An interview study on student motivation in group-based engineering design projects

Abstract

Group-based design projects in engineering curriculum are generally perceived to motivate student learning. However, recent research shows that the incorporation of group-based design projects does not always result in higher student motivation. To further our understanding of how student motivation can be affected in group-based engineering design projects, our paper explores how the way such projects are set up can shape students' lived experiences. It was revealed that the main factors that can affect student motivation in group-based engineering design projects are: (1) the nature of the projects, (2) the attainability of the project goals, (3) the sense of responsibility towards team members and project, (4) the relatedness to the student community, and (5) the relevance of deliverables with respect to workplace practices. Insights from this work can be used to support the development and running of similar design courses.