Integrating Computational Thinking and STEM Pedagogy to Strengthen Special Education Teacher Self-Efficacy: Evidence from Thailand

Abstract

Special education teachers (SED) need inclusive and sustainable professional development when supporting students with sensory and functional disabilities. However, while advances have been made in the research of computational thinking (CT) and STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) education, little is known about how these initiatives are combined in SED teacher training for students with hearing and visual disabilities in low- and middle-income countries. Therefore, this study investigates STEM–CT frameworks and online social networks (OSNs) to enhance teacher self-efficacy and instructional quality. Ninety-one Thai special education teachers from 21 public schools participated in a two-week pilot-study training program focusing on collaborative digital pedagogy and experiential learning. Quantitative analyses indicated that teachers’ beliefs about their own teaching self-efficacy increased significantly (Mpre = 36.74, SD = 6.78; Mpost = 45.08, SD = 4.43; t = 14.02, p ≤ .01). Lesson plans, which were co-developed during the training, were independently evaluated at an excellent level (M = 4.77, SD = 0.27). It is argued that technology-supported, peer-collaborative training can build teacher confidence, improve instructional design, and deliver a scalable model for professional learning in special education, which can then contribute to research on disability and special education needs.