Stem Education on Open Educational Platforms

Abstract

Modern society functions under the influence of technology, thanks to which all areas of its life are developing. This contributed to the emergence of a new direction in education - the STEM direction, which combines natural sciences (Science), technology (Technology), engineering (Engineering) and mathematics (Mathematics). This direction is focused on applied research in solving specific problems and using at the same time interdisciplinary connections, concepts and methods, which today are followed and formed in natural and technical sciences and mathematics and digital technologies. The study of the STEM direction is not yet provided for in the main curriculum of educational institutions but takes place mostly through webinars, advanced training courses, conferences, etc. And with the introduction of distance learning into the educational process, electronic educational platforms for mastering certain knowledge have become relevant. The purpose of the article is the analysis of educational resources regarding the provision of STEM education or the training of teachers for its implementation. The article examines well-known foreign (Coursera, edX, Udemy) and Ukrainian (Prometheus and EdEra) open educational platforms. The choice of these platforms is based on: popularity, a convenient interface with the ability to filter courses, the presence of courses with the word "STEM" in the title, free access. The considered quantitative analysis of STEM courses on the specified platforms showed that there are no STEM courses on Ukrainian platforms. To get an idea of the capacity (content) of STEM-related courses, we took individual courses on the Coursera, edX, Udemy platforms. Namely, the course "Emprendiendo en STEM" (Coursera), "Advancing Learning Through Evidence-Based STEM Teaching" (edX), "Finding the Art in Engineering - STEM to STEAM" (Udemy). Based on the results of the analysis of courses on open educational platforms related to STEM education, it was concluded that Coursera contains the largest number of courses that mention STEM. At the same time, examples of their completion show that the developers do not offer courses specifically for acquiring STEM education.

Revolutionizing Health Education: The Dynamic Shift of E-Learning Platforms

“…Educators' perspectives on the functionality of e-learning platforms resonate with the findings of Goodman et al [34], emphasizing the effectiveness of these platforms in the teaching-learning process. The high score for the utilization of interactive elements aligns with the positive impact of such elements on engagement, as discussed by Yurchenko and Semenikhina [31]. The educators' engagement with e-learning platforms is consistent with the adaptability of these platforms to various learning styles, as emphasized by Din [32].…”

“…Such platforms have effectively created a virtual nexus for knowledge sharing, fostering international cooperation and driving the collective pursuit of enhancing healthcare delivery and outcomes [4]. Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) stand at the forefront of this educational revolution [31]. These platforms like Coursera and edX offer a plethora of courses on diverse health topics, crafted by leading institutions worldwide.…”

“…These courses range from foundational subjects in public health to advanced, specialized medical training. The accessibility and scalability of MOOCs have democratized education, allowing healthcare workers from various regions to access cutting-edge knowledge and training without the constraints of physical and financial barriers [26,28,31].…”

“…While the potential benefits of these technologies are vast, their integration into health education also raises ethical considerations and challenges [31][32][33]. Privacy concerns, particularly related to the collection and use of sensitive data in VR and AR applications, must be addressed.…”