Motivation and Identity in C plus plus The Effects of MUSIC in an Engineering Classroom

Beyond engaging students in the classroom, keeping them motivated and maintaining their identification with engineering has become a well-known challenge, particularly among underrepresented minority groups. Numerous methods have been utilized within the field including the use of more active pedagogy and course designs to combat this challenge. This study will employ a well-defined model of academic motivation as a guide for course design within an introductory programming class in an attempt to increase engineering identity and sense of belonging among engineering students. The MUSIC model will be incorporated into an already flipped engineering classroom. The aim is to see a quantified change in the motivation, engineering identity, and sense of belonging among students who have participated in the course. Data is represented through structural equation models (SEM) to demonstrate the relationships between the components of motivation and identity and sense of belonging. The outcomes of its investigation will shed new light on the broad impacts that a flipped classroom can have on students within an engineering classroom.