A review of three approaches to determining students’ capabilities for studying engineering

The staff at a number of Australian engineering schools are using a range of aptitude tests to: (a) grow student numbers in engineering programs by facilitating the entry of students who have an aptitude to study engineering but do not meet entry requirements;(b) identify ‘at risk’ students and provide them with counselling and remedial classes to facilitate a successful transition to university; (c) empower students with self-awareness and learning skills; and/or (d) identify the factors that lead to success in first year engineering studies. Some examples of the tests currently being used include the Australian Technology Network Engineering Selection Test (ATNEST); the Preparing for First Year Engineering (PFFYE) competency test; and the Student Learning Profiles online test. This paper reviews these three approaches currently being used in Australian universities and describes the methods used to deploy the tests, and the experiences gained from implementing the tests. The paper discusses the outcomes of the tests and explores the feasibility of synthesising the best features of the existing tests to develop a single multipurpose test. Engineering schools could then be able to select and deploy the test, or components of the test, to meet their requirements