PyPE_CoP: Enhancing Digital Literacy in Python for Petroleum Engineering Educators, Through a Community of Practice

Abstract Petroleum engineering education faces the challenge of preparing future graduates to meet industry demands for a digital literate workforce. However, many petroleum engineering educators lack the skills and resources necessary to integrate these competencies into their teaching practices, limiting graduates’ preparedness for evolving industry needs. Addressing this gap requires a targeted initiative to enhance educators’ digital literacy. This project bridges the gap by providing a collaborative platform code-named Python for Petroleum Engineering Educators – a Community of Practice (PyPE_CoP). The initiative aims to foster digital innovation in petroleum engineering curriculum design and instructional strategies by building a sustainable community of practice among educators. This paper outlines the framework for PyPE_CoP's design, preliminary results, and challenges encountered during its ongoing pilot implementation. The project design began with defining desired outcomes, including the skills participants should acquire upon completion. Key outcomes include participants’ ability to align Python functionalities with learning objectives in their respective course modules. The design incorporates a set of learning activities leading to the attainment of the outcomes. This includes training sessions, hands-on practice, workshops, seminars, peer mentorship, breakout sessions, discussion forums, curriculum alignment, resource sharing, research projects, and programming assignments or quizzes. PyPE_CoP employs a blended learning approach, combining virtual training sessions with enrollment in online courses. Participants also gain access to curated open-access learning and working platforms. A pre-survey conducted among registered participants highlighted the initiative's prospects and opportunities. Participants represented a diverse range of backgrounds, varying significantly in both teaching experience and prior programming proficiency. Early results indicate significant improvements in participants’ digital literacy, collaboration, and confidence in integrating Python into teaching practices. Looking ahead, this initiative promises to enhance curriculum integration, improve classroom delivery, and foster industry partnerships and professional networking opportunities.