In this presentation, CCRC Research Associate Amy E. Brown and SRI Education Researcher Krystal Thomas reported on findings from a study of the ways that instructors teaching online introductory STEM courses use instructional strategies and educational technology to help students develop self-directed learning (SDL) skills and mindsets like motivation, planning, help-seeking, and reflection. Drawing on 12 in-depth interviews with faculty members at community colleges and broad-access institutions, the researchers described how instructors are using creative strategies to set the foundation for students’ development of SDL skills and mindsets at the start of online STEM courses and the ways they enable students to practice and grow their skills as the courses progress. The researchers then engaged participants in a discussion of how STEM classroom-level strategies can be supported through institutional policies and practices, how context and culture shape student learning, and how SDL strategies can better support students from diverse backgrounds.
