Home page
ع
Resources for Current Students, Faculty and Staff
Webmail Directory Catalog Banner Canvas Moodle
Primary Navigation Background
Quick Links / AUC Directory, Faculty Directory
Reshot of a veiled woman smiling

Additional Links

Heba El Deghaidy

  • Position: Associate Professor
  • Department: The Department of Applied Linguistics and Educational Studies
  • Email: h.eldeghaidy@aucegypt.edu
Brief Biography

Heba El-Deghaidy is former chair of the Department of Educational Studies at the School of Humanities and Social Sciences. El-Deghaidy is a professor of science education and leads the STEAM education initiative as an international approach to an interdisciplinary learning model. Her doctoral degree in science education comes from the University of Birmingham, UK. She was the principal investigator of the bilingual STEAM education project funded by British Gas and is the principal investigator of the Interdisciplinary Centennial Lab for Innovation and Technology in Education. She is also co-principal investigator of the Erasmus Plus fund titled "School-University Partnership for Peer Communities of Learners" and of the Bartlett Fund for Critical Challenges titled "The 2050 Education for Sustainable Development Campus: Envisioning the futures of learning spaces and curricula for AUC and Egypt". Recently, El-Deghaidy led the online design and development of The American University in Cairo's Teacher Hub for Advancement and Reflection.

El-Deghaidy has served as a coordinator for two TEMPUS projects funded by the European Commission on Education for Sustainable Development. She worked closely with pre-service science teachers and trained and taught in-service science teachers at the graduate level. Her work involved training teachers and university faculty members on contemporary pedagogical strategies.

Along with her teaching experience, El-Deghaidy brings a wide range of professional experience, having served on various national and international committees and societies. Among the most prominent international societies in science education is the National Association for Research in Science Education, where El-Deghaidy is an elected board member. She was invited as a guest speaker at the Partners School Global Network: British Council, 2020; DP Educational Forum, 2019; third Excellence Conference, "A scientifically educated generation for a prosperous economy," Center of Excellence in Research in the Development of Science and Mathematics Education, King Saud University, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia; Fourth Arab Gulf Teacher Forum, Ministry of Education, United Arab Emirates, 2018; the First Inter-Regional Research Conference on Science and Mathematics Education Interfacing Arab and European Science and Mathematics Education Research, at AUB, 2016; and the 65th Korean Association for Science Education International Conference 2014, International Seminar of Science Education Research Centre, Korean National University of Education.

Part of her professional service includes reviewing manuscripts and proposals for international journals with high impact factors such as Computers and Education, Journal of Research in Science Teaching, Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education, Journal for STEM Education Research, Environmental Education Research, and International Journal of Educational Methodology, in addition to participating in national, regional, and international conferences. El-Deghaidy is also an external examiner for many PhD theses in Bahrain, Oman, South Africa, the UAE, and other countries.

Research Interest

El-Deghaidy's research focuses on finding a means to provide for quality teaching and learning opportunities. Her research interests focus on teacher education (pre-service and in-service) in general and science teachers in particular. She has publications in the areas of STEM and STEAM education, education for sustainable development, using educational technology in teaching and learning, teaching portfolios, continuing professional development, and other areas. She has also published book chapters, of which one was translated into Greek, and research papers in regional and international peer-reviewed journals.

 

Massive Open Online Courses Developed and presented the first Arabic MOOC on STEAM education, "STEAM: Linking Education with Life," in collaboration with Edraak.

Published Books

  • Mansour, N., and El-Deghaidy, H. (2021). STEM in Science Education and S in STEM: From Pedagogy to Learning. Sense Publishers.

Book Chapters

  • Mizza, D., El-Deghaidy, H., and Eid, L. (2026). "Learning Affordances in Virtual Reality: A Framework for Inclusive Learning Environment Design." In D. Mizza (Ed.), Adopting Virtual Reality in Inclusive Higher Education: Research-Based Principles for Design and Instruction. Routledge.
  • El-Deghaidy, H., and Anwar, T. (2025). "Muslim Women in STEM: Stories from the East and West." In M. Shahat and S. Al-Balushi (Eds.), Cross-Cultural Comparisons of Science Education (pp. 75–94). IGI Global Scientific Publishing. https://www.igi-global.com/chapter/muslim-women-in-stem/377455
  • ElNagdy, M., El-Deghaidy, H., and Osman, G. (2023). "STEAM Education in an Online Modality: Teaching and Learning Trade Off: A Case Study." In F. Alhashem, H. Pacheco-Guffrey, and J. Anne Boivin (Eds.), STEM Education Approaches and Challenges in the MENA Region (pp. 189–218). IGI Global. https://www.igi-global.com/chapter/steam-education-in-an-online-modality/327910
  • El-Deghaidy, H., and ElNagdy, M. (2023). "Technology Integration in STEM Education: 'ICT,' 'T,' or 't': Egyptian STEM Schools' Perspectives." In U. Ramnarain and M. Ndlovu (Eds.), ICT in STEM Education: An African Perspective (pp. 31–46). Routledge.
  • El-Deghaidy, H., and ElNagdy, M. (2023). "To STEAM or Not to STEAM: Is It a Matter of Professional Development or Professional Creation?" In S. Al-Balushi, L. Martin-Hansen, and Y. Song (Eds.), Reforming Science Teacher Education Programs in the STEM Era: International and Comparative Perspectives (pp. 89–105). Palgrave Macmillan. https://doi-org.libproxy.aucegypt.edu/10.1007/978-3-031-27334-6_6
  • Mansour, N., Alshamrani, S., Aldahmash, A., and El-Deghaidy, H. (2022). "Continuous Professional Development of Science Teachers: From Theory to Practice." In F. Elshaai, S. Al-Balushi, and N. Mansour (Eds.), Handbook of Learning and Teaching Science: From Theory to Practice (pp. 529–552). Excellence Center in Science and Mathematics Teaching, King Saud University Press.
  • El-Deghaidy, H., ElNagdy, M., and Aly, S. (2022). "STEM: An Integrated Approach to Learning." In F. Elshaai, S. Al-Balushi, and N. Mansour (Eds.), Handbook of Learning and Teaching Science: From Theory to Practice (pp. 401–420). Excellence Center in Science and Mathematics Teaching, King Saud University Press.
  • Almazroa, H., BoJouda, S., and El-Deghaidy, H. (2022). "Science Teacher Educational Programmes." In F. Elshaai, S. Al-Balushi, and N. Mansour (Eds.), Handbook of Learning and Teaching Science: From Theory to Practice (pp. 507–528). Excellence Center in Science and Mathematics Teaching, King Saud University Press.
  • El-Deghaidy, H. (2021). "Localising STE2AM Education: A Transdisciplinary Response to Local and Global Challenges." In N. Mansour and H. El-Deghaidy (Eds.), STEM in Science Education and S in STEM: From Pedagogy to Learning (pp. 96–318). Brill. https://brill-com.libproxy.aucegypt.edu/display/book/9789004446076/BP000022.xml
  • Mansour, N., and El-Deghaidy, H. (2021). "Promotion of STEM Education in Schools Through Partnerships." In N. Mansour and H. El-Deghaidy (Eds.), STEM in Science Education and S in STEM: From Pedagogy to Learning (pp. 67–100). Brill. https://brill-com.libproxy.aucegypt.edu/display/book/9789004446076/BP000012.xml
  • El-Deghaidy, H. (2020). "Education for Sustainable Development: A Means for Infusing Social Responsibility in Higher Education in Egypt." In N. El-Bassiouny, D. El-Bassiouny, E. Mohamed, and M. Basuony (Eds.), Ethics, CSR and Sustainability Education in the Middle East and North Africa Region: Conceptualization, Contextualization, and Empirical Evidence. Routledge.
  • El-Deghaidy, H. (2019). "STREAM Education for Building Minds of the Future." In Education and Jobs of the Future: Developing Qualified Human Capital to Secure the UAE's Progress. The Emirates Center for Strategic Studies and Research.
  • El-Deghaidy, H. (2017). "STEAM Methods: A Case from Egypt." In A. Sickel and S. Witzig (Eds.), Designing and Teaching the Secondary Science Methods Course: An International Perspective. Sense Publishers.
  • El-Deghaidy, H. (2012). "Education for Sustainable Development: Experiences from Science Teachers' Action Research." In V. Makrakis and N. Kostoulas-Makrakis (Eds.), New Technologies, Education for Sustainable Development and Critical Pedagogy (pp. 121–135). University of Crete.
  • El-Deghaidy, H. (2012). "Using Blended E-Learning Cooperative Approach in Higher Education: A Case from Egypt." In P. Anastasiades (Ed.), Blended Learning Environments for Adults: Evaluations and Frameworks. IGI Global.

Publications in International Peer-Reviewed Journals

  • Rahman, S., Roherig, G., and El-Deghaidy, H. (2026). "A Qualitative Case Study of Socio-Scientific Reasoning in the En-ROADS Climate Simulation." Sustainability, 18(8), 3873. https://doi.org/10.3390/su18083873
  • Gomaa, M., Amin, S., Amer, M., El-Deghaidy, H., and Goubran, S. (2026). "Bridging Global Megatrends and Institutional Education for Sustainable Development Practice in Egyptian Higher Education." Discover Sustainability, 7, 776. https://doi-org.libproxy.aucegypt.edu/10.1007/s43621-026-03219-4
  • El-Deghaidy, H., Almasabi, Z., and ElKhouly, A. (2025). "Mapping Gender Dynamics in STEM: A Scoping Review of the MENA Region."
  • Mansour, N., Çevik, M., Yağci, A., Alotaibi, S., and El-Deghaidy, H. (2024). "Modeling the Factors Influencing Secondary Students' Performance in STEM Subjects." Journal of Baltic Science Education, 23(3), 518–535.
  • Marey, R., Magd, A., El-Deghaidy, H., and Tidswell, A. (2022). "A Transformative Professional Development Model in Current Egyptian Reforms: A Mixed-Methods Study." Social Sciences & Humanities Open, 5(1), 12. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590291121001297#!
  • El-Deghaidy, H. (2021). "Why More Women Study Physics in Muslim Countries." Physics, 14, 33. https://physics.aps.org/articles/pdf/10.1103/Physics.14.33
  • Zaalouk, M., El-Deghaidy, H., Eid, L., and Ramadan, L. (2021). "Value Creation Through Peer Communities of Learners in an Egyptian Context During the COVID-19 Pandemic." International Review of Education, 67, 103–125. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11159-021-09892-z
  • Lederman, J., Lederman, N., Bartels, S., Jimenez, J., and El-Deghaidy, H. (2021). "International Collaborative Follow-up Investigation of Graduating High School Students' Understandings of the Nature of Scientific Inquiry: Is Progress Being Made?" International Journal of Science Education, 43(7), 991–1016. https://doi.org/10.1080/09500693.2021.1894500
  • Lederman, J., Lederman, N., Bartels, S., Jimenez, J., and El-Deghaidy, H. (2019). "An International Collaborative Investigation of Beginning Seventh Grade Students' Understandings of Scientific Inquiry: Establishing a Baseline." Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 56(4), 486–515.
  • El-Deghaidy, H., Mansour, N., Alhammad, K., and Alzaghibi, M. (2017). "Context of STEM Integration in Schools: Views from In-Service Science Teachers." EURASIA Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education, 13(6), 2459–2484. http://www.iserjournals.com/journals/eurasia/articles/10.12973/eurasia.2017.01235a
  • El-Deghaidy, H., Mansour, N., and Alshamrani, S. (2014). "Science Teachers' Typology of CPD Activities: A Socio-Constructivist Perspective." International Journal of Science and Mathematics Education, 13(6), 1539–1566.
  • Biasutti, M., and El-Deghaidy, H. (2012). "Using Wiki in Teacher Education: Impact on Knowledge Management Processes and Student Satisfaction." Computers & Education, 59(3), 861–872.