Towards sustainable pathways in engineering education: examining structural factors and individual agency through student narratives

Le résumé fourni par la source

For decades, engineering education has called for new pedagogical approaches to prepare students to address the most pressing societal problems like climate change and global inequalities. Simultaneously, engineering students are drawn to the profession to contribute to the social good. However, these ‘wicked’ or ‘convergent’ problems require complex problem-solving approaches and interdisciplinary competencies. This paper utilises Amartya Sen’s capabilities approach to better understand the barriers students face in pursuing sustainable pathways in engineering through the narratives of four students enrolled at an American liberal arts college. The capabilities approach reveals cultural and structural obstacles experienced by students who enter college with a strong desire to pursue sustainability goals. In addition, a focus on student agency generates insights into a lack of ‘activation’ amongst students from privileged backgrounds, which forestalls their interest in sustainable development goals.

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