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Influence of Internships on Engineering Students’ Attitudes about Socially Responsible Engineering | IEEE Conference Publication | IEEE Xplore

Influence of Internships on Engineering Students’ Attitudes about Socially Responsible Engineering


Abstract:

This Research Full Paper presents an element of original research uncovering what how engineering students change their social responsibility attitudes. As engineering st...Show More

Abstract:

This Research Full Paper presents an element of original research uncovering what how engineering students change their social responsibility attitudes. As engineering students transition into the workforce they gain significant responsibility for individuals and society through their decisions. Internships have been found to be an important site where students begin to develop their identity as an engineer and understand the engineering profession. This research explored how internships affected students' perceptions of engineers' social responsibilities. In this qualitative, longitudinal study, students were asked about their understandings of and influences on social responsibility in ~1 hour interviews each year throughout four years of college. Fifteen engineering students who participated in internship experiences outside of academia form the cases explored. These students were attending five universities and primarily majoring in civil and mechanical engineering, with four additional majors represented. The various internship experiences led four students to expand their understanding of socially responsible engineering (SRE), with three working at public sector jobs. In contrast, three other students narrowed their understanding of SRE and the majority experienced minimal change due to their internships. Faculty may want to consider internship experiences when developing curriculum related to ethics and societal impacts, setting expectations prior to the experiences to attune students to these issues and incorporating reflection and discussion elements for seniors to examine these issues.
Date of Conference: 03-06 October 2018
Date Added to IEEE Xplore: 07 March 2019
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Conference Location: San Jose, CA, USA

References

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