STEAM: ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES IN BASIC SECONDARY EDUCATION

Abstract

This essay critically analyzes the STEAM approach, recognizing it as a teaching methodology that presents advantages and disadvantages of its implementation in secondary education in the Colombian context. It is based on Edgar Morín's paradigm of complex thinking, which allows for an analysis of the need to integrate different types of knowledge to respond to the needs and challenges of the 21st century. The essay begins with an introduction that raises the need for new strategies to improve student learning. Its objective is to analyze the advantages and disadvantages of this approach. The argument presents the different pedagogical foundations of the approach with theories such as constructivism, social constructivism, meaningful learning, situated learning, multiple intelligences, project-based education, and complexity. It should be noted that the essay aims to present an analysis that is valuable for the transformation of teaching practices from the recognition of advantages and disadvantages with arguments that contrast strengths such as skills development, motivation, learning, interdisciplinarity and contextualization, with weaknesses such as lack of knowledge of the STEAM approach as a methodology, lack of teacher training in the approach, outdated curricula and lack of access for all students in Colombian territory, proposing an implementation of STEAM in an interdisciplinary and contextualized way, for this purpose, teacher training, flexible interdisciplinary curricula, inclusion, alliances with other educational institutions and education secretariats are contemplated. Finally, the reflections are presented in which it is highlighted that STEAM is innovative and allows to enrich basic secondary education in Colombia, but its adoption requires changes in teaching-learning practices, in the curriculum, in educational policies and in school dynamics, therefore it is recommended to continue investigating in each region about the impact that STEAM generates in its institutions and to promote the development of pedagogical strategies that take into account inclusion and promote reflection and criticism.