The role of STEM & robotics education in achieving SDG 4.7
By Andy Lee
What happens when teachers in Cambodia, Indonesia, Thailand, and Lao PDR are invited not just to deliver curriculum, but to design it?
This question shaped a recent four-month professional development initiative focused on integrating Computational Thinking (CT) and Universal Design for Learning (UDL) into lesson plans created by Southeast Asian educators. The program, led by VEX Robotics, was built on cycles of planning, implementation, feedback, and revision. More than introducing new tools, it redefined how teachers see their role.
VEX Robotics is a world-leading STEM education developer, committed to preparing students with the foundational skills necessary for the 21st-century economy. Their mission is to promote STEM literacy, foster computational and design thinking, and provide engaging, hands-on learning experiences for all students, from primary school through university. Recognizing that effective learning must be accessible to everyone, VEX dedicated significant resources to the Southeast Asia project, ensuring that every learner—regardless of background or learning style—can confidently participate in the excitement of robotics and computer science.
Initially, educators who participated in the Southeast Asia study created functional and task-oriented lesson plans, often centering on basic programming syntax or surface-level applications. But thanks to VEX’s work to introduce them to modern pedagogical concepts, along with feedback from peers and the space to revise, the lesson plans grew in complexity and purpose. Over time, teachers began incorporating data analysis, decomposition, and abstraction, along with UDL principles, that made learning more inclusive. These included strategies like multiple means of engagement, expression, and representation.
As the lessons improved, so did the confidence and agency of the teachers themselves. They were not simply adopting a model. They were shaping it to reflect the lives of their students and the values of their communities.
Rather than import a one-size-fits-all approach, the project encouraged teachers to start with what was familiar and local. Some focused on agriculture. Others looked to cultural practices or regional issues. In every case, teachers created lessons that were both technically rigorous and deeply relevant. That relevance is not just a bonus. It is the foundation of sustainable learning.
This kind of work is exactly what SDG 4.7 calls for. Education should not only deliver content, but also promote global citizenship, respect for cultural diversity, and the knowledge and skills needed to create a more sustainable future. When educators use tools like CT and UDL in ways that reflect their local context, they begin to do exactly that.
Perhaps the most important outcome of this project was the shift in teacher identity. These educators were not passive recipients of outside expertise. They became collaborators, designers, and advocates for their students. They embraced the complexity of teaching and were energized by the process.
“I feel happy because I can challenge students and make them think critically and be able to solve the problems I give them. Apart from that, beyond my expectations, the students were able to code according to their individual creativity. I am happy to be able to get to know this Computational Thinking approach, even though I am still trying to bring up all the stages so that my students can go beyond all of them—namely problem decomposition, abstraction, and algorithms. Thank you for this workshop.”
The future of Computational Thinking lies in Universal Design for Learning (UDL). Going forward, VEX will support this transformation by leveraging STEM education as the primary means to cultivate the knowledge, skills, and values necessary for students to promote sustainable development, directly addressing the core mandate of SDG 4.7.
If we want students to solve complex global challenges, they must first be given the chance to solve problems that matter to them. And if we want classrooms to be places of inclusion and discovery, we must support teachers in making those spaces their own.
This work is not about scaling up or standardizing success. It is about recognizing the transformative potential of teachers when they are treated as professionals and partners. When we empower teachers, we do more than change lessons. We build the foundation for a more just and sustainable world.
Andy Lee is the President of Innovation First International (Hong Kong) Limited, a multinational educational, consumer and industrial goods company founded in the USA. Innovation First is also the parent company of VEX Robotics, an industry leading developer of educational robotics and computer science solutions.