Date of Award

Summer 2021

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Department

STEM Education & Professional Studies

Program/Concentration

Occupational and Technical Studies

Committee Director

Michael F. Kosloski

Committee Member

Philip A. Reed

Committee Member

William A. Owings

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between student participation in Technology Student Association and the development of soft skills necessary for gainful employment. This study specifically sought information on relationships between soft skills development and (a) time spent on Technology Student Association activities; (b) competitive event success; (c) assumption of leadership roles; (d) gender. Data were provided by Pennsylvania Technology Student Association and consisted of survey responses from middle and high school students who are active Technology Student Association members across the state (n = 229).

In addition to descriptive data, a multiple linear regression analysis was performed to determine the relationship between the independent variables and the dependent variable of soft skills score. As part of the regression analysis, a correlation analysis was also performed to determine the relationship between the independent variables. The independent variables collectively accounted for a significant 16% (R2 = .16) of the variance in soft skills score. Time spent per week was a significant predictor of soft skills score (β = .19) as was the assumption of leadership roles (β = .22). Gender was also a significant predictor of soft skills score as females scored 12.18 points higher than males, after controlling for leadership roles assumed, competitive event success, time spent per week, and years of participation. Additionally, significant relationships were found between the following variables: leadership roles assumed and years of participation (r [227] = .52, p < .001), leadership roles assumed and time spent per week (r [227] = .18, p =.005), leadership roles assumed and competitive event success (r [227] = .50, p < .001), leadership roles assumed and soft skills score (r [227] = .23, p < .001), time spent per week and soft skills score (r [227] = .23, p < .001), time spent per week and competitive event success (r [227] = .14, p =.039), and years of participation and competitive event success (r [227] = .54, p < .001).

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In Copyright. URI: http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/ This Item is protected by copyright and/or related rights. You are free to use this Item in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. For other uses you need to obtain permission from the rights-holder(s).

DOI

10.25777/k3v1-sk64

ISBN

9798460434510

ORCID

0000-0003-3630-747X

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