2026 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Preliminary results from a hands-on STEM teacher training tracer study in Ghana (Evaluation)

Presented at Pre-College Engineering Education Division (PCEE) Technical Session 17: Culturally Sustaining and Inclusive STEM Education

Improving science teaching in low-resource contexts remains a major challenge for advancing STEM education and student engagement. Hands-on and inquiry-based instruction are widely recognized as effective, however they remain novel in many parts of the African continent. Professional development efforts to equip teachers with these pedagogies should be evaluated to determine whether participants sustain learned practices over time.
Practical Education Network (PEN), a nonprofit organization based in Ghana, operates on a theory of change in which providing African teachers with practical, low-cost materials for hands-on science instruction strengthens confidence, increases interactive pedagogy, and improves student engagement and achievement. Training in contextually relevant, resource-light experiments is expected to promote sustained classroom use. A tracer study approach follows up with teachers who previously participated in PEN’s training program. It quantitatively measures the level of continued implementation of hands-on methods and determines the role of teacher motivation, self-efficacy, and perceived support in sustaining practice.
Survey data were collected from 75 science teachers across six regions of Ghana. Measures captured implementation frequency, perceived support, and motivational constructs. All scales demonstrated acceptable to excellent reliability (α = 0.70–0.99). Most teachers reported continued use of hands-on activities, with 63% still using the PEN teacher resource manual. Teachers also reported high engagement with PEN and moderate to strong peer and school support.
Regression analyses showed that peer and school-based support significantly predicted teacher motivation, whereas neither organizational nor community support predicted implementation frequency. This suggests that strengthening school-based support may be more critical for sustaining teacher motivation than additional organizational follow-up. Further research incorporating classroom observations should be considered to validate reported implementation and assess long-term impact.

Authors

Mr. Michael Turkson Practical Education Network [biography]

Michael Turkson is a Research, Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning Associate at the Practical Education Network (PEN), Ghana, where he supports data-driven efforts to evaluate the impact of hands-on STEM education programs. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics Education from the University of Ghana, with training in statistical methods, computational statistics, and mathematics education pedagogy. His research interests lie at the intersection of STEM education, and learning outcomes measurement in resource-constrained educational settings.
Mr. Joshua Obeng Opoku Practical Education Network [biography]

Joshua Obeng Opoku is a Research, Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (RMEL) Officer at the Practical Education Network (PEN), Ghana, where he leads the design and implementation of monitoring and evaluation systems across PENs education programs. He has extensive experience in developing MEL frameworks, conducting needs assessments, and generating evidence to inform program design, learning, and scale. Joshua previously worked as a classroom teacher in Ghana and The Gambia, bringing over a decade of practical teaching experience into his work in education systems strengthening. His interests focus on impact measurement, teacher professional development, and the use of data to improve learning outcomes in resource-constrained contexts.
Mrs. Mawuena Asem Hanson Practical Education Network [biography]

Mawuena Asem Hanson is a public health professional from Ghana with over ten years of experience advancing education and health outcomes across Africa. She currently serves as Programmes Manager at Practical Education Network (PEN), where she leads the design and delivery of PEN’s hands-on STEM teacher training programs. With a strong background in project management public health, research, monitoring, evaluation, and learning, Mawuena has contributed to initiatives that strengthen STEM education and improve public health outcomes. She holds a master’s degree in Global Health from Karolinska Institutet and a bachelor’s degree in nutrition and food science from University of Ghana, Legon.
Dr. Heather Beem http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2893-5177 Ashesi University [biography]

Dr. Heather Beem is a Mechanical Engineering Faculty at Ashesi University in Ghana, where she leads the Ashesi Resourceful Engineering Lab. Her research explores the mechanisms and manifestations of resourceful design, particularly along the lines of indigenous innovation, experiential education, and bio-inspired fluid dynamics. Dr. Beem completed her Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering at MIT, and moved shortly thereafter to Ghana, where she also founded and leads Practical Education Network (PEN), a STEM education nonprofit building the capacity of African STEM teachers to employ practical pedagogies.

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