How Inclusiveness of Learning Environment Mediates the Evolution of Engineering Students' Motivational Beliefs in a Two-Semester Introductory Physics Course Sequence

In this study, we focus on engineering students' motivational beliefs and course grades in a two-term college calculusbased introductory physics sequence (physics 1 and physics 2). We investigated how engineering students' perception of the inclusiveness of the learning environment (including their sense of belonging, perceived effectiveness of peer interaction and perceived recognition) predicts their physics course grades and motivational beliefs including self-efficacy, interest, overall physics identity, and overall engineering identity. Using structural equation modeling, we find that students' perception of the inclusiveness of the learning environment statistically significantly predicts their physics grades and motivational beliefs. In particular, students' engineering identity is statistically significantly predicted by engineering students' perception of how they were recognized as a physics person. In addition, we find that the gender differences in students' physics self-efficacy, interest, overall identity, and grades were partially mediated by the different components of students' perception of the inclusiveness of the learning environment. Our findings suggest that instructors' focus on equity and inclusion, and approaches to student recognition, are especially important for supporting students' engineering identity and promoting learning for all students in the classroom.