Motivating Students to Learn STEM Subjects through Moodle

CPD activities at the local university

a) Creation of Collaborative Work Groups

- Description: Students are divided into work groups on Moodle. Each group tackles a practical STEM project, such as designing a scientific experiment or solving a mathematical problem.
- Use of Moodle: The “Groups” feature is used to assign projects and allow students to collaborate through private forums and shared files.

b) Discussion Forums for Peer Learning

- Description:Teachers create discussion forums on Moodle where students can ask questions about difficult concepts. Other students can respond, promoting peer learning.
- Use of Moodle:The forums are moderated by the teacher but encourage students to discuss and solve problems together, creating a collective learning environment.

c) Weekly Challenges with Collective Feedback

- Description:Each week, a STEM challenge is proposed, such as solving a complex problem or creating a physical/mathematical model. Students post their solutions in the forums and receive feedback from peers and the teacher.
- Use of Moodle: Forums and groups are used to upload results, comment on, and improve each other’s work.

d) Gamification and Badges

- Description:Students who actively participate in forums or successfully complete group projects receive badges and visible recognitions on their Moodle profiles.
- Use of Moodle:The badge feature in Moodle is used to reward achievements, increasing motivation through a visible rewards system.

Teaching and learning materials

• Materials Provided by the Teacher:
  • Video lessons, tutorials, and documents on key concepts in STEM subjects.
  • Links to online simulations or educational software.
  • Examples of problems and practical STEM projects.
• Materials Produced by Students:
  • Solutions to STEM projects, presentations, experiments, and demonstrations uploaded in group forums.
  • Discussions, responses, and feedback within the forums, visible to all students to promote collaborative learning.

Sustainable implementation

• Teacher Training:Teachers receive training on Moodle to maximize the use of forums and groups. This ensures they can implement these activities each year, updating challenges based on student progress.
• Ongoing Engagement:Students are continuously engaged with new weekly activities, stimulating projects, and goals to achieve, keeping motivation high.
• Feedback and Improvement: Through continuous monitoring of performance and student feedback, activities are adapted to remain relevant and challenging.
• Using Moodle in this way creates a collaborative learning environment that goes beyond traditional lectures, actively engaging students in a sustainable manner, with long-term benefits for STEM learning.

Expected impact of the CPD User Case

• Enhanced Student Engagement: By implementing collaborative learning strategies and utilizing Moodle's features, we expect to see a significant increase in student engagement in STEM subjects. The interactive nature of group projects and discussion forums will encourage more active participation.
• Improved Academic Performance:The structured challenges and continuous feedback mechanisms will likely lead to better academic outcomes. As students work through practical projects and receive peer support, their understanding of STEM concepts should deepen, resulting in improved grades and assessment scores.
• Development of Soft Skills:The focus on collaboration, problem-solving, and critical thinking will help students develop essential soft skills. These competencies are crucial for their future academic and professional success, particularly in STEM fields.
• Sustainable Learning Environment:The integration of ongoing activities, feedback loops, and regular updates to challenges will create a dynamic learning environment. This sustainability will keep students motivated and continuously learning, even outside the classroom setting.
• Teacher Professional Development:The training provided to teachers will not only enhance their ability to use Moodle effectively but also empower them to facilitate a more engaging and collaborative learning atmosphere. This professional development will benefit both teachers and students over the long term.
• Community Building: By fostering peer interactions through forums and group projects, a sense of community among students will likely emerge. This supportive environment can enhance the overall learning experience, making students feel more connected and engaged with their peers and instructors.

Plans for eventual continuation of the CPD within the same topic

• Expansion of STEM Projects:Following the initial implementation, there are plans to expand the number of available STEM projects, including a variety of topics and difficulty levels. This will engage a larger number of students and cater to diverse educational needs.
• Updating Educational Resources:The educational resources provided to students will be continuously updated with new videos, tutorials, and simulations. This will ensure that students always have access to relevant and cutting-edge materials.
• Ongoing Training for Teachers:Teachers will participate in continuous training sessions to further enhance their skills in using Moodle and collaborative teaching strategies. This ongoing support will ensure the effectiveness of the proposed activities.
• Feedback and Adaptation:Regular feedback mechanisms will be implemented for both students and teachers to monitor the program's effectiveness. Based on this feedback, activities and challenges will be adjusted to remain relevant and challenging.
• Integration of New Technologies:New educational technologies will be explored for integration into the Moodle platform, such as augmented reality tools or artificial intelligence, to make STEM learning even more interactive and engaging