Conforming and Non-Conforming Motivations and Behaviors in Students' Holistic Learning Journeys

In this Work-In-Progress research paper, we expand upon our previous analyses of engineering students' learning journeys using narrative analysis and grounded theory. This study investigates participants' narratives of their conforming and non-conforming motivations, decisions, and the results of making those decisions as pivotal learning moments in their journey of learning. The following research questions drive our exploration: (1) In what ways does the predetermined path of learning serve as a motivating factor in students' decisions to conform? (2) How do external narratives relevant to one's learning journey contribute to conforming motivations and a participant's decision to conform to predetermined paths, specifically in the decision-making processes of women-identifying participants? (3) What are the underlying reasons for students' conforming and non-conforming behaviors and the ensuing results of each decision in terms of happiness, agency, personal power, and identity development? We use a semi-structured and open-ended interview protocol to interview four students (two men- and two women-identifying) about their learning journeys. Our initial findings suggest that when students engage with the sense of personal power, while carefully investigating external narratives presented to them, they feel more satisfied with their choices and more motivated to pursue their chosen path.