Migrating from STEM to STEAMS

THE ARTS AND SOCIETY AS INGREDIENTS FOR INNOVATION

You have probably heard of the terms “STEM” and “STEAM”— they have become buzzwords to describe applied and interdisciplinary models of education that blend disciplines together. While these integrated learning models have become popular, there is little attention paid to their failure to create social impact and social innovation.

As these terms continue to be used in a variety of contexts, we wanted to take a deeper look at what they really mean and the benefits of adding more ingredients to the proverbial pot.

What is STEM?

STEM IS AN ACRONYM USED in education to focus on learning science, technology, engineering, and mathematics in an integrated way.

While a focus on STEM could be seen as early as the 1950s–60s—called SMET—the acronym we all know today was coined in 2001 by the Assistant Director of Education and Human Resources Directorate (EHR) at The National Science Foundation, Dr. Judith A. Ramaley.

The focus on STEM came about as educators and economic analysts saw the growth in the industries relying on these fields. In short, careers that require STEM-based knowledge are essential for a modern, thriving economy. STEM has been an educational innovation: historically, the Western educational model has organized learning into subjects, the connections between disciplines left untied. Teaching these subjects in isolation is important for learning specificity within these complex topics, but it can often leave learners unengaged and disinterested.

We are experiencing a slow paradigm shift with the push to teach STEM subjects together in an interdisciplinary way. Many opportunities in industry demand knowledge of all subjects and the interplay between them. Often, educators of integrated STEM use design-based or problem-solving examples to help keep learners engaged and to expose them to the possibilities that lie in their futures.

Integrated STEM-based education can lead to higher student engagement, which in turn leads to increased interest. This can improve the likelihood that a learner will pursue a career in a STEM field. However, studies suggest that one in four learners entering high school are interested in STEM, and 60% of STEM-oriented learners change to a nom-STEM related focus of study before graduating. In universities, 38% of learners who start in STEM majors do not graduate with one, and 40% of those who do graduate leave the industry within four to five years. Why might this be? What is missing?

Migrating to STEAM

STEAM-based education was first pioneered by Georgette Yakman in 2006, who added the arts into the STEM framework to provide a more holistic educational model. Schools often prioritize STEM subjects over the arts, even when studies suggest that the arts and the humanities greatly impact a student’s academic, social, and emotional well-being. Arts-based subjects—like visual art, music, literature and writing—contribute to brain development, critical thinking and communication skills.

Integrating the arts into STEM can help make these subjects more accessible. Learners who often don’t excel in math and sciences need to know that it is ok to fail. When we allow ourselves to be creative, we ask ourselves questions and improve our self-awareness and awareness of the world around us. The arts and humanities give learners a space to play with ideas, to consider possibilities, to fail without fear, to act with empathy and to expand their minds.

Play and art creation are great tools for problem-solving and require a different way of thinking than science. Combine the two and you’re improving learners’ ability to problem-solve, act with intention and to find purpose in their work.

The arts add dimension to STEM; adding a “why” in addition to a “what.” Considering creativity, beauty and design in relation to STEM fields promotes new perspectives and different ways to learn. Despite this, something is still missing.

Adding Social Innovation

While the arts add new dimensions to the old STEM model, STEAM still lacks a human element. STEAMS is the most recent evolution of the STEM model, integrating society and social innovation as key components into the framework. STEAMS adds the ingredients of ethics, morality and humanity into the STEM and STEAM recipe to tease out the social impact—either positive or negative—in the work being done in STEM industries.

Humber researcher and industrial designer Dennis Kappen stresses that gaining a human understanding of his designs is a large part of why he does research:

“Understanding the human context, trying to humanize technology, trying to connect all of these pieces and the contextual aspects of the environment around us all work together. All these elements create beautiful, functional design.”

This search for unity in all elements has paid off: Dennis’ most recent project looked at adding gamification elements to older adults’ physical activity regimes, which resulted in higher participant engagement. The technology, with a dash of empathy, resulted in more positive health outcomes for participants.

At the classroom level, STEAMS creates a symmetry in learning and allows learners to apply these subjects to their everyday lives. It allows for these subjects to jump off the page and allows for higher engagement in an industry that requires it. Ultimately, a shift toward STEAMS will help future learners develop the skills they need to succeed in their future careers.

Facial recognition software does not equally recognize a diversity of faces

A Case for STEAMS

The Gender Shades project audited five common facial recognition technologies to determine their accuracy. All five algorithms repeatedly demonstrated the lowest accuracy rate among darkerskinned women, and the highest accuracy rate among light-skinned men. Would this have occurred if the project teams that developed these technologies had viewed their creations through an equity, diversity and inclusion lens? Gender Shades project (http://gendershades.org/overview.html)

Further Reading

 The History and Importance of STEAM Education (https://www.steamtruck.org/blog/ steam-education-history-importance)

 21st Century Competencies (https://edugains.ca/resources21CL/About21stCentury/21CL_21stCenturyCompetencies.pdf)

 Moving from STEM to STEAM: Art as a Tool for Education and Innovation Video (https://vimeo.com/98962837)

 The great debate: STEM versus STEAM (https://www.goodschools.com.au/insights/studentexperience/the-great-debate-stem-versus-steam)

 STEAM publications (https://steamedu.com/research)

 STEM integration in K-12 education video (https://library.ucalgary.ca/c.php?g=255548)

 Moving From STEM to STEAM (https:// scienceexplorers.com/moving-from-stem-to-steam)

 STEM vs. STEAM: Why One Letter Matters (https://soeonline.american.edu/blog/stem-vssteam)

 What is STEAM Education? (https:// artsintegration.com/what-is-steam-education-in-k12-schools)

 Ramaley coined STEM term now used nationwide (https://www.winonadailynews.com/ news/local/ramaley-coined-stem-term-now-usednationwide/article_457afe3e-0db3-11e1-abe0001cc4c03286.html)

 Dr. Judith A. Ramaley (https://serc.carleton.edu/ person/18391.html)

 New evidence of the benefits of arts education (https://www.brookings.edu/blog/ brown-center-chalkboard/2019/02/12/newevidence-of-the-benefits-of-arts-education/)