Recently, I was contacted by a college student asking for help with a project on integrating the arts into STEM. I have never thought of STEAM as integrating the arts into STEM. I think of STEAM as the complete picture. Nevertheless, I answered the four questions presented based on my years of work in the field. I thought I would share my thoughts. In this post, you’ll find the four questions and my responses verbatim but no identifying information about the student. I would love to hear your thoughts on this!

-Amanda K.

Dear Ms. Koonlaba,
 
I am studying for my undergraduate BA (Hons) Graphic Design degree at ———, UK. As part of one of my course modules, I have selected the subject of integration of arts into Science (STEM) in students’ curriculum. More specifically, I am addressing the need for promoting this idea through visual media. The course requires me to obtain expert advice from experts engaged in the relevant field to validate my chosen subject area.
 
I have read about your work as in the field of arts integration and STEAM. Considering your many years of experience in this field, the depth of your knowledge, and your vast association with students and educators, I am sure your input will greatly enhance my course paper and help me with my project.
 
I have put down a few questions which address my area of study. I would be very grateful if you could spare some time out from your schedule to go through them and respond.
 
Thanking you in advance for your help and assistance,
 
Yours sincerely,
S—

Questions

Questions:
 
1. Which stage of education (primary, elementary, high school) would you consider most crucial for the integration of arts and science education?
 
2. How well represented is the STEAM concept through the means of visual communication to the student, parent, and teacher community? Is there a gap in the requirement for well designed, eye catching and informative posters, brochures, other promotional material? Is more public awareness required for this aspect of education?
 
3. What, in your view, is the one key aspect of arts integration that needs to be emphasized in communication to student/parent community?
 
4. Who would you consider the target audience, the students themselves, the teachers or the parents for the campaign to promote art integration?

Responses

1. I think it is difficult and probably inappropriate to place a hierarchy on the stages of education. All are important in relation to developmental stages. However, if you look at the primary grades as foundational, I’d say those are crucial. I’ve found the longer a human being waits to engage in an authentic creative process tightly integrated with standards of other content, the more difficult it can be to be open to it. That’s not to say older students can’t do it! I’m saying that it can require more front-end work to get the student to open themselves up to the ambiguity of how the creative process brings about critical thinking. Therefore, having a foundation rich in those creative processes is truly beneficial.

2.  I think there is a huge gap. There are so few people doing this work on a higher academic level that the message is diluted by those just using STEAM language casually or as an educational catchphrase. I do believe more public awareness is important. A lot of parents and educators haven’t been “brought up” experiencing the actual creative processes required for STEAM to be rigorous and meaningful. Many believe the “A” is about cutesy crafts. I use the term “crafts” with hesitation here because actual crafts (think cross-stitching, quilting, woodworking) have a huge place in the arts. So with that in mind, there’s really two ways of looking at “crafts.” My point is that people still generally have very little understanding of the creative process, which can look very different from person to person and with varying developmental ages. People also still tend to have a separate idea of what fine arts (thing a realistic oil portrait) and creativity. The resources you asked about do exist, but I still say they are sparse. Part of our work at the Institute for Arts Integration and STEAM has been to develop these materials.

3. The importance of the creative process needs to be communicated. The best way I can think of for communicating this to get people to experience it within the context of a true STEAM or arts-integrated approach.

4. I always thought of my students as the best advocates for STEAM and arts integration. If they can understand their learning (metacognition) and then talk about it, they can share it with others in a personal way. Therefore, I think they are the primary target audience. Then, I think parents and educators are equal as the audience. The parents and educators have to be the ones demanding we provide this for our students through advocacy.