Online Learning for STEM Subjects: International Examples of Technologies and Pedagogies in Use

The Global Collaboration initiatives related in this book are examples of how educators have experimented with different mechanisms to provide science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education programmes through information and communication technologies. In many cases, these programmes have looked at the allied personal communication and collaboration skills that students of these subjects also need: the so-called STEM+ curriculum.

In particular, these approaches to STEM+ provision show how the internationalization of education can be made more effective and accessible through the exploitation of collaborative technologies and non-traditional pedagogies. The approaches address the following themes:

• technologies for distance learning and collaboration
• pedagogies for online learning
• remote communication and collaboration

An international perspective is made possible within the book through the inclusion of authors from North America, Europe and Asia. These authors present case studies from technology-enhanced learning projects over the past six years.

Mark Childs is a Senior Lecturer in Technology Enhanced Learning at Oxford Brookes University, UK, supporting staff in developing their digital capabilities. Mark has been working in higher education since 1995 as a researcher in the use of technology for learning and teaching. Mark’s main research area has been the study of learners’ experiences of synchronous technologies in higher education and the role of presence and embodiment in supporting learning in these. His PhD in education was completed in 2010.

Robby Soetanto is Senior Lecturer in Construction Management at Loughborough University, UK. Prior to this, he held post-doctoral research posts at Wolverhampton and Loughborough Universities and lectured at Coventry University. His research has been funded by government bodies (EPSRC, EU, HEA, British Council) and private companies (Lloyds TSB and Hewlett Packard). He led Learning to Create a Better Built Environment and BIM-Hub projects, which focus on developing virtual collaboration skills of built environment students and provide the basis of the first part of this book.