The purpose of this study is to test the theory of SDT and to clarify the casual relationship between motivation and engagement, which has been unclear in past cross-sectional studies. In this study, data was used from technological university students who major in Electrical Engineering and Civil Engineering. A two-wave panel design was used combining data from freshmen students at the start of the course (time 1) and after two months in the course (time 2).
The cross-lagged panel analysis (e.g., Rantanen, Kinnunen, Feldt, & Pulkkinen, 2008) was used to examine the effects of Time 1 engagement on Time 2 engagement and motivation, and the effects of Time 1 motivation on Time 2 engagement and motivation
