Towards an Integrated Educational Practice: Application of Systems Thinking in STEM Disciplines

Systems thinking is not a static concept, but rather a dynamic and evolving paradigm that continually adapts to the challenges of its time, becoming more refined and applicable in different areas, such as education. The main objective of the study is to identify the relationship between academic performance and the pedagogical strategies used to promote systems thinking in undergraduate and graduate students in STEM disciplines (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics). The method used is quantitative research with a non-experimental cross-sectional design. For data collection, a 25-item Likert scale called “STEM Pedagogical Strategies” was used, with an overall Cronbach’s alpha coefficient of α = 0.985. The instrument measures students’ perceptions of the application of five key strategies: problem-based learning, thinking routines, system maps and visual diagrams, design thinking, and system dynamics. The sample consisted of 350 undergraduate and graduate students in STEM fields. The main results show that there is a significant correlation between students’ academic performance and the pedagogical strategies of thinking routines and design thinking. Likewise, the skills developed through systems thinking, as shown in the available literature, would be the basis for fostering collaboration, complex problem solving, and students’ ability to become “systems”.