Ac 2012-5013: the Use of the Social Cognitive Career The- Ory to Predict Engineering Students’ Motivation in the Produced Program

Within the state of Virginia, an initiative to increase the number of engineering students exists via a program called PRODUCED. PRODUCED is an outreach from the University of Virginia (UVA) School of Engineering and Applied Science (SEAS). PRODUCED was initially established to help fill an engineering gap being realized in the Lynchburg, Virginia area, with program roots dating back to 2007; the first graduates are expected in the spring of 2012. To measure the expectations of the students, a portion of Lent and Brown’s Social Cognitive Career Theory (SCCT) model was used. A quantitative survey was developed and sent to students at five community colleges in the state of Virginia. The purpose of the study was to test the predictive relationship among four variables (self-efficacy, outcome expectations, interests, and goals) of the SCCT model and to measure participants’ motivation to pursue engineering degrees and careers. The data from 68 responses were analyzed using internal consistency measures, descriptive statistics, correlations, factor analyses, and multiple regression. KMO and Barlett’s Test yielded significant results to allow factor analyses. The mean of all four variables were above the mid-point of five-point Likert scale. Intercorrelation among the four variables is significant. Cronbach’s alpha of four variables ranged from .75 to .91. Three regression models were used to measure the predictive relationship among the four variables, and all the models yielded significant results. All of the assumptions of regression were reasonably met. However, outcome expectations were not a good predictor of goals. The success of students in 2+2 programs is important; knowing the extent to which students are motivated toward a career goal and then understanding what motivates them is critical to this success. This work provides valuable information as a first step in knowing how to measure student motivation to persist and to determine further research necessary to understand that motivation.