A Comparison Of The Attitudes And Motivation Of Students In An Introductory Technical Graphics Course

In the Fall semester of 2007, students in introductory engineering graphics courses at North Carolina State University (NCSU) were given a survey as well as motivation test to examine their attitudes and motivation to learn material in an introductory technical graphics course. This survey provided the Graphic Communications Program at NCSU with a look at the ways in which their classes achieve and fail in their mission to teach graphic concepts, methodology, and an appreciation of the function of graphics in professional and personal day to-day experiences. The survey of 43 questions was based on the Colorado Learning Attitudes about Science Survey (CLASS) given by the Department of Physics at the University of Colorado. At the same time, an 81 question motivational survey was also given to the same students. Known as the Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire (MSLQ), 31 questions related to motivation on this instrument focuses on six areas associated with student learning and motivation. Analyses of the data obtained from both of these surveys are examined and compared to determine how they relate to each other for individual students.