11 Why is STEAM important?

STEAM education is one of the modern ways of education, integrating science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics disciplines, linking education with the real world (change and progress, sustainable development goals, real-world problem solving), forming students’ critical thinking and problem-solving skills, among other skills and abilities mentioned above. It is a simple way to help students put the knowledge gained in lessons into practice immediately. Without a clear understanding of how to put this into practice and what makes it useful, students lose not only motivation, but also their interest in this discipline. The knowledge gained by combining different disciplines is immediately tested in practice, and the teaching methodology itself shows how different disciplines work together.

Key competencies to be developed through STEAM activities:

• • research and exploration
  • engineering
  • design
  • sustainable thinking
  • real-world problem solving
  • working together (collaboration)
  • integrating different thematic areas
  • digital literacy
  • focus is not only on the content of the subjects or the results, but also on the impact on the individual, the environment and society
  • adapting to new circumstances
  • flexibility (adaptive thinking)
  • media and information literacy

In addition to  these previously mentioned competencies,  analytical and critical thinking, creativity and initiative, learning to learn and continuous improvement, play an important role in STEAM education.

The application of the principles of integrated learning in STEAM education can help to address the lack of interest of students in these areas and to prepare future innovative leaders. The low number of students in this field reflects the fact that students are not interested in STEAM subjects and STEAM education in schools is not sufficient. Research shows that the teacher is a decisive factor in choosing the STEM speciality.

STEAM education is important for real-life problems solving, so a successful citizen’s abilities and competencies should be disclosed in the learning process. The top ten skills that increase employment opportunities are distinguished:

• • Communication skills – listening, speaking and writing. Employers want people to be able to clearly understand what others are saying, to lay out and express their thoughts.
  • Teamwork – in today’s job market, many workplaces have one or more teams. Employers want people who are able to work in different teams and help reveal the best skills of other team members.
  • Analytical and problem-solving skills – employers want people to be able to think creatively, apply experience, identify and solve problems effectively.
  • Self-control – the ability to plan and manage multiple tasks, set priorities, and adapt to changing conditions and work tasks.
  • Interpersonal effectiveness – employers expect the employee to be effective in business relationships in the organization, to be able to establish and maintain them.
  • Digital Literacy – although employers train their workers to apply the specific software needed at work, they expect employees to have basic computer skills.
  • Leadership / leadership skills – the ability to take responsibility and lead employees when needed. Most employers are looking for signs of leadership.
  • Ability to learn – work is constantly changing and evolving, and employers want people to learn and improve as these changes take place.
  • Mathematical and reading skills – although most jobs do not require mathematical calculations, almost all jobs require the ability to read and understand instructions and perform basic mathematical operations.
  • Strong values – reliability, honesty, self-confidence and a positive attitude to work – are relevant to all professions. Employers are looking for honest employees.

The teacher is very important in the learning process. A good STEAM teacher

1. believes in the students. Set high expectations for students, challenge them to succeed, and believe that they will. Most students will perform at the level the teacher expects, so trust them to make informed choices about their engineering challenges, offer creative solutions, complete complex tasks, and collaborate smoothly in doing so.
2. transfers control of the learning process to the students. New roles and rules that emphasize student responsibility could be created. Aim to help them learn on their own.
3. encourages curiosity. Learn the art of asking open-ended questions with many possible answers. Raise problems, not answers, and send students to look for solutions. Use inconsistencies to get students to draw attention to the problem. Use curiosity-inducing strategies in which students develop critical thinking skills.
4. ensures practical, experiential learning. If a teacher wants to encourage 21st century learning, the learning process should not  be an old-fashioned sage on stage.  Students should have the opportunity to actually explore several possible solutions to a problem or solve a mystery. Teachers should provide material that student teams can research and find more than one correct solution.
5. encourages students to collaborate. Teachers should actively teach teamwork skills and work with students to increase their understanding of their team’s behavior and ways of communicating in the classroom.
6. accepts both their own  and the students’ failures as a necessary part of learning and growth. That is, agree to the failure that accompanies risk and experimentation. All students need to feel safe to take risks. Follow the rule: we learn more from what we do wrong than from what we do right, and engineers learn from their mistakes. In fact, failure is a necessary part of learning.
7. is an inspiring leader and an example to their students. Being positive, enthusiastic and passionate about the learning process is a way to success.
8. is flexible. STEAM education will improve student engagement, critical thinking skills, and workforce skills. However, teachers may need to deviate from their lesson plan depending on the direction of students’ research and decisions.
9. evolves and grows as a professional. One of the most important things STEM teachers can do is to pay attention to the art of teaching. Develop skills to facilitate (rather than dictate) students to think like engineers. Adopt digital tools and technologies in the classroom to help students.
10. is an active member of a community. Collaborate with colleagues and research the most effective STEAM teaching procedures. Studies show, that by working with other teachers help:

• • Increase the engagement into STEAM contents and its learning
  • Learn more about STEAM
  • Feel better prepared to teach STEAM courses
  • Improve your teaching methods
  • Pay more attention to students’ reasoning and understanding