Active Learning Pedagogies in High School and Undergraduate STEM Education

A special issue of Education Sciences (ISSN 2227-7102). This special issue belongs to the section "STEM Education".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 April 2024) | Viewed by 15819

Special Issue Editors

School of Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
Interests: assessment; complex problem-solving; creativity; engineering education; systems thinking

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Guest Editor
Institute for Advanced Study in PBL, Aalborg University, 9220 Aalborg, Denmark
Interests: problem-based learning; STEM education; education transitions; curriculum development

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

In recent years, active learning methods have been promoted as helping to foster a variety of learning outcomes, including but not limited to conceptual understanding, higher-order thinking skills, and interpersonal skills. While high school education and undergraduate education differ from each other in multiple ways, we believe researchers focused on these different educational levels can learn from each other’s findings and conclusions.

In this Special Issue, “Active Learning Pedagogies in High School and Undergraduate STEM Education”, we are interested in submissions from a variety of STEM disciplines and geographic regions. Active learning pedagogies may include but are not limited to case-based learning, challenge-based learning, experiential learning, inquiry-based learning, problem-based learning, and project-based learning.

This Special Issue of Education Sciences welcomes submissions of manuscripts from scholars focused on STEM education research in high school or undergraduate levels. Papers may be theoretical or empirical, involving formal or informal educational settings. All research methods will be considered, including quantitative, qualitative, mixed methods, and design-based and action research.

Topics for this Special Issue include but are not limited to the following:

  • Evaluated programs, courses, or interventions;
  • Interventions for improving student skills;
  • Professional development of faculty;
  • Reviews or meta-analyses of the literature;
  • Validation of assessment instruments.

Dr. Rea Lavi
Dr. Lykke Brogaard Bertel
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • active learning
  • assessment
  • case-based learning
  • challenge-based learning
  • conceptual understanding
  • curriculum development
  • experiential learning
  • engineering education
  • high school
  • inquiry-based learning
  • interpersonal skills
  • mathematics education
  • pre-college
  • problem-based learning
  • project-based learning
  • professional development
  • science education
  • STEM education
  • technology education
  • thinking skills
  • undergraduate

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Published Papers (7 papers)

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Editorial

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3 pages, 143 KiB  
Editorial
Active Learning Pedagogies in High School and Undergraduate STEM Education
by Rea Lavi and Lykke Brogaard Bertel
Educ. Sci. 2024, 14(9), 1011; https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci14091011 - 15 Sep 2024
Viewed by 715
Abstract
Active learning (AL) typically involves (1) students applying knowledge and higher-order thinking (2) individually and in groups to (3) problems, cases, scenarios, or questions while (4) reflecting on their learning [...] Full article

Research

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19 pages, 256 KiB  
Article
The System Architecture-Function-Outcome Framework for Fostering and Assessing Systems Thinking in First-Year STEM Education and Its Potential Applications in Case-Based Learning
by Rea Lavi and Lykke Brogaard Bertel
Educ. Sci. 2024, 14(7), 720; https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci14070720 - 2 Jul 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 961
Abstract
Systems thinking is crucial for understanding and solving complex problems and is considered an important thinking skill in engineering. Active learning is considered an effective approach for fostering STEM students’ systems thinking. However, viable methods for teaching and assessing systems thinking with active [...] Read more.
Systems thinking is crucial for understanding and solving complex problems and is considered an important thinking skill in engineering. Active learning is considered an effective approach for fostering STEM students’ systems thinking. However, viable methods for teaching and assessing systems thinking with active learning across STEM disciplines, particularly in first-year undergraduate education, are still under-researched. In this paper, we introduce a research-based framework named System Architecture-Function-Outcome to help first-year STEM instructors both foster and assess students’ introductory systems thinking. To conduct an initial evaluation of the framework’s suitability in active learning settings, we designed a directed case-based learning assignment with an adapted article and a rubric for assessing ‘introductory systems thinking’, as defined in the framework. We deployed the assignment among 84 first-year STEM students and successfully tested its inter-rater reliability, with 75–100% inter-rater agreement across all assessment criteria. We discuss the implications of our results on fostering and assessing first-year STEM students’ systems thinking, and outline examples for potential applications of the framework, pending further validation, in case-based learning settings of varying degrees of learner autonomy, from lecture-based to problem-based learning. Full article
23 pages, 11361 KiB  
Article
On the Use of an Online Polling Platform for Enhancing Student Engagement in an Engineering Module
by Abdollah Malekjafarian and Meisam Gordan
Educ. Sci. 2024, 14(5), 536; https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci14050536 - 16 May 2024
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1433
Abstract
Students’ engagement is a fundamental challenge in large classrooms in higher education. In recent years, innovative technologies such as electronic learning and online polling platforms have made learning more engaging, effective, and interactive. By using these platforms, educators can create more inclusive and [...] Read more.
Students’ engagement is a fundamental challenge in large classrooms in higher education. In recent years, innovative technologies such as electronic learning and online polling platforms have made learning more engaging, effective, and interactive. By using these platforms, educators can create more inclusive and enriching learning environments. This paper presents a novel approach in which an online technology is employed to enhance students’ learning experience. In this approach, features of an online polling platform, i.e., Slido, are employed to enhance students’ engagement in an engineering module, i.e., ‘Mechanics of Solids’, which is recognised as a fundamentally challenging module with difficult subjects. This study investigates how the interactive features of such technologies, such as real-time polls, question and answer (Q&A) sessions, and quizzes, can provide a more active and practical learning environment by improving student engagement in the classroom. In total, six online polls were designed: one for ice-breaking, two on the topics of shear forces and bending moment, two on stresses, and one on deflection. Each poll was presented to the students, and they participated in them by scanning a QR code or typing the poll’s code online. The rate of students’ participation in polls is extensively discussed to show the effectiveness of the proposed method. The findings of this study show a significant increase in student participation in classroom activities compared to traditional methods. Student feedback also indicates a positive learning experience with the use of the proposed approach. It is shown that the proposed approach has the potential to transform the way engineering students engage with challenging subjects, leading to enhanced learning outcomes and a more positive learning experience. Full article
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18 pages, 1179 KiB  
Article
Secondary School Apprenticeship Research Experience: Scientific Dispositions and Mentor-Student Interaction
by Mercedes Edry, Irit Sasson and Yehudit Judy Dori
Educ. Sci. 2023, 13(5), 441; https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci13050441 - 25 Apr 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1777
Abstract
This study investigated the impact of a secondary school science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) research apprenticeship program (STEM-RAP) as part of active learning pedagogy on students’ performance. We examined students’ (a) scientific dispositions—self-efficacy, intrinsic goal orientation, and sense of control over learning, [...] Read more.
This study investigated the impact of a secondary school science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) research apprenticeship program (STEM-RAP) as part of active learning pedagogy on students’ performance. We examined students’ (a) scientific dispositions—self-efficacy, intrinsic goal orientation, and sense of control over learning, (b) STEM career choice, and (c) mentor-student interaction. Research tools included open- and closed-ended questionnaires, as well as interviews with a sample of students and mentors. The questionnaire was administered to 319 11th and 12th grade students majoring in science and technology in Israeli high schools. Of these, 262 participated in STEM-RAP and 57 took part only in studying a high-school STEM subject as a major. The results show highly positive scientific dispositions. A significant difference was found in intrinsic goal orientation in favor of the STEM-RAP students, who also had different contextual images of their mentors as ‘research partners’. The mentor interviews revealed several interaction themes, including content, procedural, and epistemic knowledge development, partnership, and emotional support. The findings emphasize the importance of research activities as part of active learning pedagogy for developing students’ motivation to study science. Full article
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22 pages, 1018 KiB  
Article
Perceptions of Lecturers and Engineering Students of Sophism and Paradox: The Case of Differential Equations
by Faezeh Rezvanifard, Farzad Radmehr and Michael Drake
Educ. Sci. 2023, 13(4), 354; https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci13040354 - 29 Mar 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1768
Abstract
One of the important topics that many STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) students learn at the tertiary level is differential equations (DEs). Previous studies have explored students’ perceptions of engaging in puzzle tasks in STEM courses; however, no study has explored lecturers’ [...] Read more.
One of the important topics that many STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) students learn at the tertiary level is differential equations (DEs). Previous studies have explored students’ perceptions of engaging in puzzle tasks in STEM courses; however, no study has explored lecturers’ and students’ perceptions toward using sophism and paradox tasks in teaching mathematics courses, including DEs. This study explores DEs lecturers’ and undergraduate engineering students’ perceptions of using sophism and paradox tasks in the teaching and learning of DEs. The perceptions of 17 lecturers and 134 undergraduate engineering students of sophism and paradox tasks were explored using a questionnaire and semi-structured interviews. The findings showed that more than 50% of lecturers and students perceived that sophism and paradox tasks are enjoyable and entertaining activities which improve students’ mathematical understanding and problem-solving skills, and enhance thinking skills. The findings suggest that sophism and paradox tasks can be used along with routine problems in teaching DEs to provide good opportunities for students to participate more effectively in classroom discussions and motivate them to learn DEs. Full article
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26 pages, 1008 KiB  
Article
Awareness and Adoption of Evidence-Based Instructional Practices by STEM Faculty in the UAE and USA
by Melinda Joy Biggs Albuquerque, Dina Mustafa Mohammad Awadalla, Francisco Daniel Benicio de Albuquerque and Ashraf Aly Hassan
Educ. Sci. 2023, 13(2), 204; https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci13020204 - 15 Feb 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2217
Abstract
There has been a widespread call for improvement in undergraduate STEM education, leading to what are known as evidence-based instructional practices (EBIPs). However, EBIP usage in STEM is a more recent phenomenon in the United Arab Emirates, which is historically known for its [...] Read more.
There has been a widespread call for improvement in undergraduate STEM education, leading to what are known as evidence-based instructional practices (EBIPs). However, EBIP usage in STEM is a more recent phenomenon in the United Arab Emirates, which is historically known for its passive teaching practices but is now taking strides to transform its educational system. This study sought to assess (i) STEM faculty EBIP awareness, adoption, and ease-of-implementation perceptions from STEM faculty at a leading university in the United Arab Emirates and the demographic factors correlated with faculty responses, and (ii) the contextual factors that influence faculty EBIP adoption. Data was compared to that of STEM faculty at a top-tier research and teaching university in the United States of America. Finally, this study sought to provide a snapshot of current STEM faculty teaching practices when both a leader (United States of America) and a newcomer (United Arab Emirates) in STEM EBIPs were considered. A survey containing 16 teaching practices—3 traditional, 13 EBIPs—along with 20 contextual factors was developed and completed by faculty. EBIP awareness and usage were positively affected by time spent on teaching, teaching experience, and teaching workshop participation, and negatively affected by more class time spent lecturing. Significant contextual factors point to potential factors for consideration in efforts to improve EBIP adoption. Full article
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Review

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25 pages, 3010 KiB  
Review
A Systematic Review of Engineering Students in Intercultural Teamwork: Characteristics, Challenges, and Coping Strategies
by Dan Jiang, Bettina Dahl and Xiangyun Du
Educ. Sci. 2023, 13(6), 540; https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci13060540 - 24 May 2023
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 5111
Abstract
In response to the challenges posed by globalization and internationalization, engineering education programs are increasingly focused on knowledge, technologies, and competence that meet global needs. Against this backdrop, higher engineering students are often encouraged to collaborate in teams with others from diverse, cultural, [...] Read more.
In response to the challenges posed by globalization and internationalization, engineering education programs are increasingly focused on knowledge, technologies, and competence that meet global needs. Against this backdrop, higher engineering students are often encouraged to collaborate in teams with others from diverse, cultural, and disciplinary backgrounds, for the purpose of preparing them to accommodate change and innovation across international working contexts. Within a growing number of intercultural systematic and meta-analysis reviews in engineering education, little attention has been paid to intercultural team characteristics, and even less has been given to the challenges of intercultural teamwork and the relevant coping strategies. Using a systematic approach, this paper reviewed 77 journal articles to identify the intercultural team characteristics of engineering students based on team formats, level of collaboration, learning goals, evaluation methods, and learning gains. Through the process of intercultural collaboration, several challenges and corresponding coping strategies were reported at the individual, relational, and contextual levels. Recommendations for future practice for engineering educators and programs faculties, and future research directions for engineering educational researchers, are proposed in order to support engineering students’ intercultural team learning. Full article
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