Investigating pedagogical opportunities of educational technologies in developing countries: Physics Education Technology workshops for Bangladeshi science, technology, engineering and mathematics teachers

Abstract

Recently, an unprecedented number of people worldwide gained access to science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education technologies. However, educators in developing countries encounter distinct challenges when attempting to incorporate these innovations into their practice. This mixed-method study investigates the adoption of Physics Education Technology (PhET) computer simulations by secondary STEM teachers in Bangladesh. The study explored the challenges these educators face in learning to integrate PhET-enhanced pedagogies and to assess the potential of this technology in developing nations. The primary researcher, a native Bangladeshi science educator, facilitated 3 h long workshops for 129 teachers, enabling the team to gather unique insights. Data collection encompassed online questionnaires, observations, and interviews. The analysis uncovered struggles faced by teachers which include limited pedagogical skills and subject knowledge, constrained lesson time, insufficient school support, restricted access to technology, and poor technological expertise. Despite these difficulties, educators acknowledged the potential of PhET-enhanced pedagogies to improve student engagement. This study suggests that developing nations can leverage PhET's offline accessibility, wealth of teaching resources, and diverse language options within simulations to realize significant benefits. To address the identified challenges, we recommend translating PhET resources into native languages, developing instructional videos, employing flipped classroom methodologies, providing additional teacher training, and establishing professional learning communities. Moreover, the research underscores the potential of PhET to advance STEM education not only in Bangladesh but also in other developing countries with similar circumstances. Future studies could explore the impact of professional learning communities on facilitating the integration of technology to enhance STEM learning.