From STEM to STEAM: The Connections and Fostering of Creativity in STEAM

Research Article
Open access

From STEM to STEAM: The Connections and Fostering of Creativity in STEAM

Bo Yang 1*
  • 1 Department of Music Education, College of Fine Arts, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, US    
  • *corresponding author byang2@andrew.cmu.edu
Published on 1 March 2023 | https://doi.org/10.54254/2753-7048/2/2022322
LNEP Vol.2
ISSN (Print): 2753-7056
ISSN (Online): 2753-7048
ISBN (Print): 978-1-915371-07-2
ISBN (Online): 978-1-915371-08-9

Abstract

Aiming to understand the connections between STEM and STEAM education, and why using STEAM can be more creative for students, this review analyzes literature on STEM and STEAM especially as applied to mathematics and music education. The research questions are (a) why creativity in STEM is important; (b) How to relate STEM with arts (STEAM); and (c) Why STEAM is important in foresting students’ creativity. STEM - Science, Mathematics, Engineering, and Technology - was launched as an initiative by the National Science Foundation (NSF) (Hasanah, 2020). STEM education has attracted much attention in recent years, but how to teach STEM in a way which fosters creativity is unclear. However, STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math) education provides a potential way to foster students’ creativity and innovation during teaching and learning STEM (Liao, 2016). This study explores the literature on limitations of teaching creativity in STEM and why it is important to relate arts (STEAM) in STEM education. The findings of this study show that STEM can be more effective when related with arts, but the practical strategies as articulated in the extant literature are still limited.

Keywords:

mathematics, creativity, music, STEAM education, STEM education

Yang,B. (2023). From STEM to STEAM: The Connections and Fostering of Creativity in STEAM. Lecture Notes in Education Psychology and Public Media,2,441-446.
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References

[1]. Arsyad, N., Rahman, A., & AHMAR, A. S. (2017). Developing a self-learning model based on open-ended questions to increase the students’ creativity in calculus. Global Journal of Engineering Education, 9(2), 143-147.

[2]. Bevan, D., Williams, A. M., & Capraro, M. M. (2019). Strike a pose: the impact of problem-posing on elementary students’ mathematical attitudes and achievement. In International Symposium Elementary Mathematics Teaching (p. 80).

[3]. Dominguez, H., Crespo, S., del Valle, T., Adams, M., Coupe, M., Gonzalez, G., & Ormazabal, Y. (2020). Learning to transform, transforming to learn: Children’s creative thinking with fractions. Journal of Humanistic Mathematics, 10(2), 76-101.

[4]. Ford, D. Y., & Harris, J. J. (1992). The elusive definition of creativity. The Journal of Creative Behavior, 26(3), 186-198.

[5]. Geoghegan, N., & Mitchelmore, M. (1996). Possible Effects of Early Childhood Music on Mathematical Achievement. Journal for Australian Research in Early Childhood Education, 68-75

[6]. Harris, A., & De Bruin, L. (2018). An international study of creative pedagogies in practice in secondary schools: Toward a creative ecology. Journal of Curriculum and Pedagogy, 15(2), 215-235.

[7]. Hasanah, U. (2020). Key definitions of STEM education: Literature review. Interdisciplinary Journal of Environmental and Science Education, 16(3), e2217.

[8]. Hoth, J., Kaiser, G., Busse, A., Doehrmann, M., Koenig, J., & Blömeke, S. (2017). Professional competences of teachers for fostering creativity and supporting high-achieving students. ZDM, 49(1), 107-120.

[9]. Liao, C. (2016). From interdisciplinary to transdisciplinary: An arts-integrated approach to STEAM education. Art Education, 69(6), 44-49.

[10]. Martin, L. C., & Towers, J. (2009). Improvisational coactions and the growth of collective mathematical understanding. Research in mathematics education, 11(1), 1-19.

[11]. Martin, Lyndon C, and Jo Towers. Improvisational Understanding in the Mathematics Classroom. Structure and Improvisation in Creative Teaching. Cambridge University Press, 2011. 252–278. https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511997105.013

[12]. Nadjafikhah, M., Yaftian, N., & Bakhshalizadeh, S. (2012). Mathematical creativity: some definitions and characteristics. Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences, 31, 285-291.

[13]. Torrance, E. P., & Ball, O. E. (1984). The Torrance Tests of Creative Thinking streamlined (revised) manual Figural A and B. Bensenville, IL: Scholastic Testing Service.

[14]. Perignat, E., & Katz-Buonincontro, J. (2019). STEAM in practice and research: An integrative literature review. Thinking skills and creativity, 31, 31-43.

[15]. Sriraman, B. (2005). Are giftedness and creativity synonyms in mathematics?. Journal of Secondary Gifted Education, 17(1), 20-36.

[16]. Yakman, G. (2006). STEAM pedagogical commons for contextual learning. Unpublished class paper for EDCI, 5774.

[17]. Yakman, G., & Lee, H. (2012). Exploring the exemplary STEAM education in the US as a practical educational framework for Korea. Journal of the korean Association for Science Education, 32(6), 1072-1086.

[18]. Yakman, G. (2008). STΣ@M Education: an overview of creating a model of integrative education. Pupils Attitudes Towards Technology 2008 Annual Proceedings. Netherlands

[19]. Young, J. G. (1985). What is creativity?. The journal of creative behavior.


Cite this article

Yang,B. (2023). From STEM to STEAM: The Connections and Fostering of Creativity in STEAM. Lecture Notes in Education Psychology and Public Media,2,441-446.

Data availability

The datasets used and/or analyzed during the current study will be available from the authors upon reasonable request.

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About volume

Volume title: Proceedings of the 3rd International Conference on Educational Innovation and Philosophical Inquiries (ICEIPI 2022), Part I

ISBN:978-1-915371-07-2(Print) / 978-1-915371-08-9(Online)
Editor:Abdullah Laghari, Nasir Mahmood
Conference website: https://www.iceipi.org/
Conference date: 4 August 2022
Series: Lecture Notes in Education Psychology and Public Media
Volume number: Vol.2
ISSN:2753-7048(Print) / 2753-7056(Online)

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References

[1]. Arsyad, N., Rahman, A., & AHMAR, A. S. (2017). Developing a self-learning model based on open-ended questions to increase the students’ creativity in calculus. Global Journal of Engineering Education, 9(2), 143-147.

[2]. Bevan, D., Williams, A. M., & Capraro, M. M. (2019). Strike a pose: the impact of problem-posing on elementary students’ mathematical attitudes and achievement. In International Symposium Elementary Mathematics Teaching (p. 80).

[3]. Dominguez, H., Crespo, S., del Valle, T., Adams, M., Coupe, M., Gonzalez, G., & Ormazabal, Y. (2020). Learning to transform, transforming to learn: Children’s creative thinking with fractions. Journal of Humanistic Mathematics, 10(2), 76-101.

[4]. Ford, D. Y., & Harris, J. J. (1992). The elusive definition of creativity. The Journal of Creative Behavior, 26(3), 186-198.

[5]. Geoghegan, N., & Mitchelmore, M. (1996). Possible Effects of Early Childhood Music on Mathematical Achievement. Journal for Australian Research in Early Childhood Education, 68-75

[6]. Harris, A., & De Bruin, L. (2018). An international study of creative pedagogies in practice in secondary schools: Toward a creative ecology. Journal of Curriculum and Pedagogy, 15(2), 215-235.

[7]. Hasanah, U. (2020). Key definitions of STEM education: Literature review. Interdisciplinary Journal of Environmental and Science Education, 16(3), e2217.

[8]. Hoth, J., Kaiser, G., Busse, A., Doehrmann, M., Koenig, J., & Blömeke, S. (2017). Professional competences of teachers for fostering creativity and supporting high-achieving students. ZDM, 49(1), 107-120.

[9]. Liao, C. (2016). From interdisciplinary to transdisciplinary: An arts-integrated approach to STEAM education. Art Education, 69(6), 44-49.

[10]. Martin, L. C., & Towers, J. (2009). Improvisational coactions and the growth of collective mathematical understanding. Research in mathematics education, 11(1), 1-19.

[11]. Martin, Lyndon C, and Jo Towers. Improvisational Understanding in the Mathematics Classroom. Structure and Improvisation in Creative Teaching. Cambridge University Press, 2011. 252–278. https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511997105.013

[12]. Nadjafikhah, M., Yaftian, N., & Bakhshalizadeh, S. (2012). Mathematical creativity: some definitions and characteristics. Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences, 31, 285-291.

[13]. Torrance, E. P., & Ball, O. E. (1984). The Torrance Tests of Creative Thinking streamlined (revised) manual Figural A and B. Bensenville, IL: Scholastic Testing Service.

[14]. Perignat, E., & Katz-Buonincontro, J. (2019). STEAM in practice and research: An integrative literature review. Thinking skills and creativity, 31, 31-43.

[15]. Sriraman, B. (2005). Are giftedness and creativity synonyms in mathematics?. Journal of Secondary Gifted Education, 17(1), 20-36.

[16]. Yakman, G. (2006). STEAM pedagogical commons for contextual learning. Unpublished class paper for EDCI, 5774.

[17]. Yakman, G., & Lee, H. (2012). Exploring the exemplary STEAM education in the US as a practical educational framework for Korea. Journal of the korean Association for Science Education, 32(6), 1072-1086.

[18]. Yakman, G. (2008). STΣ@M Education: an overview of creating a model of integrative education. Pupils Attitudes Towards Technology 2008 Annual Proceedings. Netherlands

[19]. Young, J. G. (1985). What is creativity?. The journal of creative behavior.