Professionalism in Engineering Technology: A Study of Final Course Grades, Student Professionalism, Attendance, and Punctuality

Final course grades and professionalism grades were compared to determine statistically significant differences for (1) students with 90% or higher final course grades, (2) students with 80–90% final course grades, (3) students with 70–80% final course grades, (4) students with 0–70% final course grades, and (5)all students with a final course grade. Forty-one engineering technologycourses were offered over 16 semesters (fall 2013 through fall 2018) in 100%online, face-to-face, and hybrid formats. Student populations were bothundergraduate and graduate (master’s) students in engineering technologycourses at one Midwestern university. A total of 729 students were involved inthe study. Study results indicate that professionalism grades, in terms ofattendance and punctuality, were high (median of 93.33–100%) for studentsearning 80–100% median final course grades. Students earning 70–80% meanfinal course grades were less motivated to earn high professionalism grades—earning a 75.20% mean. There was little difference between final course gradesand professionalism grades for students earning less than a 70% median for afinal course grade. The aggregate of all student final course grades (median of91.35%) in comparison to professionalism grades (median of 98.28%) yielded asignificant difference.