Exploring Children's Goal Orientation in Engineering Design Activities

This mixed-method study focuses on young children's engagement in engineering design activities through the lens of goal orientation. The purpose is to build evidence-based knowledge for educators and researchers to better support children's motivation in engineering. The preliminary results indicate that young children (7-14 years old) have multifaceted goal orientations while engaging in engineering activities, and their goal orientations may be related to the context and setting of the activities (e.g., physical and social environments). The data also indicate differences between families of historically minoritized communities and general museum visitors and caregivers' goal orientations for their children's learning.