. Instead, we examine qualitative data from interviews with some engineering technology students to make the environment one that all students find comfortable and inviting. This study seeks to illuminate how these factors collectively foster a sense of connection, which is crucial for their academic success and persistence in engineering technology. Understanding the experiences of engineering technology students is vital for developing welcoming educational practices and support systems that address their unique needs. By focusing on the interplay between feeling included, selfindividuality, and academic motivation, this research contributes to the broader discourse on fairness in engineering education. It aims to inform strategies that enhance the success of overlooked students in STEM fields. In this case, it focuses on student' thoughts on feeling comfortable and included and how it impacts their life in the academic environment.