University STEM education plays a pivotal role in cultivating innovative talents and has been elevated to a strategic priority by many countries. However, the shortage of lecturers proficient in interdisciplinary teaching poses a significant constraint on the advancement of STEM education at the university level. Moreover, there is a lack of studies investigating the relationships between self-directed learning (SDL), psychological capital (PsyCap), and competency in interdisciplinary teaching (CIT). This study adopts a causal-relationship design to develop and test a mediation model, examining PsyCap as a mediator in the relationship between SDL and CIT among 427 Chinese university STEM lecturers, selected through proportional stratified random sampling in an online survey. Partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) was used to test the relationships. The results indicate that SDL (self-management, learning desire, and self-control) positively and significantly impacts CIT (interdisciplinary teaching design, implementation, and evaluation). Additionally, SDL is positively correlated with PsyCap (self-efficacy, hope, resilience, and optimism), which in turn is positively correlated with CIT. PsyCap partially mediates the relationship between SDL and CIT. This study enriches the existing literature by empirically examining the interface of SDL, PsyCap, and CIT among university STEM lecturers. The findings provide new practical pathways for the long-term homogenized training of STEM lecturers and demonstrate that promoting their SDL and PsyCap can significantly enhance the overall quality of interdisciplinary teaching at universities.

Authors:
Wenhao Su, University of Malaya, Malaysia
Hidayah Mohd Fadzil, University of Malaya, Malaysia
Rose Amnah Abd. Rauf, University of Malaya, Malaysia

About the Presenter(s)
Mr.SU WENHAO is a phd student in the Department of Mathematics and Science, faculty of Education at the University of Malaya. His research fields are STEM education, interdisciplinary teaching, and teacher training.

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