Table 12 Factors by item

Affect towards design

To what extent would you enjoy a profession or career that usually requires each of the following?

1–5

1. Identifying technical solutions that are as simple as possible

2. Designing and conducting experiments to test an idea

3. Improving a design to make it more efficient (faster, better, cheaper)

4. Searching for innovative ways to do things

5. Using technology to solve environmental problems

6. Creating prototypes to test an idea

7. Designing a system, a part/component of a system, or a process based on realistic constraints

Affect towards tinkering

To what extent would you enjoy a profession or career that usually requires each of the following?

1–5

1. Fixing things

2. Taking something apart to see how it works

Affect towards analysis

To what extent would you enjoy a profession or career that usually requires each of the following?

1–5

1. Applying my math knowledge and skills

2. Using calculations and equations to evaluate things

3. Identifying what I need to know to solve a problem or complete a project

Innovation orientation

Rate the extent to which you partake in the following behaviors

1–5

1. Search out new technologies, processes, techniques, and/or product ideas

2. Generate creative ideas

3. Promote and champion ideas to others

4. Investigate and secure funds needed to implement new ideas

5. Develop adequate plans and schedules for the implementation of new ideas

6. Are innovative

Design self-efficacy

How confident are you in your ability to do the following?

1–5

1. Designing a system, a part/component of a system, or a process based on realistic constraints

2. Creating prototypes to test an idea

Innovation self-efficacy

How confident are you in your ability to do the following?

1–5

1. Searching for innovative ways to do things

2. Improving a design to make it more efficient (faster, better, cheaper)

Technology self-efficacy

Indicate how confident are you that you could perform that skill or ability now

0–10

1. Convert a useful scientific advance into a practical application

2. Develop your own original hypothesis and a research plan to test it

3. Grasp the concept and limits of a technology well enough to see the best ways to use it

4. Design and build something new that performs very close to your design specifications

Belonging to The Invention Space

To what extent do you disagree or agree with the following statements?

0–10

1. I see myself as a part of The Invention Space

2. I feel that I am a member of The Invention Space

3. I feel a sense of belonging to The Invention Space

Belonging to engineering community

To what extent do you disagree or agree with the following statements?

0–10

1. I see myself as a part of the engineering community at my institution

2. I feel that I am a member of the engineering community at my institution.

3. I feel a sense of belonging to the engineering community at my institution.