NEW ON THE ACADEMIC MENU
STEAM -Powered Learning
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OW CAN WE STOP OUR PLANET FROM WARMING? Address racial inequality? Bridge political divides? Stop deadly germs from circling the globe? In 2019, Loyola launched a new STEAM learning initiative to help Ramblers think more broadly about the complex issues that the world’s citizens will be facing in the years ahead—and give them the skills and tools they’ll need to address some of the most pressing and intractable problems of our time. The initiative began with the opening of a new STEAM lab made possible by a leadership gift from graduate parents Susanne M. and Timothy P. Sullivan; the construction of a
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STEAM makerspace for communal, hands-on, project-based learning; and the development of Introduction to Engineering Design, a new STEAM elective designed to encourage Ramblers to think like engineers as they develop engineering skills through problembased learning. What exactly is STEAMpowered learning? STEAM takes STEM learning to the next level by adding art to the mix. But the “A” in STEAM goes well beyond the visual and performing arts. Interpreted more broadly, it can include liberal arts subjects such as language arts and social studies, as well as disciplines at the intersection of art and technology, such as architecture, filmmaking and product design.
“STEAM, or cross-disciplinary, learning gives students a more holistic understanding of how the world works,” explains Loyola Academy Principal Charles W. Heintz. “It teaches students how to use the skills and processes gained through the study of science, technology, engineering, the arts and mathematics to think deeply, ask questions and solve complex problems.” In Fiscal 2020, we developed the STEAM courses on the opposite page to open up new opportunities for Ramblers to make connections across disciplines, think critically, work collaboratively, interpret data confidently, communicate effectively and solve problems creatively.
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STEAM, or cross-disciplinary, learning gives students a more holistic understanding of how the world works.
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Loyola Academy Annual Report 2019–2020
C H A R L E S W. H E I N T Z Principal, Loyola Academy
