A conceptual framework for profiling engagement strategies used in high school engineering outreach activities

Abstract

ABSTRACTHigh school outreach activities in the engineering context aim to attract high school students to join a university engineering programme. Oftentimes, high school outreach activities are organised and conducted by university representatives, for instance, teachers and students, who employ different engagement strategies during their interaction with the high school students. While studies exist concerning the organisational and pedagogical aspects of high school engineering outreach activities, there are limited attempts to develop a conceptual framework specifically designed for profiling the engagement strategies employed by university representatives in this context. The current study uses existing research related to pre-university students and insights from sociology and psychology to advance such a conceptual framework. The application of the framework was illustrated by conducting five focus groups with 19 university representatives involved in high school outreach activities organised by a Romanian public engineering university.KEYWORDS: Outreachengineeringhigh schoolengagementframework Disclosure statementNo potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).Additional informationNotes on contributorsDaniel RosnerDaniel Rosner received the Ph.D. degree in computer science and engineering, on assisted living technologies for ubiquitous health, with a focus on IoT devices. He has ample experience in developing the IoT and IIoT (Industrial Internet of Things) hardware and software systems while working with start-ups, aiming to develop their prototypes or validate their technology assumptions. He is an Associate Professor with the Automatic Control and Computer Science Faculty, National University of Science and Technology POLITEHNICA BUCHAREST. His latest research projects featured IoT infrastructure deployment solutions, energy monitoring for smart homes, and embedded software solutions for automotive-grade microcontrollers.Denis IorgaDenis Iorga is a Ph.D. student at the Interdisciplinary School of Doctoral Studies, University of Bucharest. He obtained a bachelor`s degree in Human Resources and a master's degree in Advanced Sociological Research. He is currently working at the intersection of Sociology and Computer Science, employing both quantitative and qualitative methods. His current academic research interests concern topics like Human-Technology Interaction (HTI) and Sociological Artificial Intelligence Research (SAIR).Flavia OpreaFlavia Oprea. As a passionate innovator at the crossroads of technology and medical sciences, I'm dedicated to empowering students from high school to university. My focus revolves around building vibrant communities that nurture computer science, education, and human-computer interaction. I believe in the transformative power of knowledge and collaboration, working to inspire the next generation of leaders in these dynamic fields. Together, we're shaping a future where innovation knows no bounds, fostering a healthier, more connected world.Cristian PătruGeorge-Cristian Patru is currently pursuing the Ph.D. degree in the IIoT and robotics with the Automatic Control and Computer Science Faculty, National University of Science and Technology POLITEHNICA BUCHAREST. He has gained experience over the last years in hardware development while working with several hardware-centric start-ups. In his role as a technical mentor, he helped them quickly build and scale live prototypes. Such prototypes include LoRaWAN-based IIoT sensors, custom-built sensors with high autonomy, the IoT-based monitoring in smart buildings, specialized wearable devices, autonomous drones, and terrestrial robots.Răzvan RughinișRăzvan Rughiniș is Professor in the Department of Computer Science at the National University of Science and Technology POLITEHNICA BUCHAREST, and co-founder of the Innovation Labs tech accelerator. He has extensive research, teaching, and doctoral coordination experience in the fields of cybersecurity, data protection, and IoT. He has been involved in core events in the cybersecurity community such as IDC Security Forum, Critical Infrastructure Protection Forum, and The New Global Challenges in Cyber Security (CERTCON). He is the co-author of over 50 scientific publications concerning cybersecurity and privacy in the last 10 years.