Program Abstract: In this session, researchers will report 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 such as motivation, planning, help-seeking, and reflection. Drawing on twelve in-depth interviews with faculty members at community colleges and broad-access institutions, presenters will describe 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 ways they enable students to practice and grow their skills as the courses progress. The presenters will then engage participants in a discussion about how institutional policies and practices can support STEM classroom-level strategies, how context and culture shape student learning, and the possibilities for SDL strategies to better support students from diverse backgrounds.
