1 Evaluating an Engineering Overview Brochure for Educational Outreach to Elementary Schools

Our modern technology-based society depends on qualified engineers for the development of nearly all products that we see, touch, and smell every day. However, only a minuscule fraction of the U.S. students in elementary through high school grades is aware of the critical role that engineers play in our society and the abundant career opportunities in engineering. Engineering colleges and professional organizations have initiated a wide range of outreach programs to educate U.S. K-12 students about engineering and attract them to engineering programs of study. Brochures or pamphlets that give an overview of engineering are often employed in such outreach programs alongside other mechanisms, such as field trips, engineering open houses, and summer camps. The goal of the present study was to initiate a rigorous research program examining the effectiveness of overview brochures in improving the perceptions of elementary school students about engineering. An engineering overview brochure was designed and developed by a multi-disciplinary team involving experts in marketing, psychology, education, and engineering. The effectiveness of the brochure for engineering outreach was evaluated with a survey instrument. The survey assessed perceptions relating to student self-efficacy, utility, interest in engineering as well as perceptions relating to gender roles in engineering, and negative stereotypes of engineers.