A survey of freshman engineering student attitudes among first-semester mechanical engineering students session of June 2020 in Politeknik Kuching Sarawak
List of Authors
  • Bong Nee Mel

Keyword
  • engineering attitudes, Pittsburg Freshman Engineering Attitude Survey, mechanical engineering

Abstract
  • This paper focuses on identifying engineering attitudes of first-semester mechanical engineering students, session of June 2020 in Politeknik Kuching Sarawak. This study also determines the changes in those attitudes during their first-semester study. The Pittsburg Freshman Engineering Attitude Survey (PFEAS) was conducted twice to the students, pre-survey at the beginning of the semester 1 and post-survey at the end of the semester 1. The analysis used in this survey were descriptive statistics and paired sample t-test. The overall survey results found that the first-semester mechanical engineering students in Politeknik Kuching Sarawak had very encouraging positive engineering attitudes in the aspect of persistence in engineering, perceptions of engineers, confidence in the subjects and skills and studying, working in groups and personal abilities. Besides, there was a very small difference between the male and the female students towards their engineering attitudes in study except for the aspect of confidence in the subjects and skills which the male students possessed more advantages than the female students. The survey results also showed that most of the engineering attitudes were increased from the beginning of semester to the end of semester. The survey also revealed that the students’ confidence in their ability to succeed in engineering study, getting a job after graduation and mechanically inclined were significantly changed with the times. More importantly, all students remained with their intentions to stay in engineering field with no desired to change their major or course. This survey may has provided the useful information for the Department of Mechanical Engineering to build motivation and confidence of engineering students as well as the effort of attraction and retention of students in engineering major.

Reference
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