Lifelong Learning Imperative in Engineering: Sustaining American Competitiveness in the 21st Century (2012)

APPENDIX C
LIFELONG LEARNING IN ENGINEERING ONLINE SURVEY INSTRUMENT

Note: The target respondents for the online surveys were professional engineers with characteristics described in Appendix D.

INTRODUCTION

The National Academy of Engineering (NAE) is conducting a study to understand the lifelong learning needs and experience of engineers and computers scientists. Our goal is to establish a strong national policy and framework for lifelong learning.

We are referring to learning for the (engineering) professional, who is working and doing a good job, but is doing so in a rapidly changing world. The learning is dynamic and integrative and includes opportunities that are specifically intended to deepen and broaden the engineer’s knowledge and skill sets. This is broader than the typical interpretation of “lifelong learning” that includes adult learning and vocational courses that are offered for updating, certification, or for retraining the engineer in order to obtain or retain her employment.

You have been chosen, at random, from lists of professionals in your field, to be in the small group we are surveying. Answering this survey should take approximately 15 minutes. All responses will remain completely confidential. Your individual answers will not be shared with anyone, including your employer. The surveys will be processed by the ATLAS unit at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. If you have questions about the survey, please contact Maryalice Wu (Email: malice@illinois.edu, Tel: 217-333-9776).

You do not have to complete this survey if you do not wish to do so. Your opinions are important and your participation is crucial to the success of this effort; the accuracy of our results depends on obtaining a high response rate.

I hope you will participate in the survey. During the survey, you will be given the option of subscribing to receive a link to the final report that will be published in fall 2011.

Please click on “Next” button below to begin answering. If at any time you would like to save your responses and continue answering at a later time, click on the dark green stripe on the top of any page.

Thank you for your help,

Charles M. Vest

President

National Academy of Engineering

SURVEY QUESTIONS

We are interested in the opinions of both current and retired engineers and computer scientists. Some of the questions may seem geared only to currently working engineers. If you are retired, please answer the questions as you would have answered while you were still working.

A. General Lifelong Learning

First, we would like to get your opinions about lifelong learning.

Think about lifelong learning as being education or training for the engineering professional who is working and doing a good job, but is doing so in a rapidly changing world. It could mean that the engineer has to take responsibility to deepen and broaden her knowledge and skill sets to remain relevant.

A1. How important is lifelong learning for your professional career?

Scale poles flipped randomly low-high or high-low.

1.   Extremely important

2.   Very important

3.   Moderately important

4.   Slightly important

5.   Not important at all.

A2. In the future, how likely are you to enroll in a lifelong learning program for any of the following reasons?

Row order randomized

A3. How would you rate the overall quality of lifelong learning programs from each of the following potential providers?

Row order randomized

A4. How much of a role should each of the following play towards developing a national framework and policies for lifelong learning?

Row order randomized

B. Lifelong Learning Models and Program Structure

In some fields, a single organization coordinates the development and evaluation of lifelong learning programs. For example, the American Academy of Family Physicians coordinates all continuing medical education for family physicians in the United States.

In other fields, such as engineering, lifelong learning programs are developed and evaluated by a variety of corporate and professional organizations without a centralized coordinating body.

B1. Which of the following models would work better in your own field?

Choices 1 & 2 are presented in random order.

1.   A single organization should coordinate lifelong learning programs.

2.   Multiple organizations should develop their own lifelong learning programs independently.

B2. Which of the following structures is better for meeting your lifelong learning needs?

Choices 1 & 2 are presented in random order.

1.   A well-structured program with multiple courses (like an M.B.A. program)

2.   Single course on one specific topic

3.   Both equally

B3. Which instructional method for teaching lifelong learning courses would you prefer?

Choices 1 & 2 are presented in random order.

1.   Courses taught online

2.   Courses taught in a classroom

3.   Some combination of online and classroom teaching

4.   Both – online and classroom – methods are about the same

B4. If you were taking a classroom-based lifelong learning program, where would you prefer it to be?

Choices 1 & 2 are presented in random order.

1.   At my workplace

2.   Outside my workplace

3.   I have no preference

C. Lifelong Learning Content and Certification

C1. How important should each of the following considerations be in driving the content of lifelong learning?

Row order randomized

C2. How effective would each of the following methods be to evaluate the performance of a student in a lifelong learning program?

Row order randomized

D. Organizational Support for Lifelong Learning

D1. How would you rate the following personal barriers for your participation in lifelong learning?

Row order randomized

If lack of employer support is an obstacle:

D2. Why do you think your employer might not support employee lifelong learning?

Choices 1 thru 5 are presented in random order.

1.   Check all that apply.

1.   Potential loss of employee to another employer, because she is now better trained

2.   Lifelong learning is not relevant in employer’s field/business

3.   Lack of finances dedicated to lifelong learning

4.   Cannot afford loss of employee time at work

5.   Employer has never given any thought to lifelong learning

6.   Some other reason (Please explain:)

D3. Think about lifelong learning as education that is focused primarily on the individual who must ensure that she has the appropriate abilities to adapt to the rapidly changing world and remain relevant. How much should each of the following be responsible for funding lifelong learning?

D4. How many hours per week of your own time are you willing to devote to lifelong learning?

Please enter a whole number of hours per week. If less than one hour per week, enter 0 (zero). ________

In the remainder of the survey, we will be asking you some questions about employment. If you are retired or not currently employed, please answer according to your most recent job. If you are currently employed, but in more than one position, please answer regarding only the job you consider your main job.

E. Labor Force Status

E1. What is your current employment status?

1.   Employed (except self-employed)

2.   Self-employed

3.   Retired

4.   Not currently employed for some other reason

5.   Have never been employed

2.   If 5, skip to E7. (Never employed)

3.   All others, continue to E2.

E2. What is the main industry sector of your employer in your current or most recent job?

Choices 1 through 3 are presented in random order.

4.   Energy Research, Manufacturing, Generation, or Distribution

5.   Pharmaceutical Research or Manufacturing

6.   Information Technology (IT)

7.   Construction industries not listed above

8.   Manufacturing industries not listed above

9.   Another industry (Please specify:) __________________

E3. Approximately how many employees work for your most recent employer across all sites and branches?

1.   1 to 4 employees

2.   5 to 99 employees

3.   100 to 499 employees

4.   500 to 4,999 employees

5.   5,000 or more employees

E4. Where does your current or most recent position fall within the management hierarchy of your company?

1.   Top level or senior management, CEO, CFO, COO, owner, president, vice-president, etc.

2.   Middle level management, plant manager, regional manager, program leader, etc.

3.   First level management, supervisor, team leader, first-line manager, etc.

4.   Nonmanagerial

5.   None of the above (Please explain) ____________________

E5. What engineering field or discipline best describes most recent or current job?

Examples might be: civil engineering, electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, medical software development, or many others.

____________________

E6. How secure do you feel in your current position for the next 3 to 5 years?

Scale poles flipped randomly low-high, or high-low.

1.   Very secure

2.   Reasonably secure

3.   Somewhat insecure

4.   Very insecure

5.   I don’t wish to answer

E7. Are you actively looking for a job right now?

Choices 1 and 2 are presented in random order.

1.   Yes

2.   No

3.   I don’t wish to answer

E8. How helpful would lifelong learning opportunities be in increasing your job security or finding a new job?

Scale poles flipped randomly low-high, or high-low.

1.   Extremely helpful

2.   Very helpful

3.   Moderately helpful

4.   Slightly helpful

5.   Not at all helpful

6.   I do not know how helpful it would be

F. Training History

F1. Since obtaining your degree, have you attended any kind of training program designed to keep you current in your field?

Choices 1 and 2 are presented in random order. By “training program”, we mean anything from short seminars and lectures to longer workshops, courses, and certification or licensure programs. It could be sponsored by your employer, by a vendor, by a college, or by some other organization. It could be instructor-led, self-paced, online, or hands-on.

1.   Yes

2.   No

F2. Are you required to receive continuing education, training, or certification to retain your position?

1.   Yes, the government or licensure law requires it

2.   Yes, my employer requires it

3.   No, I am not required to receive continuing education or certification.

4.   I am not sure

G. Education

G1. Please tell us about your completed bachelor’s degree(s). If you do not have a bachelor’s degree, just skip this section.

G2. Please tell us about any advanced degrees you have completed beyond the bachelor’s degree (master’s, MBA, PhD, MD, etc.). If you do not have any advanced degrees, just skip this section.

H. Demographics

H1. Thinking about all the jobs you have ever had including your current position, for how many total years have you worked as an engineer or computer scientist?

Please round your answer to a whole number of years you have worked as an engineer or computer professional. If the answer is 6 months or less, please enter 0 (zero). If you have never worked as an engineer or computer scientist, please enter “N/A”. ________

H2. What is your gender?

Choices 1 & 2 are presented in random order.

1.   Male

2.   Female

H3. How old are you?

________

H4. What racial or ethnic group do you identify with?

Choices 1 through 5 are presented in random order. Choose all that apply

1.   White

2.   Black or African American

3.   Hispanic or Latino

4.   Asian, Native Hawaiian, or Pacific Islander

5.   American Indian or Alaska Native

6.   Other (please specify:___________________)

H5. What is the zip code of the place where you live?

I. Final Comments

I1. What do you feel are the greatest challenges facing engineers or computer scientists in your industry? Are there ways that lifelong learning can help overcome these challenges?

J. Request Report

J1. The results from this survey will be published in a report in fall 2011. Would you like to receive a link to the final copy of our report when it is finished?

We will use your e-mail address for no other purpose than to send you a link to the report.

1.   No, thank you

2.   Yes, my e-mail address is : _________________________

Closer

Thank you so much for your participation in this important survey. If you are interested in lifelong learning for engineers and computer scientists, more information can be found at our website: www.llproject.org/. You may close your browser window now.