Improving Students’ Motivation, Engagement and Learning Environment in a Transnational Civil Engineering Program

Transnational higher education programs in engineering face persistent challenges in sustaining student motivation, engagement, and learning outcomes. Cultural norms, linguistic barriers, and traditional pedagogies often reinforce teacher-centred instruction, limiting active participation. This mixed-methods action research investigates how problem-based learning (PBL) supported by interactive handouts affects students’ motivation, engagement, and perceived learning outcomes in civil engineering programs, delivered in a Sino–UK university context. Drawing upon socio-cultural constructivism, Self-Determination Theory (SDT), and the multidimensional framework of student engagement, the study repositions motivation and engagement as central drivers of learning. Quantitative data from student surveys (N = 49) and qualitative responses from open-ended questions were analysed to identify patterns of perceived improvement and underlying mechanisms. Findings reveal that the scaffolded PBL and interactive tasks enhanced students’ intrinsic motivation, collaborative engagement, and self-reported understanding of key concepts. Students described the activities as “more interesting,” “interactive,” and “helpful for exam preparation.” In total, 92% agreed that the handouts improved their understanding of core concepts, while 78% of students reported being more motivated to participate in class, and 92% of students expressed that the handouts enhanced the learning environment. While self-reported perceptions limit causal claims, the findings contribute to a growing body of evidence advocating for learner-centred, motivationally informed pedagogies in transnational engineering education.