The STEM to STEAM movement has been taking root over the past several years and is surging forward as a positive mode of action to truly meet the needs of a 21st century economy. STEM alone misses several key components that many employers, educators, and parents have voiced as critical for our children to thrive in the present and rapidly approaching future.
STEAM is an educational approach to learning that uses Science, Technology, Engineering, the Arts and Mathematics as access points for guiding student inquiry, dialogue, and critical thinking. The end results are students who take thoughtful risks, engage in experiential learning, persist in problem-solving, embrace collaboration, and work through the creative process. These are the innovators, educators, leaders, and learners of the 21st century.
In recent years there has been a growing focus on the need to better prepare students for higher education and arm them with the skills and knowledge they will need to be successful innovators in a 21st century workforce. STEAM has gained popularity among educators, parents, corporations and institutions, as well as the President of the United States, as a way to fulfill this need.
By engaging students around the subjects of Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math, STEAM aims to spark an interest and life long love of the arts and sciences in children from an early age. Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math (STEAM) are similar disciplines in that all involve creative processes and none uses just one method for inquiry and investigation. Teaching relevant, in demand skills that will prepare students to become innovators in an ever evolving world is paramount, not only for the future of these students but for the future of the country.
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