STEAM 101

Here we are in 2024.  It's been 10 years since a small group of local educators and engaged citizens collaborated on a STEAM charter school proposal that got high marks by evaluators but was thwarted by RI’s status quo. 

Let’s circle back and do a better job defining  STEAM education, and explain why we see it as a better way to generate stronger student engagement, starting in the earliest grades. 

Our exploration of the STEAM model began in 2012. Working with Navy-facing education professionals, we submitted a charter school application to the Rhode Island Dept of Education. State officials liked the idea of a STEAM-centric charter school covering grades K-6, rejected our particular proposal, but then urged us to re-apply in 2015 and focus on Providence.  Knowing that the needs and opportunities were strong on Aquidneck Island, we politely declined. 

The STEAM model, simply, is the integration of all content areas to demonstrate how all things in our world are interrelated.  By infusing the arts (fine art, music, drama, architecture, design) and the humanities (social sciences, civics,  history, literature, cultures, heritage) with science, technology, engineering, and most importantly, math – we teach children how to think holistically. The STEAM framework builds critical thinking, as well as creative problem solving skills.

To illustrate this point in 2024, a school district in County Offaly, Ireland, working to rebuild their economy – once totally dependent on peat fuel production – has adopted the STEAM model so their students are prepared to compete for 21st Century jobs. “Students who are developing their STEAM skills are more likely to invent, build, drive, and innovate future technologies that can benefit their lives and communities.”

Per ChatGPT data (as of January 2022) the following states have shown significant efforts and initiatives to incorporate STEAM principles into their educational curricula, pedagogy, and extracurricular activities: Massachusetts, New York, Texas, North Carolina, Illinois, Georgia, Florida, Ohio,  California, Washington, and Colorado. 

Several other countries outside the United States have embraced the STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) educational model and have been enthusiastic about integrating it into their schools. Some of these countries include:

• Canada: Canadian schools have been embracing STEAM education to prepare students for careers in science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics fields.

• Finland: Finland is known for its progressive education system, which emphasizes creativity, collaboration, and interdisciplinary learning. Many Finnish schools have integrated STEAM principles into their curricula.

• Netherlands: The Netherlands has been integrating STEAM education into its schools to develop students' critical thinking, problem-solving, and creativity skills.

• Germany: Germany has been emphasizing STEAM education to strengthen its workforce and maintain its position as a global leader in engineering and technology.

• United Kingdom: The UK has been promoting STEAM education to enhance students' problem-solving abilities, creativity, and digital literacy skills.

• Australia: Australian schools have been increasingly incorporating STEAM education to equip students with the skills and knowledge needed for success in the 21st century.

• Japan: Japan has been incorporating STEAM principles into its education system to encourage innovation and entrepreneurship among students.

• South Korea: South Korea has made significant investments in STEAM education, aiming to foster creativity, innovation, and critical thinking skills among its students.

• Singapore: Singapore has been proactive in promoting STEAM education as part of its efforts to develop a highly skilled workforce and prepare students for future challenges in technology and innovation.

• China: China has been investing in STEAM education to nurture talent in science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics and drive innovation and economic growth.

This collaborative approach is not about technology for technology's sake. Technology is merely a tool. STEAM education is a bridge to expanding horizons and igniting interest in all aspects of learning through a networked transdisciplinary approach.

You may remember, in 2015, engaged residents brought STEAM thought leader Georgette Yakman to CCRI to be the keynote speaker at a STEAM Summit.  Her work, marrying the liberal arts with STEM, is known worldwide. As she explains, the primary point is that studying content areas in silos, without integrating how they interrelate, leaves significant gaps in knowledge… and, detracts from relevancy. Yakman’s research shows that by overlapping unaligned disciplines, learners develop deeper universal understanding and a curiosity to know more. Sadly, her broadly acclaimed work fell on deaf ears that evening in the CCRI auditorium.

Yakman’s foundational research shows how the spectrum of the liberal arts puts the traditional silos of the STEM model into context. STEAM is about more than converging the fine arts and design thinking into STEM fields. The liberal arts are, the ‘who & why,’ the reasoning, to the ‘what & how’ of STEM.

There’s so much more to this, but, for now, please take a moment and delve into some of the links we’ve provided. Read about County Offaly – like Newport – which faces economic development stresses. 

https://www.offalyindependent.ie/2024/02/25/council-stresses-role-of-steam-in-offalys-future/

For decades we’ve blindly fed the Rhode Island  tourism machine with our student graduates at the detriment of our future prosperity. We’ve ignored other island industries now forced to recruit qualified candidates from elsewhere. 

As Brookings recognized in their 2016 economic report, Rhode Island has the potential to offer working-age residents much more than our natural beauty and hospitality. Isn’t it high time we awaken to those possibilities and educate our next generations to enjoy the quality of life that they deserve?  Or do we continue to merely hope for improvement, blame parents, and kick-the-can?

Shouldn’t today’s leaders guide tomorrow‘s Newport citizens to be confident, contributing participants in this world class city we all love?