Table 2 Emergent themes related to intrinsic process sources of motivation
Construct | Theory-driven codes | Interview emergent subthemes |
|---|---|---|
Intrinsic process motivation | The individual is motivated by the fun or joy of the task. The work is the motivator. Intrinsically motivated behavior is a continuous process of seeking and overcoming challenges in order to arrive at the intrinsic satisfaction or fun. | Student reveals love for building, creativity, or problem solving. Students discuss the joy and fun they attribute to doing the work of STEM academic study—the math, the coding, and the designing. Students discuss the pride they feel in being resilient and seek to “conquer” STEM classes in order to arrive at the point where they can “do” the engineering things that make them happy. |