STEMing evidence-based study strategies

Despite substantial evidence supporting the efficacy of evidence-based study strategies in enhancing student learning outcomes, research reporting their integration into Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) higher education courses remains limited. This gap often arises from educators’ limited familiarity with study strategy practices, as well as the challenges in adapting general principles to diverse disciplinary contexts. To address this challenge, this systematic review examines the integration of six evidence-based study strategies – retrieval practice, spacing, interleaving, elaboration, concrete examples, and dual coding – within STEM higher education. Using the PRISMA protocol, 65 articles, selected from 2515 studies, were analyzed. Reviewed literature has demonstrated that undergraduate students who engage regularly and holistically with evidence-based study strategies demonstrated significantly improved learning outcomes and overall academic success. Our findings revealed a predominant focus on assessment-driven implementations, highlighting educators’ reliance on students’ extrinsic motivation, real or perceived. Challenges such as student resistance to new study strategies, logistical constraints, and variability in student readiness were prevalent. Notable gaps in the research include methodological limitations and a lack of longitudinal data. This review synthesizes literature that illustrates how educators have successfully contextualized evidence-based study strategies into their STEM undergraduate courses, offering a practical resource to facilitate broader adoption and adaptation by others in the field. It underscores the need for deliberate integration of study strategies, enhancement of student metacognition, and adaptation to diverse learner needs. Future research into integration of evidence-based study strategies into STEM higher education should employ robust experimental designs and explore the sustainability of interventions over time. This work contributes to the discourse on effective pedagogical practices in STEM higher education by providing insights into the implementation and impact of evidence-based study strategies.

Discipline · Educational technology · Higher education · Psychological intervention · Science education · Sustainability · Systematic review · Evaluation of Teaching Practices · Innovative Teaching and Learning Methods · Meta-analysis and systematic reviews