Empowering the engineering undergraduate in an era of economic globalization

Empowered engineers in an inherently unstable workforce are better able to remain internally stable in an externally unstable work environment. These engineers are likely to be more creative and productive, enhancing their net contribution to engineering through their careers. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the perceptions which engineering students bring with them to an introductory electrical engineering course before they embark on their technical degree pathway. This study examines how empowered the student feels at the start of the course and how their self-perceptions may affect their performance in the class. This study is part of a larger investigation, evaluating the impact of shifting the defining metrics for success from external to internal factors on the engineering student´s performance and sense of fulfillment in the classroom