Teeter Stephanie D, Husseini Naji S, Cole Jacqueline H
Joint Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, and North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, United States; Department of STEM Education, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, United States.
Joint Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, and North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, United States.
J Biomech. 2020 Apr 16;103:109683. doi: 10.1016/j.jbiomech.2020.109683. Epub 2020 Feb 24.
National Biomechanics Day aims to introduce students to the emerging field of biomechanics and improve their perception of engineering and engineers. This quantitative study examines participants' attitude changes following one such event. By prioritizing increasing excitement and engagement over teaching content, we anticipate that students' opinions of engineering and biomechanics will improve following the event. Pre- and post-test surveys consisting of Likert scale and semantic differential (SD) items assessed changes in three key areas: self-identity as a scientist and engineer, attitudes toward engineering, and attitudes toward biomechanics. Based on unpaired and paired student responses, we found significant gains in all three areas. Students agreed more strongly with statements regarding whether they saw themselves as scientists and engineers, and they had improved attitudes toward engineering in general and biomechanics specifically. The SD scales also reflected improved opinions of both science and biomechanics. These more positive attitudes could eventually lead to more students recruited to study a variety of engineering disciplines, ultimately addressing the ongoing national shortage of qualified engineers.
全国生物力学日旨在向学生介绍新兴的生物力学领域，并提升他们对工程学和工程师的认知。这项定量研究考察了参与者在参加一次此类活动后的态度变化。通过将增加兴奋感和参与度置于教学内容之上，我们预计活动结束后学生对工程学和生物力学的看法会有所改善。由李克特量表和语义差异（SD）项目组成的前后测试调查问卷评估了三个关键领域的变化：作为科学家和工程师的自我认同、对工程学的态度以及对生物力学的态度。基于未配对和配对的学生回答，我们发现在所有三个领域都有显著提升。学生们更强烈地认同关于他们是否将自己视为科学家和工程师的陈述，并且他们对工程学总体上以及对生物力学具体而言都有了更好的态度。SD量表也反映出对科学和生物力学的看法有所改善。这些更积极的态度最终可能会吸引更多学生攻读各种工程学科，最终解决全国范围内持续存在的合格工程师短缺问题。
