STEM has been there for decades now, and the favour it has done on ARTS to make itself STEAM is also a milestone. That is an accomplishment for the users and practitioners of STEM and Innovative teaching. But, what next, do we have some space for something new; a new packaging for the old concept! YES, WE HAVE ESTEEM!
While working on a presentation draft for a talk on Uzbekistan 2030, the acronyms STEM and STEAM stayed in front of me for quite a long time. Suddenly, the thought came of how to add Empathy and Expression to it, ensuring that English is also there. The Acronym magic worked, and instantly (without ChatGPT), the word that happened on paper is ESTEEM!
After EduSoMedia came PodMOOCs, followed by Skillgogy - The 'gory' of 21st-century education. This ESTEEM can be read and further developed, defended and generated as:
- Expression (serves as Art and Empathy as well)
- Science
- Technology
- Engineering
- English
- Mathematics
ESTEEM relates to the missed goals of education: Self-Esteem and Self-Actualisation. While reading about Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, this realization comes from the fact that we are still conditioning the learners with ways of the past and not letting them prepare for the future. This failure is evident from the internet blast and the lack of readiness among youngsters. We could never train them for what was going to be there. If we could have developed the two top-order virtues in the pyramid given by Maslow, things would have been certain control around the world in education and careers.
ESTEEM will develop further. It must develop and sustain!
