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Student competency, autonomy, and relatedness in a practice-oriented engineering program: An application of self-determination theory

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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

ERM: Self-Efficacy, Motivation, and MORE!

Page Count

22

DOI

10.18260/1-2--40958

Permanent URL

https://peer.asee.org/40958

Download Count

297

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Paper Authors

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Robert Nagel James Madison University

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Bethany Popelish James Madison University

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Melissa Aleman James Madison University

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Dr. Melissa Aleman (Ph.D. University of Iowa) is Professor of Communication Studies at James Madison University and has published research using qualitative interviewing, ethnographic and rhetorical methods to examine communication in diverse cultural contexts ranging from multicultural families to engineering education and makerspaces. She has advised undergraduate and graduate students in autoethnographic, ethnographic, and qualitative interview projects on a wide-range of topics, has taught research methods at the introductory, advanced, and graduate levels, and has trained research assistants in diverse forms of data collection and analysis.

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Tobias Reynolds-Tylus James Madison University

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Abstract

For engineering students, how might three basic needs—competency, autonomy, and relatedness—promote intrinsic motivation among students? In this research paper, two studies are presented which assess satisfaction and relationship of these basic needs among students in a project-based, undergraduate-only engineering program. In study one, a quantitative study, we surveyed students (N = 162) using the Situational Motivation Scale and the Basic Need Satisfaction Scale (BNSS). The results of study one are consistent with previous research showing strong correlations between the three basic needs and intrinsic motivation. In study two, a qualitative study, we analyzed in-depth phenomenologically based interviews (N = 9 participants resulting in 756 pages of single-spaced transcripts) using the BNSS as a heuristic framework to identify instances when students express satisfaction or frustration of competency, autonomy, and relatedness. Study two illustrates when and how supportive contexts and behaviors contribute to feelings of competency, autonomy, and relatedness. These studies expand research on SDT by showing ways in which engineering students develop feelings of competency, how specific needs-supportive actions contributed to feelings of competency, and the roles of autonomy and relatedness in the development of competency.

Nagel, R., & Popelish, B., & Aleman, M., & Reynolds-Tylus, T. (2022, August), Student competency, autonomy, and relatedness in a practice-oriented engineering program: An application of self-determination theory Paper presented at 2022 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, Minneapolis, MN. 10.18260/1-2--40958

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