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Foundations for Active Learning in STEM Courses

Jess Dunleavey, Dr. Olysha Magruder, Joseph W. Cutrone, PhD, and Melissa (Mel) Rizzuto, Ed.D.

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What's inside

Syllabus

Module 1 - Fundamentals of Active Learning

Welcome to Foundations for Active Learning in STEM Courses! We are glad you are here. This course will take you through a deep dive into active learning theories, techniques, and practical applications for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.

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Learners who complete Foundations for Active Learning in STEM Courses will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

STEM Educator

A STEM Educator is at the forefront of inspiring and guiding students through the complexities of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. This role demands not only deep subject matter expertise but also a sophisticated understanding of how students learn most effectively. This course provides a complete immersion into active learning theories and practical applications, directly equipping a future or current STEM Educator with the tools to transform their classroom. By exploring strategies like Project-Based Learning and Cooperative Learning, along with techniques such as flipped classrooms and group quizzes, the course helps build a dynamic and engaging learning environment. Analyzing expert methods and creating a personal implementation plan empowers the STEM Educator to address learning challenges unique to STEM concepts, fostering critical thinking and real-world application among students.

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Instructional Designer

An Instructional Designer crafts compelling and effective learning experiences, often focusing on how content is delivered and absorbed. This role involves translating educational goals into practical lessons, modules, and courses. This course offers an in-depth exploration of active learning theories and techniques, which are directly applicable to the core responsibilities of an Instructional Designer. Understanding strategies like Project-Based Learning and Problem-Based Learning, alongside the evidence-based impact of peer-to-peer learning and experiential activities, helps design engaging and impactful STEM curricula. The course's focus on identifying common barriers to implementation and exploring technology tools also helps an Instructional Designer create robust, interactive, and effective learning solutions that promote deep understanding and skill development in STEM disciplines.

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University Professor

A University Professor teaches and conducts research at the postsecondary level, often specializing in a STEM discipline. This role typically requires an advanced degree, such as a Master's or PhD, and involves significant pedagogical responsibility. This course offers a deep dive into active learning theories and practical applications specifically for STEM environments, which is invaluable for a University Professor. By exploring strategies like Project-Based Learning, Problem-Based Learning, and flipped classrooms, professors can enhance student engagement and deepen understanding of complex STEM concepts. The course’s emphasis on evidence-based impact and overcoming implementation barriers helps a University Professor refine teaching practices, fostering critical thinking, collaboration, and real-world application, ultimately preparing students for advanced professional roles in STEM.

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Professional Development Specialist

A Professional Development Specialist designs and delivers training programs tailored to enhance the skills and knowledge of educators or other professionals. This role often focuses on improving pedagogical practices or updating skills in specific domains. This course offers an in-depth exploration of active learning theories and practical applications for STEM courses, making it exceptionally relevant for a Professional Development Specialist. By understanding strategies like Project-Based Learning, Problem-Based Learning, and cooperative learning, one can create and lead workshops that empower other educators to implement engaging and effective teaching methods. The course’s emphasis on evidence-based impact and overcoming implementation barriers also helps a Professional Development Specialist equip peers with practical, actionable strategies for fostering critical thinking and real-world application in their own teaching practices.

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Curriculum Developer

A Curriculum Developer creates and revises educational programs and materials, ensuring they are cohesive, relevant, and effective for student learning. This role is crucial for structuring the educational journey within a specific discipline or institution. This course provides foundational knowledge in active learning theories and their practical applications, directly benefiting a Curriculum Developer. By understanding the unique challenges of learning STEM concepts and how active learning addresses these, one can design curricula that genuinely engage students. Exploring methods such as Project-Based Learning and Cooperative Learning, which promote critical thinking and real-world application, helps a Curriculum Developer integrate these powerful strategies from the ground up, leading to more interactive and effective STEM education programs.

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Science Museum Educator

A Science Museum Educator designs and delivers engaging, interactive learning experiences for visitors of all ages, often focusing on hands-on exploration of scientific principles. This role is inherently about making complex STEM concepts accessible and exciting. This course provides a deep dive into active learning theories and practical applications that are directly relevant for a Science Museum Educator. Understanding strategies like Project-Based Learning, Problem-Based Learning, and experiential learning helps in crafting exhibits and programs that foster critical thinking and direct engagement. By applying the course's insights into promoting collaboration and hands-on learning, a Science Museum Educator can create richer, more interactive experiences that deepen understanding and inspire curiosity in STEM.

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Learning and Development Specialist

A Learning and Development Specialist designs, implements, and evaluates training programs for employees, focusing on skill enhancement and professional growth within an organization. This role often involves creating technical training for STEM-related fields within corporate or professional settings. This course provides a thorough grounding in active learning theories and practical applications that may be useful for a Learning and Development Specialist. Understanding how active learning addresses the unique challenges of learning complex concepts, as seen in STEM, can translate directly to professional training. Exploring methods like Project-Based Learning and cooperative strategies helps in crafting engaging and effective workshops and modules that foster critical thinking, collaboration, and practical application of skills among adult learners.

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Education Consultant

An Education Consultant advises schools, universities, and other organizations on improving educational practices, curriculum development, and instructional strategies. This role requires a strong understanding of pedagogical theory and effective implementation. This course offers a deep dive into active learning theories, techniques, and practical applications for STEM courses, making it highly relevant for an Education Consultant. By understanding strategies like Project-Based Learning, Problem-Based Learning, and cooperative learning, one can provide expert guidance on how to enhance student engagement and learning outcomes. The course’s focus on evidence-based impact, overcoming implementation barriers, and analyzing expert methods helps an Education Consultant deliver actionable recommendations to institutions seeking to optimize their STEM education programs.

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STEM Program Coordinator

A STEM Program Coordinator manages and oversees various educational initiatives and projects focused on science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. This role involves planning, organizing, and ensuring the effective delivery of STEM programs, often working with educators and stakeholders. This course offers an in-depth exploration of active learning theories and practical applications, which is greatly beneficial for a STEM Program Coordinator. Understanding how active learning addresses the unique challenges of STEM concepts and promotes STEM skills development helps in designing and evaluating high-quality programs. The course's insights into implementing strategies like Project-Based Learning and recognizing their evidence-based impact help a coordinator ensure that programs foster critical thinking, collaboration, and real-world application, making them genuinely effective and engaging.

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Educational Technologist

An Educational Technologist integrates technology into learning environments to enhance educational delivery and outcomes. This role involves selecting, implementing, and supporting digital tools that facilitate effective teaching and learning. This course offers a deep dive into active learning theories and practical applications for STEM, directly informing the work of an Educational Technologist. By understanding strategies like flipped classrooms, polling, and group work, one can better identify and leverage technology to support these pedagogical approaches. The course specifically explores technology tools and resources that support active learning, helping an Educational Technologist make informed decisions to create more interactive, engaging, and effective STEM classroom environments and digital learning platforms.

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Youth Program Director STEM Focus

A Youth Program Director STEM Focus develops, organizes, and oversees educational programs designed to engage young people in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. This role emphasizes creating stimulating and accessible learning experiences outside traditional classroom settings. This course provides a comprehensive exploration of active learning theories and practical applications that are invaluable for a Youth Program Director STEM Focus. Understanding how active learning addresses the unique challenges of learning STEM concepts helps in designing highly engaging and impactful activities. Insights into strategies like Project-Based Learning, Problem-Based Learning, and experiential learning empower one to foster critical thinking, collaboration, and real-world application, inspiring enthusiasm for STEM among participants.

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Corporate Trainer

A Corporate Trainer delivers skill-based instruction and professional development to employees, often in technical or specialized fields. This role demands engaging teaching methods to ensure knowledge transfer and skill acquisition among adult learners. This course provides an in-depth exploration of active learning theories and practical applications that may be helpful for a Corporate Trainer, especially when developing STEM-related or technical training programs. By understanding how active learning addresses the challenges of complex concepts, one can design more effective training modules. Exploring strategies such as Project-Based Learning, Problem-Based Learning, and cooperative learning helps a Corporate Trainer create highly interactive and impactful sessions that foster critical thinking, collaboration, and the practical application of new skills in a professional setting.

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Academic Administrator

An Academic Administrator holds a leadership position within an educational institution, overseeing academic programs, faculty development, or specific departments. This role often involves strategic planning and ensuring educational quality. This course, providing a deep dive into active learning theories and practical applications in STEM, may be helpful for an Academic Administrator. Understanding effective pedagogical approaches, such as Project-Based Learning and cooperative learning, helps in evaluating teaching effectiveness, supporting faculty, and shaping curriculum development. The course's exploration of identifying barriers to implementation and analyzing expert methods equips an Academic Administrator with insights to foster a culture of innovative, student-centered learning across their institution, enhancing the quality of STEM education. This role often requires an advanced degree.

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Educational Content Creator

An Educational Content Creator develops learning materials for various platforms, including textbooks, online courses, and digital resources. This role blends subject matter expertise with an understanding of pedagogical principles to design engaging and effective content. This course provides a deep dive into active learning theories and practical applications for STEM, which is highly beneficial for an Educational Content Creator. Understanding strategies like Project-Based Learning, Problem-Based Learning, and flipped classrooms helps one design content that actively engages learners rather than merely presenting information. The course's insights into fostering critical thinking, collaboration, and experiential learning enable a creator to develop interactive materials that lead to deeper understanding and skill development in STEM disciplines.

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Assessment and Evaluation Specialist

An Assessment and Evaluation Specialist designs, implements, and analyzes educational assessments and program evaluations to measure learning outcomes and program effectiveness. While not directly teaching, this role greatly benefits from understanding effective pedagogical practices. This course, providing a deep dive into active learning theories and practical applications for STEM, may be useful for an Assessment and Evaluation Specialist. Understanding how active learning fosters critical thinking, collaboration, and real-world application of concepts allows one to design assessments that genuinely measure these deeper learning outcomes, rather than just rote memorization. The insights into the unique challenges of STEM learning and the evidence-based impact of different techniques help an Assessment and Evaluation Specialist create more valid and comprehensive evaluation tools for STEM courses and programs.

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Reading list

We've selected 50 books that we think will supplement your learning. Use these to develop background knowledge, enrich your coursework, and gain a deeper understanding of the topics covered in Foundations for Active Learning in STEM Courses.

Multimedia Learning

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Comprehensive handbook of educational technology. It covers a wide range of topics, including the history of educational technology, the different types of educational technology, and the ways that educational technology can be used to improve teaching and learning.

Foundations for Active Learning in STEM Courses

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