Character education is becoming an increasingly important aspect of education, as more and more employers are seeking graduates with not just technical skills, but also strong character and values. The importance of character education in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) fields is especially significant as it helps develop the essential skills necessary for success in today's world.

Developing Character Skills Through Critical Thinking

STEM education typically focuses on technical skills, but it also provides an opportunity to teach students character skills through critical thinking. Critical thinking involves analyzing, evaluating, and making reasoned judgments about information. It is a powerful tool that can help students develop essential character skills.

1. Empathy is an essential character skill that students can develop through critical thinking. By analyzing different perspectives and considering the emotions and motivations of others, students can learn to understand and appreciate diverse viewpoints. This is crucial for success in personal and professional relationships, as it allows individuals to relate to others and build positive connections.
2. Similarly, responsibility is a critical character skill that can be developed through critical thinking. In STEM education, students learn to analyze their own thought processes and take responsibility for their own decisions and actions. This teaches them to take ownership of their learning and develop a sense of personal responsibility that can serve them well throughout their lives.
3. Integrity is another character skill that can be developed through critical thinking. By teaching students to evaluate evidence honestly and make judgments based on objective criteria, educators can help them develop a strong sense of integrity. This is important in personal and professional relationships, as it establishes trust and credibility.
4. Perseverance is a character skill that can be developed through critical thinking as well. In STEM education, students often face challenging problems that require persistence and determination to solve. By teaching students to persevere through these challenges, educators can help them develop a growth mindset and a strong work ethic.

Teaching Character Education Like STEM Skills

In addition to teaching character skills through critical thinking, educators can also teach character education like STEM skills. This means providing students with a process for developing character skills, just as they would be provided with a process for solving technical problems in STEM education.

1. For example, educators can use real-world scenarios to teach character skills, just as they would use real-world scenarios to teach STEM skills. This helps students see the relevance of character education in their daily lives and understand the practical applications of these skills.
2. Teaching the process for developing character skills is also important. Just as students learn a step-by-step process for solving technical problems in STEM education, they can learn a step-by-step process for developing character skills. This helps students become more intentional in their actions and develop a deeper understanding of character education.
3. Providing feedback on character development is another important aspect of teaching character education like STEM skills. Just as students receive feedback on their technical skills to improve their performance, they can receive feedback on their character development to improve their soft skills. This helps students understand their strengths and areas for improvement, which is essential for personal and professional growth.
4. Finally, collaboration is essential in both STEM education and character education. By fostering collaboration in the classroom, educators can help students develop communication skills, respect for others' opinions, and the ability to work towards a common goal. These skills are crucial for success in personal and professional relationships.
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Integrating Essential Skills and Real-World Applications for Student Success

One of the key benefits of integrating character education into STEM is that it helps students see the relevance of STEM skills in their daily lives. By teaching STEM skills in the context of character education, educators can help students understand the real-world impact of their work. For example, a student who learns about energy conservation in a STEM class may be motivated to take action to reduce energy consumption in their own life, demonstrating responsibility and empathy for the environment.

Finally, it's important to note that character education in STEM is not just for K-12 students. In fact, many colleges and universities are recognizing the importance of character education in STEM fields. For example, the National Science Foundation's 2021 paper on best practices for STEM education stated as a key recommendation to: “Provide opportunities for leadership training and skills development and create a plan for leadership and advancement that addresses barriers impacting groups underrepresented in STEM.”  By integrating character education into STEM at all levels of education, we can help prepare students for success not just in their careers, but in all aspects of their lives.

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Three Project-Based Learning Ideas To Teach Responsibility

1. Community service project: Students can work together to identify a need in their local community, such as a park that needs cleaning or a community center that needs painting. They can then plan and execute a service project to address the need, taking responsibility for the project from start to finish. This project will teach students responsibility for their community and help them develop empathy and perseverance as they work to make a positive impact.
2. Personal finance project: Students can work on a personal finance project, such as creating a budget or investing in stocks. They can research and analyze different financial options and develop a plan that meets their personal financial goals. This project will teach students financial responsibility and help them develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
3. Food sustainability project: Students can work on a project focused on food sustainability, such as starting a school garden or analyzing the carbon footprint of different food products. They can research and analyze different factors that impact food sustainability and develop a plan to address the issue. This project will teach students responsibility for their impact on the environment and help them develop collaboration and communication skills as they work together to develop solutions.

Conclusion 

Integrating character education into STEM is a powerful way to develop essential skills in students. By using critical thinking skills to teach character skills, incorporating real-world scenarios, providing feedback and self-assessment opportunities, fostering collaboration, and using project-based learning, educators can help students develop empathy, responsibility, integrity, perseverance, and other character skills that are essential for success in both personal and professional life. By recognizing the interconnectedness of STEM and character education, we can help students see the relevance and impact of their work, and prepare them to be ethical, responsible, and empathetic leaders in their fields.

https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/091621-Best-Practices-for-Diversity-Inclusion-in-STEM.pdf,  Accessed 05/08/2023

About the Author:

Timothy Buchanan is an accomplished professional with a rich background in both education and business.

His commitment to fostering an environment of learning and growth has been recognized through his receipt of the esteemed "Excellence In Teacher Award" from Regis University.

With an impressive tenure of 15 years as an Affiliate faculty member, Timothy has actively contributed to curriculum creation for Regis University's esteemed MBA and Masters of Science in Organizational Leadership programs.

Timothy's expertise extends beyond the academic realm, as he is a recognized authority in areas like Critical Thinking, Trend Analysis, Organizational Leadership, Strategic Architecture, and Change Management.

Alongside his professional pursuits, Timothy finds joy in his personal life, cherishing moments spent in Colorado with his wife, Pamela, and their children and grandchildren.

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