Abstract:

Currently, STEM teaching in higher education institutions faces several critical challenges, highlighting persistent gaps in STEM learning and underscoring the need for innovative approaches to STEM teacher education (Gravett & Petersen, 2022; Kleinschmit et al., 2023).

The Erasmus Project “Transforming STEM teacher education in South Africa through Self-Directed Open Educational Practices” (TED-SOEP) moves in this direction, aiming to enhance the teaching competencies of South African STEM university lecturers and professors through training experiences and tools for integrating open educational resources (OER) and open educational practices (OEP). Among the project's activities, the University of Florence, a partner in TED-SOEP, designed and developed an online course to foster the acquisition of STEM teaching skills (https://www.tedsoep.org/TR_online.php).

The course has been structured into 5 modules, each focusing on specific teaching strategies for STEM learning in the university context, including OER in practice, Inquiry-Based Learning, Problem-Based Learning, Simulation, and Game-Based Learning. Each module was structured according to Merrill's (2001) instructional principles for effective and efficient learning, starting with the activation of their prior knowledge and progressively guiding them toward critical reflection on integrating newly acquired knowledge into their teaching practice (Ranieri, 2005).

A total of 325 South African Professors and Lecturers completed the courses, enabling to identify 3 user profiles according to the value of pre-test score: Low-skills users (0–2 correct answers), characterised by limited or no prior knowledge or experience; Medium-skills users (3–4 correct answers), with a moderate level of prior knowledge or experience; and High-skills users (5 correct answers), demonstrating a high level of prior knowledge or experience. The test consisted of 5 questions, each with 4 multiple-choice options, and was administered pre- and post-module to document variation in the acquisition of teaching skills.

The training course, developed within the framework of the TED SOEP project, demonstrated a positive impact on participants’ skills in STEM teaching strategies. Its modular design allowed participants to explore a variety of digitally supported, active-learning approaches in STEM higher education. The distribution of participants across the three learning profiles varied across modules, reflecting differences in initial preparedness. In this respect, the course supported personalised learning pathways, promoting both the consolidation of prior knowledge and the bridging of existing gaps.

References:
[1] Gravett, S., & Petersen, N. (2022). Future-proofing teacher education. Taylor & Francis. https://bookshelf.vitalsource.com/books/9781000623437.
[2] Kleinschmit, A. J., Rosenwald, A., Ryder, E. F., Donovan, S., Murdoch, B., Grandgenett, N. F., ... & Morgan, W. (2023). Accelerating STEM education reform: Linked communities of practice promote creation of open educational resources and sustainable professional development. International Journal of STEM Education, 10(1), 16.
[3] Merril, D. (2001). First Principles of Instructions. Educational Technology Research and Development, 50, 43-59.
[4] Ranieri, M. (2005). E-learning: modelli e strategie didattiche (pp. 7-176). Erickson.

Keywords:

Higher education, Webinar-based training, Inclusive academic innovation.