Background: Active learning used in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) courses has been shown to improve student outcomes. Nevertheless, traditional lecture-orientated approaches endure in these courses. The implementation of teaching practices is a result of many interrelated factors including disciplinary norms, classroom…

This article is a cross-border adventure in two senses of the term. Firstly, it is an adventure in co-authorship that exemplifies how Dewey conceptualises education, namely as a 'continuous reconstruction of experience'. Secondly, it explores the limitations of a restricted definition of 'professionalism', particularly when the term is applied in…

Although the crucial role of the diaspora in scientific research and postgraduate training in Africa has been well documented, much less is known about their role in undergraduate STEM education. In this case study, we reflect on our experiences of i) adapting the content of training in order to complement local expertise and needs; and ii)…

Educators have recognized the importance of providing a realistic learning environment which helps learners to not only comprehend learning content, but also to link the content to practical problems. Such an environment can hence foster problem-solving skills in nursing training. However, when learners interact in a virtual environment with rich…

It is often asserted that to facilitate student engagement, encourage participation and create optimal learning environments, the classroom should be a safe space. In this paper, we explore the idea that 'safety' is at odds with the very nature of academic enquiry. Using data from a qualitative study with staff at a UK University, we illustrate…

A considerable body of evidence demonstrates that active, student-centered instructional practices are more effective than lecture-based, transmissionist approaches in improving undergraduate STEM learning. Despite this evidence and extensive reform initiatives, the majority of STEM instructors continue to teach didactically. Awareness of teaching…

This qualitative longitudinal study explored three engineering instructors' professional agency in implementing project-based learning (PBL), including multiple sets of data (18 interviews, observations, and written reflections spanning three semesters). The results show that the instructors' care for students, interest in pedagogical innovation,…

Although flipped classroom pedagogies have been widely touted for their ability to foster diverse 21st-century learning objectives, previous syntheses of flipped learning have focused almost exclusively on outcomes related to academic achievement. Using data from 317 studies, our research addresses this deficit by providing a comprehensive…

There are many challenges associated with Inquiry-Based Practical Work (IBPW), scattered in the school and post-school natural sciences education research literature. The goal of the systematic review presented in this paper, was to gather the contextual teaching challenges in the said literature, and then to create a detailed multi-perspective…

Educational societies encountered rapid development in all fields of knowledge, assisted by the invention of new technologies and development of linguistic systems. Over time, researchers contribute to design well known instructional models such as traditional-based and inquiry-based models. However, the previous literature investigations showed…

Studies on the effectiveness of the Project-Based Learning (PBL) method in different local contexts require non-conventional approaches that clarify if the methodology is suitable in other settings compared to the conventional teaching practice. This study examined students' perception of the effectiveness of the PBL method in developing…

Digital storytelling (DS) has increasingly been incorporated as a pedagogical tool to engage EFL learners for active language learning. However, little is known about how EFL learners make self-initiated use of multifarious resources available to them for engaging in the DS practice behaviourally, cognitively, affectively and socially. This…

The role of communication variables such as communication apprehension (CA), self-perceived communication competence (SPCC), and intercultural willingness to communicate (IWTC) in improving L2 WTC has rarely been compared or even considered in detail in project-based learning (PBL) classroom contexts. Given this research gap, a mixed-methods study…

Differentiated geographical and institutional contexts imply the need to examine the effectiveness of non-conventional approach learning methods in contrast to generalist assumptions. One way is to examine the perceptions of undergraduates of a teaching method applied to specific individuals, geographical contexts, and their relationship to…

This study presents a contextual active learning perspective on how a healthcare data analytics course was designed and delivered to students enrolled in a graduate business analytics degree. Industry and academia emphasizes the need to integrate context-specific learning, however contextual analytics courses are not widely offered in business…