Assessing Engineering Students' Understanding of Social Responsibility from Undergraduate and Graduate Education into Professional Life听

Overview:

This research project explored the professional social responsibility attitudes of engineering students and working engineers. The primary contributions included the development of a new framework (the Professional Responsibility Development Model, PSRDM), the development of an instrument to measure social responsibility attitudes among engineering students (Engineering Professional Responsibility Assessment, EPRA), and data on differences among engineering students in their social responsibility attitudes (based on gender, rank, discipline, religious attitudes, and institution). The research used a mixed-methods approach, including extensive quantitative data and qualitative data (interviews, open-ended survey responses). The research found some evidence of decreasing social responsibility attitudes over time, similar to the "culture of disengagement". The research used a mixed-methods approach, including extensive quantitative data and qualitative data (interviews, open-ended survey responses).

Link to more information on research and publications at:听

Funding for the project came from the National Science Foundation, Division of Engineering Education and Centers,听Award #1158863.听

  • PI: Angela R. Bielefeldt (麻豆官网)
  • Research team: Nathan Canney (dissertation research; formerly instructor at Seattle University, currently engineer at CYS Structural Engineers) and Greg Rulifson (dissertation research; formerly assistant teaching professor Colorado School of Mines, currently AAAS fellow). Undergraduate research assistants: Whitney Thomas and Tess Bowling.

Journal Publications:

  1. N. Canney and A. Bielefeldt. 2015. A Framework for the Development of Social Responsibility in Engineers. International Journal of Engineering Education. vol. 31, no. 1(B), pp. 414-424.
  2. N.E. Canney and A.R. Bielefeldt. 2016. Validity and Reliability Evidence of the Engineering Professional Responsibility Assessment Tool. Journal of Engineering Education. vol. 105, issue 3, pp. 452-477.
  3. A.R. Bielefeldt and N. Canney. 2014. Impacts of Service-Learning on the Professional Social Responsibility Attitudes of Engineering Students. International Journal for Service Learning in Engineering: Humanitarian Engineering and Social Entrepreneurship. vol. 9, no. 2, pp. 47-63.
  4. N.E. Canney and A.R. Bielefeldt. 2015. Differences in Engineering Students' Views of Social Responsibliity between Disciplines. Journal of Professional Issues in Engineering Education and Practice. vol. 141, issue 4.
  5. N.E. Canney and A.R. Bielefeldt. 2015. Gender Differences in the Social Responsibility Attitudes of Engineering Students and How They Change Over Time. Journal of Women and Minorities in Science and Engineering. vol. 21, issue 3, pp. 215-237. DOI: 10.1615/JWomenMinorScienEng.2015011109.
  6. A.R. Bielefeldt and N.E. Canney. 2016. Relationships between religion, spirituality, and socially responsible engineering. Engineering Studies. vol. 8, issue 1,
  7. A.R. Bielefeldt and N.E. Canney. 2016. Humanitarian Aspirations of Engineering Students: Differences between Disciplines and Institutions. Journal of Humanitarian Engineering. vol. 4, no. 1.
  8. G. Rulifson and A. Bielefeldt. 2017. Motivations to Leave Engineering: Through a Lens of Social Responsibility. Engineering Studies,听9 (3),
  9. G. Rulifson and A.R. Bielefeldt. 2019. Evolution of Students' Varied Conceptualizations About Socially Responsible Engineering: A Four Year Longitudinal Study. Science and Engineering Ethics. 25, 939-974.听
  10. G. Rulifson and A.R. Bielefeldt. 2019. Learning social responsibility: Evolutions of undergraduate students' predicted engineering futures. International Journal of Engineering Education. 35 (2), 572-584.听
  11. A.R. Bielefeldt and N.E. Canney. 2018. Working engineers' satisfaction with helping people and society through their jobs. European听Journal of Engineering Education. Published online 20 May 2018. 听
  12. N. Canney and A. Bielefeldt. 2020. Collegiate service engagement correlations with engineering job selection and satisfaction. International Journal for听Service Learning in Engineering. 15 (1), 1-17.听

Conference Paper听Publications:

  1. A.R. Bielefeldt. 2021. Intersectional complexities of race/ethnicity and gender in engineering students鈥� professional social responsibility attitudes. American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE) Annual Conference & Exposition.
  2. G. Rulifson, A.R. Bielefeldt. 2020. Health Stress and Support System Narratives of Engineering Students.听American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE) Annual Conference & Exposition. 15 pp. Best Diversity Paper from Engineering Ethics Division.听
  3. A.R. Bielefeldt, G. Rulifson. 2020. Undergraduate Student Benefits from Involvement in K-12 Outreach.听American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE) Annual Conference & Exposition. 14 pp.听
  4. Bielefeldt, A.R., G. Rulifson, and N.E. Canney. 2019. Social Responsibility Related to Global Experiences and Interests of U.S. Engineering Students. American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE) Annual Conference & Exposition. Best paper award from International Division. 20 pp.
  5. Bielefeldt, A.R., N.E. Canney, and G. Rulifson. 2019. Military-Bound and Veteran Student Views on Engineering Social Responsibility. American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE) Annual Conference & Exposition. 19 pp.
  6. G. Rulifson and A. Bielefeldt. 2018. Influence of Internships on Engineering Students' Attitudes about Socially Responsible Engineering. Frontiers in Education (FIE) Conference. San Jose CA.听6 pp.
  7. A.R. Bielefeldt and G. Rulifson. 2018. Environmental Considerations in Engineering: Students' Goals and Journeys. American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE) Annual Conference & Exposition.听 15 pp.
  8. G. Rulifson and A. Bielefeldt. 2017. Fourth-Year Engineering Students' Descriptions of the Importance of Improving Society Through their Engineering Careers. American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE) Annual Conference & Exposition. Columbus OH. 18 pp.
  9. A.R. Bielefeldt and N.E. Canney. 2016. Perspectives of Engineers on Ethical Dilemmas in the Workplace. American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE) Annual Conference & Exposition. New Orleans. 18 pp. DOI 10.18260/p.25892.
  10. N.E. Canney, A.R Bielefeldt, G. Rulifson. 2016. Exploring Interviews as Validity Evidence for the Engineering Professional Responsibility Assessment. American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE) Annual Conference & Exposition. New Orleans. 15 pp. DOI 10.18260/p.26851.
  11. N.E. Canney, A.R. Bielefeldt, M. Russu. 2015. Which Courses Influence Engineering Students' Views of Social Responsibility? American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE) Annual Conference & Exposition. Seattle WA.听15 pp. DOI 10.18260/p.25071.
  12. G. Rulifson, N.E. Canney, and A.R. Bielefeldt. 2015. Service-Motivated Students' Transitions to Industry. American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE) Annual Conference & Exposition. Seattle WA.听10 pp. DOI 10.18260/p.24705.
  13. N.E. Canney and A.R. Bielefeldt. 2015. Volunteerism in Engineering Students and Its Relation to Social Responsiblity. American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE) Annual Conference & Exposition. Seattle WA. 12 pp. DOI 10.18260/p.25046.
  14. G. Rulifson and A.R. Bielefeldt. 2015. Engineering Students' Varied and Changing Views of Social Responsiblity. American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE) Annual Conference & Exposition. Seattle WA. 16 pp. DOI 10.18260/p.23981.
  15. N. Canney,听A.R. Bielefeldt, M. Russu. 2015. How Engineering Students Define Social Responsibility. Frontiers in Education (FIE) Conference.听 Oct. 21-24, El Paso, TX.
  16. A.R. Bielefeldt and N.E. Canney. 2014. Social Responsiblity Attitudes of First-Year Engineering Students and the Impact of Courses. American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE) Annual Conference & Exposition. Indianapolis. 16 pp.
  17. G.A. Rulifson, A.R. Bielefeldt, W. Thomas. 2014. Understanding of Social Responsibilityby First Year Engineering Students: Ethical Foundations and Courses. American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE) Annual Conference & Exposition. Indianapolis. 27 pp.
  18. N. Canney听and听A. Bielefeldt. 2013. Examining the Correlation between Religion and Social Responsibility in Engineering Students. 43rd Annual Frontiers in Education (FIE) Conference. Oct. 23-26. Oklahoma City, OK.
  19. N.E. Canney, T. Bowling, A.R. Bielefeldt. 2013. In their own words: Engineering students' views on the relationship between the engineering profession and society. American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE) Annual Conference & Exposition. Atlanta GA. 11 pp.

Book Chapter Publications:

  1. Bielefeldt, A.R. 2018. Professional Social Responsibility in Engineering. Chapter 3听in: Social Responsibility. I. Muenstermann, Editor. InTech Publishing.听
  2. N. Canney. 2016. Shaping Future Engineers through Service in Engineering Education. Chapter 7 in: Engineering Professionalism. U. Jorgensen & S. Brodersen, Eds. Sense Publishers. pp. 125-144.