Thesis
Engineering student social capital within an in-class peer tutoring program: sources and preferences
Washington State University
Master of Science (MS), Washington State University
2010
Handle:
https://hdl.handle.net/2376/102979
Abstract
Social capital is defined as resources that exist within social networks and are accessed via interactions among network members. Given the difficult nature of the engineering curriculum at most institutions, resources, including those provided by social capital, are important for students. The motivation for this study was to investigate the role of social capital for sophomore engineering students and to explore the various factors affecting its presence. The central purpose of this study was to determine student perceptions of social capital and the factors which affect student access to it in the context of an in-class peer tutoring program. This was accomplished by collecting information about the resources accessed by students and the role that these resources play in students' academic lives. Student interviews provided the principal means of data collection and focused on student resources and why students choose to access those resources. The role of an in-class peer tutoring program in resource sharing among students was also investigated. The findings of this study indicate that the sources of information included teachers, classmates and in-class peer tutors. Social capital proved to be an important asset to most students interviewed. Course difficulty, instructor approachability, and classroom atmosphere were all identified as factors which can have a significant effect on student access to social capital within the sophomore level engineering classroom setting. Social capital has high potential value for sophomore engineering students and is affected by factors which can indicate its accessibility and value for students. In addition, the results from this study can serve as a basis for the development of a model for social capital in engineering education.
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Details
- Title
- Engineering student social capital within an in-class peer tutoring program
- Creators
- David Anthony Street
- Contributors
- Shane Brown (Degree Supervisor)
- Awarding Institution
- Washington State University
- Academic Unit
- Civil and Environmental Engineering, Department of
- Theses and Dissertations
- Master of Science (MS), Washington State University
- Publisher
- Washington State University; Pullman, Wash. :
- Identifiers
- 99900525147301842
- Language
- English
- Resource Type
- Thesis