Norms and Profiles of Stem Teachers' Productive Learning Practices

Abstract

The Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics Productive Learning (STEMPL) Practice is a process of teaching and learning based on results to develop mastery of cognitive, psychomotor and affective domains among students by integrating content using real-world examples. There is research on teacher practices in STEM subjects, but the constructs of productive learning are not conceptualised in detail. As such, no norms and profiles of the teacher's STEMPL practice level could be compared.  Therefore, this study aimed to identify the differences in their STEMPL practices in terms of teaching experience, relationship with gender, academic qualification, and the subject taught. The mean difference in teachers' STEMPL practices based on teaching experience was also studied. The development of instrument involved three phases; i) conceptualisation, ii) construction and iii) validity. proven to have psychometric characteristics i.e. content validity, construct validity and high reliability. Using the multi-level random sampling technique (cluster and strata), 556 samples of lower secondary school teachers in the Southern Zone were selected. The data collection is analysed using SPSS software version 23. Norms and profiles based on teaching experience found that the level of teachers’ STEMPL practice with more than 15 years of teaching experience was at a low level. There was no significant mean difference in teachers' STEMPL practices based on teaching experience. This study suggests norm-based targeted interventions for experienced teachers to improve productive learning competencies in STEM in Malaysia.