Co-Learning: A Hybrid Model for Integrated STEM Teacher Professional Learning and Student Out-of-School Learning

Our paper presents a case for co-learning, a novel hybridization of teacher professional learning and student out-of-school learning wherein students and teachers collaborate and learn together. The benefits of collaborative learning are well documented in the literature; however, a co-learning appr...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Xornam Apedoe, Megan Fu, Katherine Nielsen, Rebecca Smith, Jessica Allen
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-06-01
Series:Education Sciences
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2227-7102/15/6/726
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Summary:Our paper presents a case for co-learning, a novel hybridization of teacher professional learning and student out-of-school learning wherein students and teachers collaborate and learn together. The benefits of collaborative learning are well documented in the literature; however, a co-learning approach to engaging teachers and students in integrated STEM activities is unexplored. This qualitative study was designed to unpack the co-learning experience from the perspectives of teachers and students to understand the opportunities and challenges of a co-learning model. We drew upon end-of-workshop semi-structured interviews with teacher and student participants, focusing specifically on participants’ reflections and insights about their experience with co-learning. The findings of our study highlight that (1) co-learning can be a powerful model for learning STEM content for both teachers and students, (2) co-learning leads both teachers and students to develop new insights and perspectives about each other, (3) co-learning requires teachers to navigate multiple roles, and (4) challenging group dynamics can impact co-learning. This research provides a proof of concept that co-learning is a model with much potential and may serve as a valuable model for creating integrated STEM learning experiences that serve both teachers and underrepresented racially minoritized (URM) students.
ISSN:2227-7102