CULTIVATING STUDENT ENGAGEMENT AND ENHANCING TEACHING SELF-EFFICACY IN HIGHER EDUCATION STEM: A NEUROEDUCATION FRAMEWORK
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Date
2023-08-21
Authors
Stassinopoulos, Rebekah Laurel
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Publisher
Johns Hopkins University
Abstract
There is a gender gap for women completing higher education science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) degrees, despite the greater percentage of women than men enrolled in college since 1981. This gap is exacerbated for minoritized women. STEM is known for the chilly climate for women and those outside the dominant culture. A lack of representation is partly to blame for the subtle and sometimes overt hostilities women face. An initial convergent parallel mixed-method needs assessment study indicated a significant difference along gender lines between how students and faculty perceived the level of student engagement. Faculty reported lower engagement for female students than males, while students reported no difference in cognitive engagement based on gender. This early research also showed that faculty used significantly more instructor-centered than student-centered instructional practices. This quasi-experimental convergent parallel mixed-methods study created a professional learning community for STEM faculty to increase teaching self-efficacy and student-centered practices. The brain-targeted teaching model was customized for higher education STEM and used. This study compared a non-STEM faculty control group with a STEM faculty treatment group. Post-test results showed significant increases in self-efficacy for the treatment group, both between groups and within the treatment group. The treatment group also showed a significant increase in efficacy for instructional strategies.
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Keywords
Brain-targeted teaching model, brain-targets, neuroscience, neuroeducation, student engagement, student-centered instructional practices, professional learning community, higher education, teaching self-efficacy