Towards application of drone- based GeoSTEM education: Teacher educators readiness (attitudes, competencies, and obstacles)

Abstract

Drone technology has great potentials for enhancing and improving teaching and learning experiences in GeoSTEM Education which involves the integration between Geosciences and STEM domains. Building and flying drones can enhance interdisciplinary approach to GeoSTEM Education as they help students to use concepts and principles of Robotics, Math, Radio Communication Systems, Computer Programming, Electronics, Chemistry, Physics, Photography, Flight Dynamics, Media, project monitoring and hands–on experiences. Furthermore, students can practice analytical thinking skills needed to know how various disciplines can function together in an integrative way. However, before applying a new technology- based approach to teaching and learning, the state of the teachers’ educator’s readiness (attitudes, competencies, and obstacles) for the application of drone- based GeoSTEM Education should be assessed. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to explore and analyze teacher educators’ readiness (attitudes, competencies, and obstacles) towards application of drone- based GeoSTEM Education. The sample used for this study consisted of 43 teacher educators who were selected intentionally from five Egyptian Faculties of Education at five public universities (Ain Shams- Mansoura - Assuit - Zagazig - Minia) who participated in The USAID Funded Project Teachers Education and Schools Strengthening Activity (STESSA) in Egypt. Descriptive statistics (mean scores and standard deviations) was used to describe the nature of the data and the basic characteristics of the sample. Moreover, inferential statistics (one-way ANOVA) was used to compare a significant mean difference exist between and within groups of the most likely value of the variables.