REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE IN LEARNING SUPPORT IN STEM EDUCATION AT THE HIGHER EDUCATION LEVEL

Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education has emerged as an important area of focus within the higher education system due to its potential ability to contribute to technological innovation, scientific advancement, and subsequent economic growth in society.However, higher education learners in STEM areas of study often face unforeseen challenges throughout their academic journey, requiring the presence of reliable and effective learning support structures.This review article explores, collects and presents the extensive literature on learning support in STEM education in a coherent manner, examining different frameworks, strategies, and tools used to design learning support in the STEM field of studies to enhance learning outcomes.The article explores several aspects of learning support research covering cognitive, socio-cultural, and technological factors influencing learning support and discusses the best practices for improving student engagement, retention, and performance.The review also identifies gaps in current research and delves into future directions for improving learning support in STEM education.In addition to that, the article discusses the role of assessment techniques and discusses some case studies in understanding the efficacy of learning support interventions.