2024 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Factors Driving and Impeding STEM Student Motivations and Success

Presented at Engineering Futures: Navigating the Pathways of Education, Inclusion, and Professional Growth

Fostering heightened interest and engagement in engineering, cultivating diversity, equity, and inclusivity within the engineering workforce, and equipping students to thrive in an industry characterized by rapid technological advancements stand as pivotal objectives in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education. Motivation exerts a profound influence on students across diverse academic fields. It is intricately intertwined with their level of engagement in the subjects they are studying, the inherent complexities of their chosen career paths, the career opportunities they foresee, and the potential of being misdirected toward a field they may not truly enjoy. To this end, understanding the key factors driving motivation is of the utmost importance, not only to increase retention and reduce attrition, but to also enhance students’ learning, performance, and success. Even though the critical role of motivation in students’ learning and overall academic success is widely acknowledged, there remains a notable gap in research examining the factors contributing to students’ struggles in finding the necessary motivation for effective learning and outstanding performance, along with strategies to address this deficiency. This research aims to fill this gap by exploring the key factors driving STEM students’ motivations for learning while simultaneously investigating the key factors hindering this motivation. To achieve these goals, this study surveyed STEM students at one of the largest minority-serving institutions in the United States to identify the key factors motivating and demotivating them, as well as to pinpoint strategies for enhancing motivation. The survey results revealed that several academic, financial, and social factors play a significant role in students’ motivation, including career difficulty, perceptions of future and career opportunities, financial difficulties, lack of adequate work-life balance, and subsequent burnout. In light of these results, this research proposes several strategies that could potentially help students increase their motivation, including peer mentoring and/or tutoring, financial aid workshops, career fairs, and time management workshops. The findings of this study serve educational institutions and stakeholders by providing them with strategies that could help motivate students and contribute to their academic success.

Authors

Ms. Claudia Calle Müller http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2023-9361 Florida International University [biography]

Claudia Calle Müller is a Ph.D. Candidate in Civil and Environmental Engineering at Florida International University (FIU). She holds a B.S. in Civil Engineering from Pontificia Universidad Católica del Peru ́ (PUCP). Claudia has over 4 years of experience in structural engineering designing reinforced concrete residential and commercial buildings in Peru; over 2 years of experience in entrepreneurship; and over 4 years of teaching experience. Currently, she is a Graduate Research Assistant and Teaching Assistant at the Moss School of Construction, Sustainability, and Infrastructure at FIU where she focuses on multidisciplinary research on sustainability, equity, resilient and sustainable post-disaster reconstruction, engineering education, circular economy, and well-being. Claudia holds professional credentials in LEED Green Associate for sustainable buildings and ENV SP for sustainable infrastructures.
Mais Kayyali Florida International University [biography]

Mais Kayyali is the Associate Director of Academic Support Services in the Office of the Dean at Florida International University’s (FIU) College of Engineering and Computing (CEC). In her current role, she oversees all aspects of Graduate Education and Admissions for the schools and departments under CEC. Her duties vary from admissions, recruitment, marketing, data analysis, graduate funding, etc. She also provides administrative support to the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs. Prior to her current position, she was the Program Coordinator/Coordinator of Administrative Services at the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) and prior to that the Program Assistant at the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering (CEE) at the college. Mais holds a Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Master’s degree in Hospitality Management, and is currently a doctoral student in the Engineering and Computing Education program at FIU. Her research interests are in graduate and postdoctoral education with a focus on mentorship and transitions as well as faculty development and the use of technology in engineering and computing education.
Mr. Mohamed ElZomor P.E. http://orcid.org/0000-0002-7734-9601 Florida International University [biography]

Dr. Mohamed ElZomor is an Assistant Professor at Florida International University (FIU), College of Engineering and Computing and teaches at the Moss School of Construction, Infrastructure and Sustainability. Dr. ElZomor completed his doctorate at Arizona

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