An Australian study of possible selves perceived by undergraduate engineering students
In this study, we worked with second-year engineering students at an Australian university to examine previously identified threshold concepts within the theoretical framework of Possible Selves. Using workshops as the context for intensive work with students, students were encouraged to consider th...
| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Journal Article |
| Published: |
Taylor & Francis
2017
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| Online Access: | http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/63346 |
| _version_ | 1848761063446675456 |
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| author | Bennett, Dawn Male, S. |
| author_facet | Bennett, Dawn Male, S. |
| author_sort | Bennett, Dawn |
| building | Curtin Institutional Repository |
| collection | Online Access |
| description | In this study, we worked with second-year engineering students at an Australian university to examine previously identified threshold concepts within the theoretical framework of Possible Selves. Using workshops as the context for intensive work with students, students were encouraged to consider their future lives and work, including their engineering fears, expectations, and aspirations. The findings revealed many students to have a poor understanding of the realities of engineering work. Moreover, perceived gaps between self-efficacy and the requirements of engineering work appeared to be motivating if students deemed it possible to reduce the gap, but demotivating if they identified a characteristic over which there was perceived to be no control. The study suggests that these engineering students needed more opportunities to explore both the roles of engineers and their own possible selves. Overall, the findings indicate that higher education students may need encouragement and support to explore potential future roles, and they strengthen calls for further research in this area. |
| first_indexed | 2025-11-14T10:25:43Z |
| format | Journal Article |
| id | curtin-20.500.11937-63346 |
| institution | Curtin University Malaysia |
| institution_category | Local University |
| last_indexed | 2025-11-14T10:25:43Z |
| publishDate | 2017 |
| publisher | Taylor & Francis |
| recordtype | eprints |
| repository_type | Digital Repository |
| spelling | curtin-20.500.11937-633462018-05-23T04:14:26Z An Australian study of possible selves perceived by undergraduate engineering students Bennett, Dawn Male, S. In this study, we worked with second-year engineering students at an Australian university to examine previously identified threshold concepts within the theoretical framework of Possible Selves. Using workshops as the context for intensive work with students, students were encouraged to consider their future lives and work, including their engineering fears, expectations, and aspirations. The findings revealed many students to have a poor understanding of the realities of engineering work. Moreover, perceived gaps between self-efficacy and the requirements of engineering work appeared to be motivating if students deemed it possible to reduce the gap, but demotivating if they identified a characteristic over which there was perceived to be no control. The study suggests that these engineering students needed more opportunities to explore both the roles of engineers and their own possible selves. Overall, the findings indicate that higher education students may need encouragement and support to explore potential future roles, and they strengthen calls for further research in this area. 2017 Journal Article http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/63346 10.1080/03043797.2016.1208149 Taylor & Francis fulltext |
| spellingShingle | Bennett, Dawn Male, S. An Australian study of possible selves perceived by undergraduate engineering students |
| title | An Australian study of possible selves perceived by undergraduate engineering students |
| title_full | An Australian study of possible selves perceived by undergraduate engineering students |
| title_fullStr | An Australian study of possible selves perceived by undergraduate engineering students |
| title_full_unstemmed | An Australian study of possible selves perceived by undergraduate engineering students |
| title_short | An Australian study of possible selves perceived by undergraduate engineering students |
| title_sort | australian study of possible selves perceived by undergraduate engineering students |
| url | http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/63346 |