Using Focus Groups to Understand Military Veteran Students’ Pathways in Engineering Education
Using Focus Groups to Understand Military Veteran Students’ Pathways in Engineering Education
复制标题
利用焦点小组了解退伍军人学生的工程教育途径
DOI：
10.18260/p.27147
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发表时间：
2016
影响因子：
3.4
通讯作者：
S. Lord
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Joyce B. Main;M. Camacho;C. Mobley;C. Brawner;S. Lord
本研究探讨了退伍军人攻读工程学士学位的经验。鉴于退伍军人的不同背景，他们的人数不断增加，以及国家对工程专业人员的需求不断增长，现在是研究退伍军人学生接受工程教育的条件以及为他们提供最大支持的因素的理想时机。在三个机构，圣地亚哥大学，北卡罗来纳州州立大学，和普渡大学，学生退伍军人的比较案例研究方法进行了采访，在焦点小组获得以下研究问题的见解：1。为什么退伍军人要攻读工程学士学位？2.军事经历如何塑造学生退伍军人的教育经历？3.退伍军人学生在工程教育方面有什么经验？主题分析表明，退伍军人追求工程的基础上（1）以前的经验与工程相关的活动，而在军队中，（2）来自家人和朋友的建议，（3）工程学科的挑战性，和/或（4）积极的工作前景（包括声望和工资）与工程专业。出现的其他主题包括：退伍军人学生和传统学生之间的差异，以及平衡学术和家庭生活。在焦点小组中接受采访的大多数学生退伍军人报告了积极的学术经验，并得到了教师和学生服务部门的充分支持。一些人指出，他们从军队中获得的纪律、职业道德、团队合作技能和心态促进了他们在工程课程中的进步。有些人表示，在提出问题和寻求教师帮助学习课程材料方面比其他传统学生更直言不讳，而其他人则依赖于学习小组。调查结果将为各种应用提供背景和信息，例如：确定军队可以帮助分离服务人员过渡到工程教育的方法，制定新的战略，以支持学生退伍军人的成功，确定被忽视的领域，以促进学生退伍军人参与工程，并为开展大规模研究提供关键信息，以调查工程专业的学生退伍军人。
This study examines the experiences of military veterans pursuing bachelor’s degrees in engineering. Given the diverse backgrounds of veterans, their increasing numbers, and the growing national demand for engineering professionals, the timing is ideal to study the conditions under which student veterans pursue engineering education and the factors that offer them the greatest support for success. Using a comparative case study approach across three institutions, University of San Diego, North Carolina State University, and Purdue University, student veterans are interviewed in focus groups to gain insights on the following research questions: 1. Why do veterans pursue a Bachelor’s degree in engineering? 2. How do military experiences shape student veterans’ educational experiences? 3. What are the experiences of student veterans in engineering education? The thematic analysis indicates that military veterans pursue engineering based on (1) previous experiences with engineering-related activities while in the military, (2) recommendations from family and friends, (3) the challenging nature of the engineering discipline, and/or (4) the positive job outlook (including prestige and salary) associated with the engineering profession. Other themes that emerged include: differences between student veterans and traditional students and balancing academic and family lives. Most of the student veterans interviewed in the focus groups reported positive academic experiences with sufficient to ample support from faculty and student services. Some noted that the discipline, work ethic, teaming skills, and the mindset that they gained from the military facilitated their progress through the engineering curriculum. Some indicated being more vocal than other traditional students in asking questions and in seeking help from faculty in regard to learning course materials, while others relied on study groups. Findings will provide context and information for various applications, such as: identifying ways in which the military can help separating service members transition into engineering education, development of new strategies to support student veterans' success, identification of overlooked areas to promote student veterans' participation in engineering, and generation of critical information for development of larger-scale studies for investigating student veterans in engineering.