Using a Storytelling Intervention to Develop Professional Identity in Undergraduate Engineering Courses: An Exploratory Study

Undergraduate engineering students often struggle to identify as engineers due to a disconnect between their lived experiences and the world of engineering. Research suggests that storytelling, including listening to, writing, and reflecting on personal narratives, can help students shape their self-identification with their field. Storytelling can also reinforce beliefs about who can succeed in engineering, which may enhance retention and inclusion in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics. The results highlight the benefits of allowing engineering students to engage with personal storytelling as a means to connect their lived experiences with their professional aspirations. Through the personal stories they crafted, students were able to reflect on how their own stories of belonging, resilience, and overcoming hardships aligned – or sometimes did not align – with the dominant narrative of the engineering profession. The storytelling invention needs to be investigated in other courses and subjects as well as with a larger sample of students to better understand its efficacy.