How Did STEM Education transform into STEAM Education?

STEM education has been an integral part of the education system for the past couple of decades. It is the integration of science, technology, engineering and mathematics that is included in the education curriculum across the world so that students can be ready for the future. Now, STEM education has added another discipline to make the curriculum whole. STEAM education includes Arts so that it can reach a wider range of students and encourage them to follow their passion without feeling the pressure of society. STEM or STEAM education is the integration of science, technology, engineering, arts and technology into a singular cross-disciplinary program. 

The four pillars of STEM are intertwined and mutually beneficial. Technology and engineering applications rely heavily on science and math. It’s not enough to teach each one separately; they’re all grouped together for a reason.

Without an understanding and application of ideas from all of these disciplines, you can’t make a rocket, automobile, watch, or even a bicycle. STEM is fundamentally linked to everything in our society, and it is critical that kids understand these linkages. The arts are the new aspect that is being promoted today. Those who support STEAM understand the arts’ power to broaden the scope of STEM instruction and application. 

Students with a good foundation in the arts also perform better academically overall, according to studies. Integrating the arts is a no-brainer for STEAM supporters. After all, without engineering and mathematics, you can’t create a stunning sculpture or construct jaw-dropping architecture. Cars are evaluated not only on the basis of their technology and engineering features but also on the basis of their design and aesthetic aspects, which are supported by engineering and mathematics.

STEAM education has become the most preferred education curriculum by parents who want an overall development for their kids in terms of education. But STEAM education has a lot more to it than just educating the kids in these disciplines. Kids gain important life skills, learn about their surroundings by exploring them, gain communication skills by learning with kids who are more familiar with certain topics, enjoy peer learning and much more. 

There is a lot more to uncover in STEAM education than just knowing its full form. A kid is said to be a student of STEAM education simply if they attend a class pertaining to any of the disciplines included in the STEAM curriculum, ex. If your kid attends a physics class in school, they are considered a student of the STEAM education curriculum. But getting a degree in Physics does not mean that your kid is a product of the STEAM education curriculum even if it is a part of the STEAM curriculum. They should be able to implement the methods in real life in the form of teaching, exploring and integrating their particular discipline with other disciplines and collaborating with others. If they are able to achieve all of this, they will be considered a product of STEAM education. 

If you are still confused about STEM and STEAM learning and its importance, you are not alone, many parents have difficulty wrapping their heads around the idea of the importance of STEAM education.

Future for STEAM Students

According to studies, students who have a strong foundation in the arts do better academically. For STEAM proponents, including the arts is a no-brainer. You can’t make a gorgeous sculpture or build jaw-dropping architecture without engineering and mathematics, after all.

Cars are judged not only on the basis of their technology and mechanical features but also on their design and aesthetic qualities, which are backed up by engineering and mathematics.

How is STEAM Different from STEM

After hearing and reading about it all over, this is the question that most parents have. STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) education is critical. Because it is multidisciplinary that also includes arts, it differs from typical science or mathematics instruction. Students will be capable of computational and critical thinking, as well as a variety of other skills needed to solve real-world problems.

Different phases of schooling teach STEAM learning in different ways. They are introduced to the value of STEAM education and the careers available in those disciplines while still in primary school. The fundamentals of STEAM are taught in primary education, including what, why, and how. This piques children’s interest and encourages them to pursue their passions because they want to, not because they have to or because someone instructed them to.

While awareness of the many STEAM subjects remains in middle school, students study more in-depth about them in a more rigorous and concentrated manner. Students in high school and college are well aware of the opportunities that await them if they pursue a career in STEAM education. Students begin to learn how to apply their information in real life as they progress through high school.

Blix provides courses tailored to your children’s needs and interests, allowing them to find and pursue their passions willingly.

Why is STEAM Education Gaining Importance Now?

STEAM education has always been significant. It’s just that folks aren’t aware of its significance. However, people are becoming more conscious today since, as previously stated, the majority of the working population in our society is employed in jobs related to STEAM. The primary purpose is to raise awareness and encourage under-represented and minority groups in our society to seek STEAM education. Machines will replace the majority of manual labour, and humans will be hired to build these machines. STEAM education prepares students for careers that do not even exist in the STEAM industries today.

Since the beginning of the industrial revolution, technical breakthroughs have been ten times more than in any prior decade. Artificial intelligence, the internet of things, android robots, and other technologies that were once thought unthinkable are already commonplace in this new century. It is safe to state that technological progress has come a long way and still has a long way to go.

Conclusion

The necessity for individuals to work physically is dwindling as technology progresses. As a result, many grudgingly pick STEAM education, despite the fact that they are unaware of its significance or lack enthusiasm in the topic. Introducing STEAM learning and making youngsters aware of its value at an early age will have a big impact on their lives, and they will enthusiastically pursue a career in STEAM.

With the growing demand for and competitiveness in STEAM education and related professions, Blix offers a variety of STEAM learning and robotics courses that can help your child succeed in school and in life.