Abstract. Through the integrated, interdisciplinary learning approach known as STEM, academic scientific and technical concepts are explored in the context of real-world situations. The student gains the ability to solve several problems and design prototypes for new mechanisms, procedures, and programs within the scope of the installations of this method. The article describes a study designed to determine the efficacy of integrating the STEM approach into 10th-grade chemistry lessons as part of the updated curriculum based on student's progress in developing 21st-century skills as measured by the Cambridge Assessment. The findings demonstrated that the integration of STEM technology into chemistry classes had a positive impact on participants' 21st-century skills, such as research, critical thinking, and teamwork as well as academic performance. Simultaneously, it has been proven that the application of STEM teaching increases students' motivation to study science and conduct research in extracurricular activities. The implementation of the method will facilitate the establishment of strong connections between schools, society, and the global community, which will enhance STEM literacy and competitiveness in the world economy.

Because of their vital function in developing and sustaining the current labour market, the subjects of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) enjoy a leading position in modern society. Indeed, according to research by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, growth in STEM occupations is expected to reach 8% by 2029, while global job growth is expected to reach 3.9% ^[1]. The increased reliance on technology and the requirement for individuals with 21st-century skills and knowledge in these areas to succeed in the contemporary labour market are the main drivers of the growth in demand for STEM occupations ^[2]. Consequently, STEM education is essential in preparing students for enduring changes in the world by equipping them with the necessary skills to comprehend technological advancements in the 21st century.

STEM education, according to Mobley (2015), is “an educational approach in which interdisciplinary applications are made to solve problems in real life and links to different disciplines are created” ^[3]. STEM education is emerging as an interdisciplinary concept that combines science, technology, engineering, and math into one course. Importantly, it is acknowledged that the best methods for integrating authentic STEM into the classroom are interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary approaches to STEM integration, which apply knowledge and skills from two or more STEM disciplines to real-world problems and deepen understanding ^[4]. Many industries now demand that candidates possess modern skills, such as problem-solving abilities in a short time, critical thinking skills, responsibility, teamwork, communication and collaboration, etc. ^[5]. Despite the existence of a variety of skills, there is no single widely accepted definition and type of ‘21st Century skills’. The works of methodological scientists are devoted to the study of 21st-century skills: Silva, E. ^[6], Binkley, M., Erstad, O., Herman, J. ^[7], Kaufman, J. C. ^[8], Dede, C. ^[9], etc. We identified the following skills as modern life skills in our study by reviewing many recent literature articles:

• Problem-solving;

• Critical thinking;
• Creativity and collaboration;
• Teamwork;
• Research skills.

In this paper, the findings of a study on how STEM education affects individuals' so-called 21st-century skills are compiled and analyzed. The question of how the development of such skills in young people can best be supported is considered in depth. Techniques include STEM-integrated teaching; developing each subject plans that specifically address 21st-century skills in chemistry for the tenth grade; subject-based assessments; nurturing skills in extracurricular activities, and independent research projects in the workplace and research communities. The results of the summative assessment of 21st-century skills are also considered.

We selected focus groups in two identical circumstances to investigate the effects of integrating STEM technologies into the chemistry classroom on the development of 21st-century skills. The age characteristics and abilities of the children in this group were identical. The following research techniques were employed: survey, assessment of students' academic performance, degree of accomplishment, and involvement in extracurricular activities. 24 students from two focus groups participated in the survey. The questionnaires focused on the complexities and advantages of using STEM technology, as well as on getting recommendations on the optimization of work. As a result of the questionnaire, the following aspects were identified: the effectiveness and complexity of learning a new topic in the form of a mini-project in small groups and individually, the importance of the connection of the topic with interdisciplinarity, the preservation of systematic in the learning. The survey results confirm the effectiveness of the use of STEM technology in chemistry lessons. However, not all students agree with this idea and find out its causes and influencing factors. Some students noted that the reason for this was a lack of interest in scientific research. In addition to STEM technology, STEAM technology is integrated into the lesson for this type of student. To determine the impact of the use of STEM technology in the chemistry lesson on academic education, the outcome of Cambridge assessments (GCSE) by focus groups for the 1st and 2nd terms were analysed. The analysis data is presented in the form of a graph and shows the academic effectiveness of classes when conducted using STEM technology for the 1st focus group and without STEM technology for the 2nd group under the same conditions. Academic performance in the first focus group was 29% greater than that in the second focus group after the experiment. The work on the formation and development of skills of the 21st century through STEM technologies has also increased the level of research, critical thinking, communication and collaboration with society of the 1st focus group. This is evidenced by the extracurricular activities and achievements including, research projects and, the olympiads of 1st focus group’s students since September 2023 in the table. According to students' feedback, integrating STEM technology into the curriculum not only helps students develop 21st-century skills but also increases their confidence.

As a result of the study, it was observed that this integration of STEM technology into chemistry classes had a great contribution to the students’ 21st-century skills, including research, critical thinking, and teamwork as well as the participants’ academic performance. According to independent evaluations, students who learned a subject for one hour of theoretical instruction and three hours of hands-on experience with STEM technology scored higher on knowledge assessments than those who received only traditional instruction (approach). These results show that the integration of STEM technology into chemistry can be a potentially effective tool for developing modern real-life skills. It is planned to introduce the following recommendations: 1. When it comes to the range of new objects, STEM technologies must be integrated as much as possible. Students gain modern skills from this that enable them to apply their knowledge to other subjects. 2. Examination of students' extracurricular involvement, academic performance, and social activities. This is due to the study's findings, which indicate that students who have little interest in social work typically perform badly. 3. Assemble an innovative research team made up of educators and learners to keep an eye on and encourage the volume of work being done to integrate STEM technologies. To incorporate strategies for enhancing students' academic knowledge, social issues, and social settings into the particular aims and objectives of the research team. STEM is an interdisciplinary and project-based approach to learning that will enable students to strengthen their research scientific and technological capabilities and develop critical, and creative thinking, problem-solving, communication and teamwork skills. That is why this method can be applied to chemistry lessons to establish 21st-century skills within the framework of an updated curriculum of the content of education, as well as to improve the understanding of the learning material and student performance.

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