The role of intrinsic motivation in student imagination: a comparison between engineering and science majors

• Autores: Chao-Tung Liang, Franck Zenasni, Yu-Cheng Liu, Chaoyun Liang
• Localización: The International journal of engineering education, ISSN-e 0949-149X, Vol. 33, no. 5, 2017, págs. 1672-1683
• Idioma: inglés
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• Resumen

  • The current study analyzed how learning resources and human aggregates moderate the effect of intrinsic motivation onthe imaginative capabilities of undergraduates. The differences between the moderation models of engineering and sciencemajors were also compared. We administered a survey at seven universities across different regions in Taiwan. Ourparticipants were divided into two groups: the first group consisted of 473 science majors, whereas the second groupconsisted of 478 engineering majors. Structural equation modeling was used to test all the proposed hypotheses. The resultsdemonstrated that imaginative capabilities became highest when students had high intrinsic motivation, learningresources, and human aggregates. The major difference between the engineering and science groups was the moderatingeffect of intrinsic motivation and learning resources on initiating imagination. In other words, the initiating imaginationfor those engineering students who are insensible to learning resources was strongly stimulated when their intrinsicmotivation remained high. The other critical difference was the moderating effect of intrinsic motivation and humanaggregates on transforming imagination. In other words, transforming imagination for those engineering students who areinsensible to human aggregates was strongly stimulated when their intrinsic motivation remained high. Practicalimplications of the study are discussed and research limitations are explained.