A study of students' learning perceptions and behaviors in remote STEM programming education

Area of Science:

• STEM Education
• Computer Science Education
• Educational Technology

Background:

• Universities increasingly focus on nurturing innovative thinking and practical application in STEM programs.
• Online STEM education faces challenges, with students potentially struggling with unanswered questions and disengaging.
• Integrating cross-domain knowledge is crucial for developing comprehensive STEM competencies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the impact of a problem-based learning approach combined with an online programming system on student learning in an online STEM programming course.
• To investigate differences in students' perceptions of STEM learning, learning outcomes, and learning behaviors.
• To enhance student motivation and problem-solving skills in remote STEM education.

Main Methods:

• Implemented a problem-based learning (PBL) approach within an online STEM programming course.
• Utilized an integrated online programming system to support students in solving programming assignments.
• Simplified, decomposed, and reorganized assignments, with teacher guidance on problem-solving strategies.
• Employed a four-step PBL method: stating, understanding, planning, and executing/debugging problems.

Main Results:

• Students demonstrated significant gains in STEM programming content knowledge.
• A significant difference was observed between students' prior knowledge and their learning outcomes.
• Students' perceptions of STEM learning showed significant differences across various dimensions.
• Observed positive learning behaviors, including note-taking and active engagement with instructional materials.

Conclusions:

• The integrated problem-based learning approach and online programming system effectively enhanced STEM programming education.
• The method improved students' learning outcomes and fostered a deeper understanding of STEM concepts.
• The study highlights the potential of technology-enhanced, problem-centered pedagogy in online STEM programs.