A STUDY OF ATTITUDES OF GRADUATES OF BACCALAUREATE DEGREE PROGRAMS IN ENGINEERING AND ENGINEERING TECHNOLOGY (HISTORY)

Problem and Need for Study. History indicates that technical progress results from reciprocating relationships between applications and theory. Both are necessary.;Study Purpose. The purpose of this research is to find if attitude differences exist between particular Bachelor of Engineering and particular Bachelor of Engineering Technology graduates toward significant concepts in the engineering and engineering technology education field.;The Research. Engineering education literature from 1955 through 1975 was researched. 95 potentially important concepts were obtained and converted into a questionnaire which was mailed to certain university engineering and engineering technology faculty throughout the United States. From the faculty answers, fifteen significant theoretical and applied concepts were chosen for the semantic differential Final Questionnaire. Final Questionnaires were sent to 1975 through 1979 Civil, Electrical, and Mechanical baccalaureate graduates in Engineering from the University of Kentucky and in Engineering Technology from Western Kentucky University.;Final Questionnaire responses were factor analyzed, obtaining 29 factors. These factors were used to test for significant differences at the .05 level with Hotellings T Squared statistic.;Radical changes in United States Engineering Education began in 1955: trending from traditional applications orientations toward more theoretical-scientific approaches. These changes caused continuing controversy and in the 1960's spawned baccalaureate degree in engineering technology. Industry often considered technologists to be engineers. Technologists began competing with baccalaureate engineering graduates for some industry jobs. Comparative studies have found some differences but no information exists on the attitudes of the two baccalaureate graduate groups toward significant concepts in the engineering education field.;Study Findings. (1) Attitudes of both groups was always closely similar. (2) Engineers were "more positive" on theoretical items such as Differential Equations, Calculus, Synthesis, Math Integration, and History. Engineering Technologists were "more positive" on applied items including the Professional Engineer's License, Drafting, and Maintenance. Engineering Technologists considered Calculus "extremely" THEORETICAL. Engineers considered it only "slightly" so. Both were positive about Technologists. (3) Within Engineering Technology there were no significant differences between specialties. (4) Within Engineering, Electrical Engineers were more positive toward Synthesis than were Civils or Mechanicals and they were more positive on Differential Equations than Civil Engineers.