T3-F: PathTech LIFE (Learning, Interests, Family and Employment): Understanding Engineering Technology Students

Location

Coastal

Start Date

5-3-2018 3:45 PM

Description

Educators can create better learning experiences if they understand more about the students in their classrooms. In most two-year college technical courses and programs, student diversity is particularly high for most demographic characteristics including age, gender, ethnicity and socioeconomic background. The PathTech LIFE project seeks to understand how learning, interests, family, and employment (LIFE) experiences of two-year college students studying various engineering technology related disciplines impact their decisions to enroll, return for further coursework, and/or pursue a certificate or degree. Among other early results, one primary motivator for enrollment in the technical programs is a stronger, more stable and more secure career pathway for supporting the students’ families. This paper represents a work in progress effort that will report on the initial data from a survey as well as the findings of from the “pilot” study conducted regionally in the greater Tampa Bay area.

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Mar 5th, 3:45 PM

T3-F: PathTech LIFE (Learning, Interests, Family and Employment): Understanding Engineering Technology Students

Coastal

Educators can create better learning experiences if they understand more about the students in their classrooms. In most two-year college technical courses and programs, student diversity is particularly high for most demographic characteristics including age, gender, ethnicity and socioeconomic background. The PathTech LIFE project seeks to understand how learning, interests, family, and employment (LIFE) experiences of two-year college students studying various engineering technology related disciplines impact their decisions to enroll, return for further coursework, and/or pursue a certificate or degree. Among other early results, one primary motivator for enrollment in the technical programs is a stronger, more stable and more secure career pathway for supporting the students’ families. This paper represents a work in progress effort that will report on the initial data from a survey as well as the findings of from the “pilot” study conducted regionally in the greater Tampa Bay area.