Photo credit: NAA
Noting how often skilled scientists are also artists and vice versa, Andy Allan of the National Afterschool Association pens a thoughtful article, How Art Motivates STEM Learning, about moving from STEM to STEAM with the addition of a focus on art – noting that “the word art is used to represent the full spectrum of the liberal arts: language, social studies, physical art, fine art, music, and design.” Why is it important to focus on STEAM? Allan offers two key reasons: first, the creative processes behind art can be used to drive innovation and find inventive solutions to problems such as presenting a design, communicating a finding and building a prototype and second, art can also serve as an additional pathway to STEM engagement for traditionally underrepresented students.