Learning professional competence and confidence: the link between instructional practices and learning gains for female and male students

This study investigated the relationships between instructional practices and students´ gains in self-perceptions and professional competencies. More than 1200 students from seven ECSEL schools participated in the study. Findings show that the instructional practices of instructor interaction and feedback, collaborative learning, and clarity and organization are significantly and positively associated with gain in students´ motivation to become engineers, confidence in their ability to become engineers, sense of responsibility for their own learning, likelihood they will continue in their engineering program, and expected grade. Instructional practices are also significantly and positively associated with students´ self-reported gains in problem solving skills, group skills, and understanding of engineering as an occupation.