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Abstract
Students’ learning environments play a critical role in shaping their motivation and career commitment. However, the learning experiences of Asian and Asian American students in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) remain understudied, despite the unique academic challenges they face that may be closely related to both motivation and career commitment. This study examined the academic challenges experienced by Asian and Asian American college students in computer science courses, their associations with motivational beliefs and career commitment, and how their challenges differ from those of non-Asian peers. The results highlighted the most salient challenges for Asian and Asian American students and showed close links between these challenges and students’ motivational beliefs. The study also uncovered unique experiences of Asian and Asian American students compared with their non-Asian peers. Finally, implications for culturally responsive teaching are discussed as strategies to better support Asian and Asian American students in STEM fields.