2024 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Investigating Motivation and Self-Regulated Learning for Students in a Fundamental Engineering Course

Presented at Educational Research and Methods Division (ERM) Technical Session 14

Motivation and self-regulated learning (SRL) are two interconnected constructs that are critical for student learning, especially for those in challenging fundamental Engineering courses such as Thermodynamics. Each of these constructs are integral to the learning process and typically impact one another, as fostering motivation can lead to improved self-regulatory skills. SRL is described as a cyclical process where students plan, set goals, monitor learning, and reflect to further plan learning strategies. These strategies require further investigation as they are increasingly important to integrate within the classroom, especially for challenging STEM-based courses. By specifically fostering motivation and SRL, students can engage more effectively with the material, leading to improved learning outcomes. To investigate these components of the learning process in Engineering, we collected self-report measures of achievement goal orientation (motivation), general self-efficacy (motivation), and motivated strategies for learning (SRL) for 146 undergraduate engineering students in Thermodynamics.

To better understand (1) the interconnected nature of these constructs for students and (2) the self-regulatory and motivational profiles of students who might exist within this engineering classroom, we conducted a cluster analysis by grouping student perceptions of their use of SRL strategies and their self-reported achievement goal orientation (motivation). Achievement goal orientation is a 2x2 matrix of having goals in the classroom (mastery/performance) and the valence of those goals (approach/avoidance), resulting in four goal orientation profiles. Mastery indicates that a student desires to learn the material to master the content, often indicative of deeper learning practices. Conversely, performance indicates that students are motivated by accomplishing a task, which can sometimes lead to a surface-level understanding of the material.

The cluster analysis was conducted with 146 Thermodynamics students who responded to these questionnaires for the Spring 2023 semester at a university in the Southeastern United States. We identified 4 student clusters that emerged from our k-means cluster analysis: (1) High All Achievement Goals and High SRL (n=34), (2) Low All Achievement Goals and Low SRL (n=20), (3) Deep-Level Motivation and High SRL (n=24), and (4) Surface-Level Motivation and Low SRL (n=68). By identifying these different groups, we can better understand the possible archetypes of students in Thermodynamics classrooms based on self-perceptions of SRL and motivation.

We then conducted a Kruskal-Wallis test to determine if there were median differences between clusters for self-reported general self-efficacy, another motivation construct. Consistent with the literature, we identified that there were statistically significant median differences between the student clusters [H(3)=20.76, p <.001], with Group 3 (Deep-Level Motivation and High SRL) having the highest median score for self-efficacy. Conversely, the students who had the lowest score for self-efficacy are in Cluster 2: students who perceive themselves as having low self-regulatory skills and low motivation.

This study shows a significant difference between each of these student clusters, indicating a need for educators to address the varied student needs within the Engineering classroom . By understanding the types of students who might be in our classrooms, we can better adapt instructional decision-making to more accurately address the motivational and self-regulatory needs of our students.

Authors

Sierra Outerbridge University of Central Florida [biography]

Sierra Outerbridge, M.Ed., is a graduate research assistant and Ph.D. student of Education in the Learning Sciences Track at the University of Central Florida. Sierra earned her Bachelor of Arts degree from Samford University where she studied Spanish Language and Literature and Business, as well as a Master of Education degree in Curriculum and Instruction (Supporting High Needs Populations) from the University of Central Florida. Her current research focuses on fostering self-regulated learning, technological innovation for student-centered learning environments, and strategic approaches to develop equitable educational opportunities.
Michelle Taub University of Central Florida [biography]

Michelle Taub, Ph.D., is an Assistant Professor of Learning Sciences and Educational Research and Core Faculty of the Faculty Cluster Initiative's Learning Sciences Cluster at the University of Central Florida. Her research focuses on measuring self-regulated learning across research and learning contexts, such as STEM classrooms.
Dr. Marino Nader http://orcid.org/0000-0002-7677-1771 University of Central Florida [biography]

Marino Nader
Dr. Marino Nader is an Associate lecturer in the Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Department at the University of Central Florida and has been working on digitizing courses and exams, creating different course modalities. Dr. Nader obtained his B.Eng., M.Eng. and Ph.D. from McGill University. His Ph.D. was done in conjunction with the Canadian Space Agency where he spent two years doing research and experiments. Upon completion of his Ph.D. he began working in the Aerospace Industry where he spent over 10 years as a Stress Analyst/Consultant. At present he enjoys working on Distributed Electric Propulsion (DEP) with his students, designing, analyzing, constructing and flying Unmanned Aerial Vehicles. Dr. Nader won a few awards in the past few years, among these are the College of Engineering Award of Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching (2023), Excellence in Faculty Academic Advising for the Department of Mechanical Engineering (2020). In addition, he is also a Co-PI on the NSF-supported HSI Implementation and Evaluation Project: Enhancing Student Success in Engineering Curriculum through Active e-Learning and High Impact Teaching Practices (ESSEnCe).
Dr. Sudeshna Pal University of Central Florida [biography]

Dr. Sudeshna Pal is an Associate Lecturer in the Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Department at the University of Central Florida (UCF), where she teaches courses in the areas of system dynamics, controls, and biomedical engineering. Her current research interest is engineering education, with focus on blended learning, project-based learning, and digital and design education. Her educational research is supported by grants through the National Institutes of Health and the National Science Foundation. She has published several pedagogical journal and conference articles. She received the Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching Award in 2020 and 2024, and the Teaching Incentive Program Award in 2022 at UCF.
Dr. Ricardo Zaurin University of Central Florida [biography]

Dr. Zaurin is a Senior Lecturer for the Department of Civil, Environmental, and Construction Engineering at the University of Central Florida. His research is dedicated to High Impact Teaching and Learning Practices, Active Learning, Experiential Learning
Prof. Hyoung Jin Cho http://orcid.org/0000-0002-6563-4317 University of Central Florida [biography]

Professor Hyoung Jin Cho is the Associate Chair of the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at the University of Central Florida. He coordinates two undergraduate programs – B. S. Mechanical Engineering and B. S. Aerospace Engineering. He has published over 130 peer-reviewed journal and proceeding papers. He has 12 and 6 patents granted in the U.S. and Korea, respectively, in the areas of sensors, microfluidic devices, and micro/nanofabrication. His current research focus is on miniaturized environmental sensors and sample handling devices. He earned his Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering from the University of Cincinnati in 2002. He worked as Research Engineer at Korea Electronics Technology Institute (KETI) from 1993 to 1997. He received the NSF CAREER award in 2004 and was given the WCU (World Class University) Visiting Professorship under the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, Korea in 2009. He is currently leading the NSF-supported HSI IUSE (Improving Undergraduate STEM Education) Project: Enhancing Student Success in Engineering Curriculum through Active e-Learning and High Impact Teaching Practices (ESSEnCe). In this project, a team of faculty members collaborate to implement active learning and high-impact teaching practices in engineering gateway courses to enhance Hispanic/Latino transfer student success.

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