The four-phase interest development in engineering survey

Abstract

The Four-Phase Interest in Engineering Survey (FIDES) was developed to address a need for a survey instrument derived from current interest development theory to measure the psychological construct of student interest in engineering. The FIDES survey was developed using the Four-Phase Model of Interest Development as a theoretical framework for identifying indicators of student interest. In this paper we discuss the design and development of the FIDES instrument using an iterative method. After two rounds of modification and fine tuning, we present the FIDES 2.0 instrument as a valid and reliable tool for measuring student interest in engineering. We explore the merits and limitations for the FIDES 2.0 to inform our understanding of interest as a developing psychological construct, and suggest appropriate applications that would benefit from using the survey.