Developing the postsecondary student engagement survey (PosSES) to measure undergraduate engineering students' out of class involvement

Abstract

A large body of literature focuses on the importance of student involvement in all aspects of college for achieving desired educational outcomes. In the engineering education literature, participation in out of the class activities is linked to the development of several ABET and Engineer of 2020 outcomes. Largely engineering students do not participate in such activities. Further, education scholars assert that individual effort and involvement in academic, interpersonal, and campus activities occurring outside of the college classroom essentially dictate the impact of college. Such activities are associated with a range of positive educational practices and conditions, but are not well understood especially for underrepresented students in engineering. As a vital first step toward a better understanding, this paper discusses the development of a survey to accurately measure undergraduate engineering students' decisions to participate in out-of-class activities and the students' outcomes from involvement in these activities. Specifically, this paper details the development of the items and face and content validity for the Postsecondary Student Engagement Survey (PosSES). The instrument development is guided by a thorough literature review, web searches, a Q-study using focus group meetings, a panel of experts, and finally, think aloud sessions to determine face and content validity. The instrument measures positive and negative involvement outcomes and factors that promote and prevent participation decisions in out-of-class activities; and engineering identification, sense of belonging, engineering major intentions, engineering career intentions, proactive personality, and major satisfaction. Pilot testing of the instrument in the engineering student population to develop the final version of instrument is currently underway.