Social Justice Curriculum in Thermal Systems and Mechanical Systems Design:  What Motivates Students to Engage?

Jennifer Peuker; Erin Moss; Jaxon Silva; Emily Wannenmacher; Lauren Cooper

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Conference: 2022 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition
Location: Minneapolis, MN
Publication Date: August 23, 2022
Start Date: June 26, 2022
End Date: June 29, 2022
Conference Session: Social Justice and the Curriculum: Equity, Culture & Social Justice in Education Division Technical Session 3
Page Count: 16
DOI: 10.18260/1-2--41709
Permanent URL: https://peer.asee.org/41709
Download Count: 172

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Jennifer Peuker California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo

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Jennifer Mott is an Assistant Professor in Mechanical Engineering at Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo. She teaches in the thermal sciences and has research interests in the field of HVAC&R and thermal comfort.

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Abstract

Understanding of social justice issues and the ability to engage in sociotechnical thinking are vital aspects of engineers' skill sets in the 21st century, but many engineering programs present content in ways that minimize these critical capacities. Our work is thus driven by three goals: 1) engage students in the discovery that issues such as energy policy, sustainability, bias in design, etc. are not separate from engineering practice; 2) disrupt the social/technical dualism present in engineering curriculum that discourages engineering students from learning about and participating in social justice issues and discussions; and 3) empower students to learn how they can work towards social justice in ways that support their professional development and career plans. It is well-understood that student motivation is critical for engagement and learning to take place in the classroom. In our case, achieving participation and engagement in discussions and projects related to social justice requires motivated action on the part of both students and faculty. Without understanding the specific elements that support or inhibit student motivation to engage, educators may feel confused about why certain students embrace this type of curricular intervention while other students engage minimally or outright reject it. In a mechanical engineering program at a large, primarily White public institution on the west coast, students in a senior-level thermal systems design course were assigned social-justice themed projects on a variety of topics related to energy during the AY 20/21. Using a thematic analysis, we used inductive open coding and then axial coding to analyze the project reports and reflections. In addition, to further explore the factors that influence student motivation, we conducted focus groups in Summer 2021 with students from the thermal systems design courses, as well as students in a junior-level mechanical systems design course. Our key findings show that projects in the thermal systems design course helped students recognize racism/inequality and make connections between engineering and social justice topics, and that many students recognize their lack of knowledge and personal biases, allowing them to change their viewpoint. There is a direct relationship between students acknowledging racism and inequalities and being able to make connections between engineering and social justice issues. In addition, if a project helped students identify their role as an engineer in social justice issues, they feel more likely to advocate personal action, rather than advocating for government action or policy changes. Students also shared that while they may be personally interested in topics of social justice, they worry about the way inclusion of social justice curriculum can “take away” from important technical topics, and that the addition of these extra assignments can create an even more burdensome workload. Hence, there may be a mismatch between students’ intrinsic motivation to engage in learning about social justice and the extrinsic factors that motivate students to disengage with social justice. By shedding light on what influences students’ motivation, we can help other faculty who are working toward related curricular transformations at their institutions.

Citation
Format

Peuker, J., & Moss, E., & Silva, J., & Wannenmacher, E., & Cooper, L. (2022, August), Social Justice Curriculum in Thermal Systems and Mechanical Systems Design: What Motivates Students to Engage? Paper presented at 2022 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, Minneapolis, MN. 10.18260/1-2--41709

TY  - CPAPER
AB  - Understanding of social justice issues and the ability to engage in sociotechnical thinking are vital aspects of engineers' skill sets in the 21st century, but many engineering programs present content in ways that minimize these critical capacities. Our work is thus driven by three goals:  1) engage students in the discovery that issues such as energy policy, sustainability, bias in design, etc. are not separate from engineering practice; 2) disrupt the social/technical dualism present in engineering curriculum that discourages engineering students from learning about and participating in social justice issues and discussions; and 3) empower students to learn how they can work towards social justice in ways that support their professional development and career plans. It is well-understood that student motivation is critical for engagement and learning to take place in the classroom. In our case, achieving participation and engagement in discussions and projects related to social justice requires motivated action on the part of both students and faculty. Without understanding the specific elements that support or inhibit student motivation to engage, educators may feel confused about why certain students embrace this type of curricular intervention while other students engage minimally or outright reject it. In a mechanical engineering program at a large, primarily White public institution on the west coast, students in a senior-level thermal systems design course were assigned social-justice themed projects on a variety of topics related to energy during the AY 20/21. Using a thematic analysis, we used inductive open coding and then axial coding to analyze the project reports and reflections. In addition, to further explore the factors that influence student motivation, we conducted focus groups in Summer 2021 with students from the thermal systems design courses, as well as students in a junior-level mechanical systems design course. Our key findings show that projects in the thermal systems design course helped students recognize racism/inequality and make connections between engineering and social justice topics, and that many students recognize their lack of knowledge and personal biases, allowing them to change their viewpoint. There is a direct relationship between students acknowledging racism and inequalities and being able to make connections between engineering and social justice issues. In addition, if a project helped students identify their role as an engineer in social justice issues, they feel more likely to advocate personal action, rather than advocating for government action or policy changes. Students also shared that while they may be personally interested in topics of social justice, they worry about the way inclusion of social justice curriculum can “take away” from important technical topics, and that the addition of these extra assignments can create an even more burdensome workload. Hence, there may be a mismatch between students’ intrinsic motivation to engage in learning about social justice and the extrinsic factors that motivate students to disengage with social justice. By shedding light on what influences students’ motivation, we can help other faculty who are working toward related curricular transformations at their institutions.
AU  - Jennifer Peuker
AU  - Erin Moss
AU  - Jaxon Silva
AU  - Emily Wannenmacher
AU  - Lauren Cooper
CY  - Minneapolis, MN
DA  - 2022/08/23
PB  - ASEE Conferences
TI  - Social Justice Curriculum in Thermal Systems and Mechanical Systems Design:  What Motivates Students to Engage?
UR  - https://peer.asee.org/41709
DO  - 10.18260/1-2--41709
ER  -