A comparison of adult learning characteristics between first-year and senior capstone students

Abstract

The ability to teach engineers who are capable of working effectively in a field or discipline relies on an education that is situated in a realistic and comparable environment commonly seen in project-based learning (PBL) courses. A common example of these types of learning environments is represented in design courses, both at the first-year and senior levels. These types of courses require students to exhibit a high level of motivation and advanced cognitive development, representative of an adult learner, in order to successfully meet the requirements of the course. Studies have acknowledged that in order to develop critical thinkers and capable problem solvers, teachers must understand the needs of today's engineering student and design instruction to meet those needs. The development of students in undergraduate curriculum varies widely as undergraduates have been identified as being in a transitional phase of life between children and adults. This variation has increased recently as an increasing number of non- Traditional students enter academia as a result of delayed college enrollment, second career adults, and military veteran undergraduates. This study explores student motivation and intellectual development by addressing research questions: How do adult learning (andragogical) characteristics of students in first-year design courses compare to those in senior design? and What is the relationship between andragogical characteristics and design learning? These questions will be answered through a survey of student andragogical characteristics composed of several pre-developed and validated instruments associated with their corresponding theoretical framework. This paper describes the development of the pilot instrument to assess the andragogical characteristics based on four theoretical frameworks inferred from Knowles' assumptions: self-directed learning, expectancyvalue theory, emerging adulthood, and epistemological beliefs. The frameworks establish a theoretical basis and offer significant insight for the collection of data to assess the role they play in the development of an adult learner. Analyses included several statistical analyses to explore the underlying factor structure of andragogical constructs, key andragogical constructs associated with design learning, and comparison of first-year and senior students. Findings have identified five major factors that support the use of the theoretical frameworks to operationalize andragogy, while identifying discrepancies among their sub-constructs. Student differences have been primarily associated with developmental areas associated with emerging adulthood. These differences can greatly impact the way design educators mentor their students and coach them through teaming issues, especially for non- Traditional students. © American Society for Engineering Education, 2014.