Data of the constructivist practices in the learning environment survey from engineering undergraduates: An...

Area of Science:

• Engineering Education
• Educational Psychology

Background:

• Constructivist learning theories emphasize active student engagement.
• Understanding student perceptions of constructivist practices is crucial for effective pedagogy in engineering programs.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present a dataset from a questionnaire assessing first-year engineering undergraduates' perceptions of constructivist learning environments.
• To provide a validated instrument for future research in engineering education.

Main Methods:

• A 5-Likert scale questionnaire, adapted from prior research, was administered online.
• Data was collected from 293 first-year engineering undergraduates in the southwestern United States.
• Exploratory factor analysis was used to determine the questionnaire's underlying factor structure.

Main Results:

• A response rate of 93.5% was achieved with 274 completed questionnaires.
• The exploratory factor analysis confirmed the questionnaire's factor structure, indicating its suitability for further use.
• The dataset offers insights into student perceptions of constructivist teaching methods.

Conclusions:

• The developed questionnaire dataset is a reliable tool for assessing constructivist practice perceptions among engineering undergraduates.
• This research serves as a foundation for further investigations into pedagogical approaches in engineering education.
• The findings can inform curriculum development and teaching strategies to enhance student learning experiences.