In the current era, STEM education has gained relevance due to the fundamental role that science, technology, engineering, and mathematics play in society and the economy.
However, a question now arises: How can emotional health be integrated into this pedagogical methodology? This blog will explore how STEM education and social-emotional skills are intrinsically related, and how teachers can apply this combination to promote students’ emotional well-being.
STEM education has positioned itself as a valuable educational approach due to the promotion of cognitive and analytical skills that are crucial for solving complex problems. Problem-solving encourages critical thinking, creativity, and analytical capacity, skills that are applicable not only in the academic environment but also in everyday life situations. However, education should not be limited only to cognitive but should also encompass social-emotional skills.
The importance of linking emotional health in STEM education
Social-emotional skills, such as emotional intelligence, empathy, and emotional self-regulation, play an integral role in personal well-being and in building healthy relationships. To cultivate well-rounded and socially competent individuals, it is crucial to integrate these skills into basic education. By joining forces, STEM education and social-emotional skills complement each other, providing tools to generate healthy identities and promoting students’ emotional health.
In an investigation entitled “STEM education and its application. An inclusive, sustainable, and universal strategy for preschool and primary school,” highlights five dimensions of skills to be acquired through formal and non-formal educational experiences; it is proposed by the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning. These dimensions would allow for the intentional integration of emotional education and soft skills into STEM education, thus creating an enriching and comprehensive educational experience. The five dimensions are self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills, and responsible decision-making.
How to implement emotional health in STEM education?
The STEM approach makes it possible for subjects to be linked together to solve present and future problems. This promotes feeling and showing empathy for others, establishing, and preserving supportive relationships, making responsible decisions. In addition, it helps to manage emotions that arise during solution exploration, experimentation, and implementation of study programs.
For example, involvement in technology, science, and mathematics involves setting personal and group goals because it fosters teamwork and collaboration, which are elementary skills. Likewise, group problem-solving consolidates communication skills. These skills are indispensable in today’s work environment, where interdisciplinary collaboration has become commonplace.
In addition, in the process of problem-solving in STEM, it is common to encounter challenges, handle frustration, and be consistent in the face of adversity. This connects cognitive and social-emotional skills.
In short, STEM education goes beyond teaching math and science. With the integration of the social-emotional approach, it offers students the possibility to develop academic competencies balanced with skills to manage their emotions, interact constructively with others, and promote their emotional well-being.
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Source: How to apply STEM education for emotional health learning
