![]() ![]() STEM embraces the 4 C’s identified as key in 21st Century education: Creativity, Collaboration, Critical Thinking, and Communication. Skills need to be taught in an applied way, as part of a greater whole, rather than the traditional approach of individual subject silos. How to apply knowledge, research and skills to problem solve. Instead it is about learning how to think critically and evaluate information. Education is no longer about memorizing facts. When I’m having a debate with someone, I can pull out my phone and in seconds have all the facts. We have so many facts at our finger tips now. We don’t need children to memorize random facts anymore. They need to develop diverse skills sets and a passion for exploration and growth. We need to educate children in how subjects integrate and work together. Jobs in the real world are interdisciplinary. Whether you prefer STEM or STEAM the underlying principles and practices are very much the same, it’s about integration of the pillars: Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math to provide tremendous opportunities for all students. For elementary aged children, in particular, I like to include the A to ensure that facet of learning doesn’t get forgotten in our lessons. Many people feel that adding the A is unnecessary and that the application of creativity and arts is a natural part of STEM, but others like to highlight it. Picture an architect, they use engineering, math, technology, science and arts to create stunning buildings and structures. Art is about discovering and creating ingenious ways of problem solving, integrating principles or presenting information. Art isn’t just about working in a studio. The addition of Arts to STEM to create STEAM is about incorporating creative thinking and applied arts in real situations. Instead of teaching math as separate from science, they can be taught together in a way that shows how the knowledge from those two fields compliment and support each other. STEM and STEAM are not new, they are simply ways of understanding and applying an integrated form of learning that resembles real life. This is the power of developing STEM skills for all students, not just those interested in STEM careers. The subjects do not work on their own, instead they are woven together in practical and seamless ways allowing the architect to design complex buildings. Picture an architect, they use science, math, engineering and technology to do their jobs. Rarely does a job require only one skill set like math. With STEM we are teaching skills the way they will be used in the workforce, and the real world. Making it an exceptional way of instructing and creating a powerful learning environment. STEM and STEAM align with the way we work and problem solve in our daily lives. Instead of teaching disciplines in independent subject silos, classroom lessons are well rounded, project and inquiry-based, with a focus on interdisciplinary learning. ![]() The key component of STEM and STEAM is integration.
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