Perceptions and Attitudes of Secondary School Students towards Engineers and Engineering

Abstract

The aim of this research is to determine the perceptions and attitudes of fifth and sixth grade secondary school students towards engineers and engineering. The study group consists of fifty four students receiving education in the fifth and sixth grades of a state secondary school in Turkey.  Convergent parallel design, as a mixed methods research design, was used during the research. The research data were obtained using the questionnaire on attitudes towards engineers and a draw-an-engineer form. Descriptive and predictive statistical techniques and content analysis were used during data analysis. The research results indicate that, students perceive engineers as qualified construction workers, repairers, managers or designers; and that they have stereotypical opinions about their gender. Despite their positive attitudes towards engineering, students were found to prefer engineering as a profession at a low level. The research was carried out with a view to contribute to the related literature, educators and researchers with research results obtained from Turkish education system in which STEM education has an increasing importance.

Keywords: STEM education, engineering, perception, attitude, stereotypical opinions