ORGANIZING MATHEMATICS INSTRUCTION BASED ON STEM EDUCATION TO DEVELOP CONTEXTUAL PROBLEM-SOLVING COMPETENCE IN STUDENTS

STEM education forges an organic linkage between Mathematics, Computer Science, Science, and Technology, aligning with the objectives of the 2018 General Education Curriculum to foster students’ qualities and competencies. Among these, the competence of contextual problem-solving (CPS) is a core capability that STEM-oriented mathematics instruction can effectively cultivate. This study employs literature analysis and synthesis to clarify the fundamental issues of STEM-oriented mathematics education and the components of CPS competence. It then proposes a five-step instructional process tailored to develop this competence, accompanied by a rubric with four levels and 15 indicators for monitoring and measuring student progress. The feasibility of the proposed process and rubric is illustrated through the STEM topic “Mathematics and the Preservation of Cultural Heritage in the Ancestral Land,” showcasing how local contexts can be embedded in authentic learning activities to enhance meaning, motivation, and the effectiveness of CPS competence development. Article visualizations: