Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to: (1) explore existing practices of STEM faculty at a private Lebanese university and (2) assess the extent of implementation of active learning among faculty members of selected STEM departments.

Design/methodology/approach

The Working Group on “Integrating Modern Scientific teaching methodologies in STEM” (IM-STEM) at a tertiary university in Lebanon advocates for novel research-based methods to enhance STEM education. This pilot study investigated, using a modified version of the Wieman and Gilbert “Teaching Practices Inventory”, the current teaching methods used by faculty members in selected STEM departments.

Findings

Remarkably, most respondents admit a willingness to incorporate new teaching methods. Main findings indicate that traditional teaching via didactic lecturing remains prevalent in the STEM classrooms at the tertiary academic institution in Lebanon despite sporadic individual efforts by faculty members to utilize unconventional methods and active learning.

Research limitations/implications

One major limitation that influenced the efficiency of this study is the small number of respondents (71 faculty members). More in-depth data collection combining quantitative and qualitative data should be done in future studies.

Practical implications

Gaining insight into the actual methods used in STEM fields in various departments can help the university management to better understand the key importance of educational reform.

Originality/value

The main value of this paper is to serve as a prelude for educational reform at a tertiary academic institution.

中文翻译：

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STEM 部门当前的教学方法——基础大学教育改革的路线图：来自黎巴嫩的证据

目的

本文的目的是：（1）探索黎巴嫩一所私立大学 STEM 教师的现有实践，（2）评估选定 STEM 部门的教师实施主动学习的程度。

设计/方法/方法

黎巴嫩一所高等大学的“将现代科学教学方法融入 STEM”工作组 (IM-STEM) 提倡采用新的研究型方法来加强 STEM 教育。这项试点研究使用 Wieman 和 Gilbert “教学实践清单”的修改版本，调查了选定 STEM 部门的教职员工当前使用的教学方法。

发现

值得注意的是，大多数受访者承认愿意采用新的教学方法。主要研究结果表明，尽管教职员工不时地努力利用非常规方法和主动学习，但在黎巴嫩高等教育机构的 STEM 教室中，通过说教式讲授的传统教学仍然很普遍。

研究限制/影响

影响本研究效率的一个主要限制是少数受访者（71 名教职员工）。未来的研究应结合定量和定性数据进行更深入的数据收集。

实际影响

深入了解各个部门在 STEM 领域使用的实际方法，可以帮助大学管理层更好地了解教育改革的关键重要性。

原创性/价值

本文的主要价值在于为高等院校的教育改革做一个前奏。