Wo kshop
Recommended ci a ion: K use, J. (2025). Unde s anding S uden Mo i a ion in
Enginee ing Educa ion. In Kangaslampi, R., Langie, G., Jä inen, H.-M., & Nagy,
B. (Eds.), SEFI 53 d Annual Con e ence. Eu opean Socie y o Enginee ing
Educa ion (SEFI), Tampe e, Finland. DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.17631366.
This Con e ence Pape is b ough o you o open access by he 53 d Annual Con e ence
o he Eu opean Socie y o Enginee ing Educa ion (SEFI) a Tampe e Uni e si y in
Tampe e, Finland. This wo k is licensed unde a C ea i e Commons
A ibu ion-NonComme cial-Sha e Alike 4.0 In e na ional License.
UNDERSTANDING STUDENT MOTIVATION IN ENGINEERING
EDUCATION
J. K use a,
1
a Technical Uni e si y o Denma k, Copenhagen, Denma k,
ORCID: 0000-0001-5302-926X
Con e ence Key A eas: Building he capaci y and s eng hening he educa ional
compe ences o enginee ing educa o s + Imp o ing highe enginee ing educa ion
h ough esea ching enginee ing educa ion
Keywo ds: S uden mo i a ion, eaching s a egies, ac i e lea ning, cu iculum
de elopmen
ABSTRACT
This wo kshop add esses he challenge o unde s anding s uden mo i a ion in
enginee ing educa ion. While mo i a ion is widely acknowledged as a key ac o in
s uden engagemen , pe o mance and e en ion, educa o s’ assump ions abou wha
mo i a es s uden s do no always align wi h s uden s’ ac ual expe iences and p io i ies.
Pa icipan s will engage in a s uc u ed ca d-so ing ac i i y in small g oups, whe e
hey a e asked o p edic and ank mo i a ional d i e s om he pe spec i e o oday’s
enginee ing s uden s. These g oup-based ankings will be compa ed wi h empi ical
da a collec ed om s uden s in Danish p o essional bachelo enginee ing
p og ammes, who comple ed he same so ing exe cise om hei own iewpoin .
The ac i i y se es as a basis o c i ical e lec ion and discussion abou po en ial
misma ches be ween educa o assump ions and s uden pe spec i es. Pa icipan s
will be in oduced o mo i a ion p o iles de i ed om he da a and encou aged o
conside how hese insigh s can in o m cou se and ac i i y design. The session
combines e idence-based inpu wi h pee dialogue and p ac ical e lec ion.
1
Co esponding Au ho
J. K use
[email p o ec ed]
1 BACKGROUND AND RATIONALE
1.1 Mo i a ion in enginee ing educa ion
Mo i a ion plays a c ucial ole in enginee ing educa ion, di ec ly impac ing s uden
engagemen , lea ning ou comes and e en ion. Resea ch shows ha mo i a ed
s uden s no only achie e be e academic esul s, bu also ha hey a e mo e likely o
pe sis in hei s udies (Sa age, Bi ch & Noussi, 2011; Baillie & Fi zge ald, 2000).
Howe e , mo i a ion is a om uni o m: s uden s a e d i en by a ange o di e en
ac o s, including s uc u ed lea ning en i onmen s, ca ee ele ance and social
impac (Kolmos, Mejlgaa d, Haase & Holgaa d, 2013). Mo eo e , mo i a ion i sel
e ol es o e ime: many s uden s en e enginee ing p og ams aspi ing o inno a e
and make a di e ence, ye hei p io i ies o en shi owa d inancial secu i y and
employabili y (Alpay, Ahea n, G aham & Bull, 2008). Addi ionally, s uden pe sis ence
is s ongly linked o pe cep ions o engagemen and belonging, meaning ha how
ins i u ions shape lea ning expe iences can signi ican ly in luence mo i a ion
h oughou he s uden jou ney (Tin o, 2025).
While mo i a ion is widely ecognized as an impo an ac o in s uden success,
unde s anding exac ly wha d i es enginee ing s uden s can be challenging.
Educa o s o en ely on ins inc when designing cou ses, ye esea ch indica es ha
wha educa o s assume mo i a es s uden s o en di e s om s uden s’ ac ual p io i ies
(Bombae s & Vaessen, 2022; López-Fe nández, Ala cón & To a , 2015). I such
misma ches go unadd essed, s uden s may disengage, con ibu ing o low a endance
and highe d opou a es.
This wo kshop is designed o add ess ha challenge. By helping educa o s be e
unde s and he di e se mo i a ional d i e s o hei s uden s, i aims o equip cou se
designe s and ins uc o s wi h s a egies ha esona e ac oss a spec um o lea ning
s yles, o he pu pose o deli e ing mo e e ec i e, engaging and inclusi e enginee ing
educa ion.
1.2 Explo ing s uden mo i a ion h ough ca d-so ing
The wo kshop i sel akes a e y hands-on app oach o unde s anding and e lec ing
on s uden mo i a ion. Pa icipan s will wo k in small g oups on a ca d-so ing exe cise
using a ixed se o s a emen s e lec ing di e en mo i a ional d i e s (e.g., “I is
mo i a ing when I can see he eal-wo ld ele ance o wha I’m lea ning”). Each g oup
will be asked o ank hese s a emen s om mos o leas impo an , no based on hei
own p e e ences, bu on wha hey belie e oday’s enginee ing s uden s alue mos .
These g oup-based ankings will hen be compa ed o empi ical da a ga he ed om
s uden s en olled in Danish p o essional bachelo p og ammes in enginee ing (BEng),
who ha e done he same ca d-so ing exe cise om hei own iewpoin . This
compa ison will se e as a sp ingboa d o discussion and c i ical e lec ion on
po en ial misma ches be ween educa o assump ions and s uden eali ies.
Following his ac i i y, he wo kshop will in oduce a se o s uden mo i a ion p o iles
based on wha eal s uden s ac ually said, o e ing a s uc u ed lens h ough which o
unde s and he a ie y o ways s uden s engage wi h hei s udies. Pa icipan s will be
in i ed o conside how hese insigh s can in o m hei own eaching p ac ices and
discuss conc e e s a egies o designing mo e inclusi e and mo i a ing lea ning
en i onmen s.
2 WORKSHOP OBJECTIVES
2.1 Ta ge audience
This wo kshop is aimed a enginee ing educa o s, cou se designe s and educa ional
esea che s who a e cu ious abou he many ways s uden mo i a ion impac s
enginee ing educa ion.
2.2 Expec ed lea ning ou comes
By he end o his wo kshop, pa icipan s will ha e:
• A clea e unde s anding o whe e hei assump ions abou s uden mo i a ion align,
and misalign, wi h ac ual s uden pe spec i es.
• Gained insigh in o e idence-backed mo i a ion p o iles ha illus a e he di e en
ways s uden s engage, o disengage, wi h lea ning.
• Re lec ed on hei own eaching app oaches and explo ed ways o align hem mo e
e ec i ely wi h di e se s uden mo i a ions.
• Discussed and de eloped conc e e s a egies o os e ing mo i a ion in enginee ing
educa ion.
3 WORKSHOP DESIGN
3.1 Time plan
The ime plan o he wo kshop is as ollows:
Run ime
Ac i i y
No es
8 min
In oduc ion
B ie o e iew o s uden
mo i a ion in enginee ing
educa ion and he pu pose o he
wo kshop
15 min
Ca d-so ing ac i i y
In small g oups, pa icipan s
p edic and ank wha hey belie e
mo i a es s uden s he mos .
Discussion and e lec ion du ing
he p ocess
12 min
Discussion
G oups sha e hei ankings,
ollowed by a p esen a ion o
ac ual s uden da a. Discussion on
misma ches and su p ises
15 min
In e ac i e ac i i y 2
Pa icipan s discuss in g oups
how insigh s om he session can
in o m hei own eaching
p ac ices and sha e po en ial
s a egies. In his ac i i y,
pa icipan s a e encou aged o
connec speci ic eaching
me hods o cou se designs o he
mo i a ional d i e s discussed,
enabling hem o conside how
pedagogical s a egies can
suppo di e se s uden
mo i a ions
10 min
Discussion and conclusions
3.2 In e ac i i y
This wo kshop is designed o be highly in e ac i e, ensu ing ha pa icipan s a e
ac i ely engaged a he han passi ely lis ening. The co e ac i i y – he ca d-so ing
exe cise – encou ages pa icipan s o wo k collabo a i ely in small g oups, discussing,
anking and jus i ying hei choices. This s uc u e os e s pee lea ning and e lec ion,
as educa o s a icula e hei assump ions abou s uden mo i a ion and challenge each
o he ’s pe spec i es.
Ra he han simply p esen ing esea ch indings, he session is designed o build
suspense by allowing pa icipan s o compa e hei own ankings wi h eal s uden
da a, hope ully leading o a ui ul and hough -p o oking discussion. The possible
con as be ween educa o assump ions and s uden eali ies p o ides a na u al
sp ingboa d o deepe engagemen wi h he e idence-backed mo i a ion p o iles ha
ollow. Building on his, pa icipan s will also be in i ed o explo e connec ions be ween
hese p o iles and po en ial eaching app oaches, suppo ing he de elopmen o mo e
a ge ed and inclusi e pedagogy.
4 WORKSHOP RESULTS
4.1 Pa icipan engagemen
The wo kshop a ac ed 42 pa icipan s ep esen ing a b oad ange o ins i u ions
and na ional con ex s. Mos we e eaching s a om enginee ing p og ammes,
hough a ew ep esen ed educa ional leade ship (including membe s o deanships)
and a small numbe we e s uden s. Pa icipan s wo ked collabo a i ely in small
g oups, each using one o he i e physical ca d-so ing g ids b ough o he session.
F om he ou se , he a mosphe e was li ely and engaged. Despi e he di e si y o
backg ounds, g oups quickly en e ed cons uc i e nego ia ions and eached
ag eemen as e han an icipa ed. The ca d-so ing ac i i y p o ed e ec i e in
s imula ing con e sa ion and p omp ing pa icipan s o a icula e and jus i y hei
assump ions abou wha mo i a es enginee ing s uden s oday.
4.2 Pa e ns and insigh s
Once all g oups had comple ed hei ca d so s, hey p esen ed hei highes and
lowes anked s a emen s o he oom, and i was a eassu ing sign o he
pa icipan s’ p o essionalism ha he g oups’ collec i e ankings ended up qui e
close o he ac ual s uden da a. Pa icipan s accu a ely ecognised ha pee
eedback and s uden in luence on cou se design a e no expe ienced as mo i a ing
by mos s uden s, e en hough such ac i i ies a e known o enhance lea ning
ou comes. They also co ec ly iden i ied ca ee ele ance and exam ocus as s ong
mo i a ional d i e s.
Howe e , a ew di e ences s ood ou . Some g oups assumed ha s uden s a e
highly mo i a ed by being well p epa ed o class, a belie ha is ce ainly no
suppo ed by he s uden da a. Likewise, he g oups ended o unde es ima e he
cen ali y o he eache ’s ole in mo i a ion – pa icula ly he adi ional aspec s o
eaching, such as being clea , well-p epa ed and skilled a explaining complex
ma e ial. This ecogni ion p omp ed a discussion abou how educa o s o en ake
such “baseline” compe ences o g an ed when, in p ac ice, s uden s alue hem
highly.
Pa icipan s also discussed he appa en con adic ion be ween wha mo i a es
s uden s and wha esea ch iden i ies as bene icial o lea ning. E e yone in he
oom ecognised ha ac i i ies like pee eedback and co-c ea ion ha e posi i e
lea ning e ec s, bu as se e al no ed, s uden s ha e hem. The consensus was ha
hese ac i i ies should no be abandoned bu be e amed, o ins ance by making
hei ele ance o u u e p o essional p ac ice explici and he eby linking hem o
s uden s’ ca ee -o ien ed mo i a ions.
4.3 Re lec ions and pedagogical implica ions
Building on hese insigh s, pa icipan s we e in oduced o i e mo i a ion p o iles
de i ed om s uden da a ha has been analysed using Q me hodology. Each p o ile
ep esen s a dis inc way o engaging wi h lea ning:
• The Owl, an au onomous, deep lea ne d i en by cu iosi y and mas e y.
• The Ca , a p agma ic, e iciency-o ien ed lea ne ocused on immedia e
use ulness.
• The Monkey, a social, explo a o y lea ne ene gised by in e ac ion and
a ie y.
• The Dog, a ela ional, communi y-o ien ed lea ne mo i a ed by belonging and
li e exchange.
• The Bee, a s uc u e-seeking lea ne who h i es in p edic able, inclusi e
en i onmen s.
Though pa ly humo ous, he animal-inspi ed ypology p o ided an accessible and
easy- o-use ocabula y o discussing how di e en s uden s espond o eaching
s a egies and en i onmen s.
The ensuing discussion cen ed on how educa o s migh espond o his mo i a ional
di e si y. One ques ion aised was whe he i is uly he eache ’s esponsibili y o
accommoda e all mo i a ional p o iles. Pa icipan s o e whelmingly ag eed ha i is,
while a he same ime acknowledging he di icul y. As one pa icipan pu i , “we
canno design one meal ha sui s all as es, bu we can make su e he sal is on he
able.” In o he wo ds, hough ul cou se planning and lexibili y allow eache s o
p o ide s uc u e while lea ing oom o indi idual di e ences in engagemen .
Ano he opic conce ned he ela i e absence o “sa e- he-wo ld” mo i a ion among
s uden s. Many ound i su p ising ha global o socie al ele ance anked low in he
da a, gi en how o en sus ainabili y and e hics a e p omo ed as d i e s o
engagemen . Ye se e al pa icipan s no ed ha his migh e lec he b oade
condi ion o being a young s uden oday – acing unce ain y, p essu e and a igue –
which can make abs ac ideals eel dis an . This led o a e lec i e dialogue abou
he gap be ween ins i u ional he o ic and e e yday s uden eali ies.
Pa icipan s gene ally desc ibed he i e p o iles as immedia ely ecognisable om
hei own eaching expe ience. The amewo k se ed as a p oduc i e lens o
analysing hei own p ac ice and o discussing how di e en eaching designs
p i ilege ce ain ypes o mo i a ion o e o he s.
4.4 Fu u e di ec ions
Se e al pa icipan s exp essed in e es in adop ing he ca d-so ing me hod and
mo i a ion p o iles in hei own acul y de elopmen and cou se e alua ion ac i i ies.
A ew ini ia ed ollow-up con e sa ions abou applying he ool in hei local con ex s,
and conc e e ideas we e discussed o ex ending he s udy c oss-na ionally o
explo e whe he simila mo i a ion pa e ns appea in o he educa ional cul u es.
Beyond me hodological in e es , he session unde sco ed he alue o explici
e lec ion on mo i a ion as pa o eaching design. By compa ing assump ions wi h
da a, he pa icipan s hope ully became mo e awa e o he di e si y wi hin hei
class ooms and mo e delibe a e in aligning eaching s a egies wi h di e en
mo i a ional d i e s.
Finally, as a ligh -hea ed ye ha dly su p ising conclusion, i seemed ha he
majo i y o SEFI pa icipan s hemsel es iden i ied mos s ongly wi h he Monkey
p o ile: he play ul, cu ious lea ne who h i es on social in e ac ion and a ie y.
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