Why Do Students Choose Engineering? A Qualitative, Longitudinal Investigation of Students' Motivational Values

Abstract

Background Recently published reports call for an increase in the number of engineering graduates and suggest appropriate characteristics that these graduates should embody. Accomplishing such change first requires understanding why students choose to pursue engineering degrees. Purpose (Hypothesis) Framed in motivation theory, our purpose was to better understand how students choose engineering by answering the question: How do engineering students' engineering‐related value beliefs contribute to their choices to engage and persist in earning engineering degrees? Design/Method This research uses Eccles' expectancy‐value theory in a qualitative, longitudinal examination of undergraduate students' choices to enroll and persist in engineering majors. In particular, the focus of this work is Eccles' subjective task value (STV) construct, which incorporates the personal importance an individual assigns to engaging in an activity. Using a multiple case study method approach, participants included eleven students (five men and six women) at a U.S. technical school. Results Results demonstrate that different patterns exist in the types of value or personal importance that participants assign to earning an engineering degree. Moreover, a primary differentiating feature of these patterns is whether or not participants choose engineering because it is consistent with their personal identity or sense of self. Conclusions We conclude that values are very important in students' choices to become engineers. To increase persistence rates we must focus on values, especially by helping students connect their personal identities to engineering identities.

Board # 17 : A Three-Year Study of Adult Undergraduate Engineering Students

“…Specifically, we investigate the impact of prior engineering-related work experiences on how this population approaches engineering design, and their development of an engineering identity. The work parallels prior work in engineering design protocols [11,12], and engineering identity development [7] in order to broaden the data pool as well as enable comparison of this target population versus the general engineering student population.…”

“…Research has looked at understanding the student experience and challenges in an effort to customize the different programs. Various studies have looked at reasons students have for entering STEM programs [5,6], while others have observed development of engineering identity as a reason for increased persistence [7]. The desire to have a diverse student population that leads to a diverse workforce has brought attention within engineering programs to the adult students.…”

Intersectionality of Non-normative Identities in the Cultures of Engineering

“…Attainment value, which is related to engineering identity (being an engineer is related to one's "sense of self"), has been found to be important for the persistence of engineering students during their undergraduate programs. Further, it has been found to be more important to engineering persistence than interest or perceived utility 13 . Other research on students' engineering identity has focused on the college years, exploring both engineering and professional identity development.…”

Social Consciousness in Engineering Students: An Analysis of Freshmen Design Project Abstracts

“…However, Matusovich found that more women than men felt that engineering values did not align with their sense of self. [7]. For this reason, engineering concentrations with more obvious societal benefit, such as environmental and biomedical engineering, attract more female students [8].…”