Are Math Readiness and Personality Predictive of First-Year Retention in Engineering
The Journal of Psychology, 2011, 145(3), 229–245
Copyright C 2011 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC
Are Math Readiness and Personality
Predictive of First-Year Retention in Engineering?
LAURIE MOSES
CATHY HALL
KARL WUENSCH
KAREN DE URQUIDI
PAUL KAUFFMANN
WILLIAM SWART
STEVE DUNCAN
GENE DIXON
East Carolina University
ABSTRACT. On the basis of J. G. Borkowski, L. K. Chan, and N. Muthukrishna’s model of academic success (2000), the present authors hypothesized that freshman retention in an engineering program would be related to not only basic aptitude but also affective factors.
Participants were 129 college freshmen with engineering as their stated major. Aptitude was measured by SAT verbal and math scores, high school grade-point average (GPA), and an assessment of calculus readiness. Affective factors were assessed by the NEO–Five
Factor Inventory (FFI; P. I. Costa & R. R. McCrae, 2007), and the Nowicki–Duke Locus of
Control (LOC) scale (S. Nowicki & M. Duke, 1974). A binary logistic regression analysis found that calculus readiness and high school GPA were predictive of retention. Scores on the Neuroticism and Openness subscales from the NEO-FFI and LOC were correlated with retention status, but Openness was the only affective factor with a significant unique effect in the binary logistic regression. Results of the study lend modest support to Borkowski’s model. Keywords: calculus readiness, college retention, engineering students, Five Factor Model,
Locus of Control, STEM fields
THE NEED FOR TRAINED ENGINEERS IN THE U.S. WORKFORCE is constantly increasing, and the number of students graduating from engineering programs is not keeping up with this demand (Duderstadt, 2001). Even though students are applying to engineering programs at rates that match those of other college
Address correspondence to Cathy Hall, 214 Rawl Building, Psychology Department, East
Carolina University, Greenville, NC 27858, USA; hallc@ecu.edu (e-mail).
229
Copyright C 2011 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC
Are Math Readiness and Personality
Predictive of First-Year Retention in Engineering?
LAURIE MOSES
CATHY HALL
KARL WUENSCH
KAREN DE URQUIDI
PAUL KAUFFMANN
WILLIAM SWART
STEVE DUNCAN
GENE DIXON
East Carolina University
ABSTRACT. On the basis of J. G. Borkowski, L. K. Chan, and N. Muthukrishna’s model of academic success (2000), the present authors hypothesized that freshman retention in an engineering program would be related to not only basic aptitude but also affective factors.
Participants were 129 college freshmen with engineering as their stated major. Aptitude was measured by SAT verbal and math scores, high school grade-point average (GPA), and an assessment of calculus readiness. Affective factors were assessed by the NEO–Five
Factor Inventory (FFI; P. I. Costa & R. R. McCrae, 2007), and the Nowicki–Duke Locus of
Control (LOC) scale (S. Nowicki & M. Duke, 1974). A binary logistic regression analysis found that calculus readiness and high school GPA were predictive of retention. Scores on the Neuroticism and Openness subscales from the NEO-FFI and LOC were correlated with retention status, but Openness was the only affective factor with a significant unique effect in the binary logistic regression. Results of the study lend modest support to Borkowski’s model. Keywords: calculus readiness, college retention, engineering students, Five Factor Model,
Locus of Control, STEM fields
THE NEED FOR TRAINED ENGINEERS IN THE U.S. WORKFORCE is constantly increasing, and the number of students graduating from engineering programs is not keeping up with this demand (Duderstadt, 2001). Even though students are applying to engineering programs at rates that match those of other college
Address correspondence to Cathy Hall, 214 Rawl Building, Psychology Department, East
Carolina University, Greenville, NC 27858, USA; hallc@ecu.edu (e-mail).
229