Factors predicting students’ persistence and academic success in an aerospace engineering program

• Autores: Devayan D. Bir, Benjamin Ahn
• Localización: The International journal of engineering education, ISSN-e 0949-149X, Vol. 35, no. 4, 2019, págs. 1263-1275
• Idioma: inglés
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• Resumen

  • The purpose of this study is to improve the persistence and academic outcomes of undergraduate students majoring in aerospaceengineering (AE) by studying their pre-university academic abilities, demographic characteristics, and early experiences at auniversity. To explore significant factors that predict students’ persistence and academic success, data were collected from first-yearAE students from 2011 to 2016 at a large Midwestern university in the United States. Two data sets were analyzed: data from aRegistrar’s Office on students’ demographic characteristics and data from an online survey, derived from Tinto’s model ofinstitutional departure, completed by students within 4 to 6 weeks of joining the university. Logistics regression analyses were runto highlight the factors that affected students’ persistence and academic success in AE. High school preparation was positivelyrelated to predicting academic success and persistence for AE students. Coping with academic work, satisfaction with academic life,and being a part of a learning community were also important factors for AE students’ academic success and persistence. Socialexperiences at the university did not impact students’ persistence and students’ academic outcomes. Early personalized interventionsmay help students persist in the AE program.