From traditional to contemporary: Integrating IKS into STEM education to enhance higher order thinking skills of secondary stage students

Abstract

Higher-order thinking Skills (HOTS) and proficiency in science and maths are crucial as we move into the twenty-first century to fulfill the educational requirements of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) education. Teachers must devise creative ways to get students interested in STEM education subjects while preparing them for today's and tomorrow's challenges. Problem-based learning, Inquiry-based Learning, Blended Learning, Cooperative learning, and Collaborative Learning are instructional pedagogies that can hold students' interest, encourage multidisciplinary STEM practices among students, and develop higher-order thinking skills (HOTS). The social constructivist approach to teaching and learning, which incorporates problem-based learning, encourages self-regulated learning that is strengthened by discussion, cooperative social activities, and self-discovery, which helps to inculcate HOTS among students. Indigenous knowledge systems (IKS) include philosophical, intellectual, emotional, and spiritual traditions and practices that serve as the foundation for Indigenous education. Indigenous Knowledge Systems are rational, comprehensive, and based on experiences. This paper sought to determine the significant implications of IKS-integrated STEM education-based instructional strategies and their effect on HOTS in secondary-stage students. This study is grounded on adopting a responsive STEM curriculum that provides Indigenous learners with enhanced opportunities to engage with scientific Knowledge and to improve their efficacy towards STEM disciplines. The findings of this study will have significant implications for indigenizing the curriculum and enhancing and redesigning the experiences in teaching and learning the STEM education process.