- Geoffrey Aondolumun AYUA
- DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.24028704
- GAS Journal of Education and Literature (GASJEL)
The
complexity of contemporary global challenges demands a re-imagined STEM
education that is innovative, intelligent, sustainable and climate-responsive.
This paper conceptualizes the advancement of global STEM education through the
convergence of four critical drivers: Creativity/innovation, Artificial
Intelligence (AI), sustainability, and climate-smart practices. Drawing on
Torrance’s Creativity Theory, UNESCO’s Education for Sustainable Development
(ESD) for 2030 framework, and Systems Thinking Theory, the paper argues that
STEM must transcend rote content transmission to become a transformative,
action-oriented enterprise. It synthesizes insights from four complementary
frameworks: the CREATIVE-STEM Framework, the AI-STEM Global Enhancement
Framework, the SUSTAIN-STEM Model, and the CLIMATE-SMART Transnational STEM
Framework. Collectively, they propose a unified pathway that embeds
curiosity-driven inquiry, design thinking and artistic integration; leverages
AI for adaptive learning, intelligent tutoring, smart assessment and teacher
augmentation; and repositions STEM as a vehicle for solving real-world
sustainability and climate challenges through localized context, green
innovation, and cross-border collaboration. The paper examines implications for
curriculum redesign, establishment of innovation hubs, green laboratories and
makerspaces, ethical and human-centred AI adoption, and the pivotal role of
teacher training institutions in producing sustainability and climate-literate
STEM teachers. It addresses barriers such as curriculum rigidity,
infrastructural deficits, and inequitable access with strategies including open
educational resources, intercontinental partnerships, and inclusive pedagogy.
The paper concludes that advancing global STEM education requires moving from
siloed STEM to integrated, climate-smart STEM for sustainable development to
accelerate the achievement of SDG 4 and SDG 13.
Keywords: Global STEM Education, Creativity/Innovation, CREATIVE-STEM Framework, Artificial Intelligence, AI-STEM Framework, Sustainability, SUSTAIN-STEM Model, Climate-Smart Practices, CLIMATE-SMART Framework.
