(Un)equal demands and opportunities: Conceptualizing student navigation in undergraduate engineering programs

Background It is well known that earning a bachelor's degree in engineering demanding task, but ripe with opportunity. For students from historically excluded demographic groups, this task exacerbated by oppressive circumstances. Although considerable research has documented how student outcomes differ across much less about the dynamic processes marginalize some students. Purpose The purpose of article to propose conceptual model navigation context undergraduate programs. Our goal illustrate localized, structural features unjustly shape demands and opportunities encountered influence they respond. Scope/Method We developed our using an iterative, four-stage process. This process included (1) clarifying development process; (2) identifying concepts insights prior research; (3) synthesizing into propositions; (4) visualizing suspected relationships between salient constructs propositions. Results focuses on interactions characteristics students, embedded contexts which are situated, support infrastructure their learning environment. Conclusion resulting illustrates a) respond b) navigate obstacles present its focus marginalized programs, may be applicable STEM higher education more broadly.