OpenSTEM Africa: Creating Onscreen Tools to Teach Practical Science at Scale

Abstract

PCF10 Sub-theme: Inspiring Innovations [POSTER] // Improving access to STEM education is viewed globally as a route to economic empowerment. OpenSTEM Africa is a collaboration between The Open University (OU) and government partners in Ghana to co-create virtual instruments, onscreen immersive laboratory experiences and virtual worlds to support the teaching and learning of the practical sciences, focussing on schools and learners with limited or no access to laboratory resources. The OU is a leader in the use of technology enhanced learning to support distance education at scale. Throughout 2019, workshops were held in Ghana with Senior High School (SHS) science teachers to identify areas of the science curriculum that could be supported by onscreen tools. Twelve curriculum areas were identified across chemistry, biology and physics that could benefit from the use of onscreen interactive applications and, importantly underpin learning linked to subjects regularly assessed in science examinations. The OU and SHS teacher teams storyboarded several applications, and these have been used to create onscreen PC applications to deliver a high-quality experience that meet the required learning objectives. These tools and support materials will be central to our presentation. Critically, they are Open Educational Resources, accessible globally and can be used to teach practical science at scale. // Paper ID 7656