Fantz, Todd Donovan, authorDe Miranda, Michael A., advisorSiller, Thomas J., advisor2024-03-132024-03-132009https://hdl.handle.net/10217/237718High attrition rates in engineering schools and a decrease in the number of students pursuing engineering degrees has led to concerns of a shortage of engineering trained professionals. A shortage would threaten national security, economic competitiveness, and social conditions in the United States. Outreach programs consisting of pre-engineering classes, multi-day engineering programs (camps), school-sponsored engineering extra-curricular programs, and single-day engineering workshops have been funded and designed to recruit and prepare K-12 students to study engineering in college. The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of pre-collegiate engineering outreach programs to recruit and prepare future engineering students. Data was collected from 332 first-year engineering students at one university. Students were asked to list and rate their personal engineering experiences and influences to study engineering and their self-efficacy in their engineering courses. Correlation analysis was used to explore linear relationships among demographic factors, pre-collegiate exposure to engineering content, and engineering self-efficacy. Effectiveness of formal and informal pre-collegiate outreach programs and differences between demographic characteristics were examined through regression, ANOVA, and t-test analysis. Results from this research indicate experiences from technology and pre-collegiate engineering programs are a significant source of motivation for students to study engineering. Exposure to engineering content during the pre-collegiate years was also shown to have a positive effect on the students' engineering self-efficacy. In particular, students with formal K-12 technology and pre-engineering coursework had higher self-efficacy scores than those who did not. In addition, students who had hobbies involving computers and programming showed higher self-efficacy scores than the students who did not. Males were found to have statistically significant higher engineering self-efficacy and significantly greater number of pre-collegiate engineering experiences than females. This research adds to the breadth of knowledge about pre-collegiate engineering and technology outreach programs. The data and research findings in this study can inform engineering educators in assessing the effectiveness of pre-collegiate engineering outreach programs to recruit students into engineering programs and prepare them for success.born digitaldoctoral dissertationsengCopyright and other restrictions may apply. User is responsible for compliance with all applicable laws. For information about copyright law, please see https://libguides.colostate.edu/copyright.engineering educationengineering outreachengineering studentsfirst-year studentsK-12 pre-engineeringprecollegiateself-efficacytechnology educationwomen in engineeringengineeringhigher educationcolleges and universitiesengineering schoolsstudentsTextPer the terms of a contractual agreement, all use of this item is limited to the non-commercial use of Colorado State University and its authorized users.