STEAM, Creativity, and Social Empowerment

• In Event: 26.049 - Gathering STEAM: The Integration of Arts-Based Educational Projects Into Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math Curricula

Abstract

Objectives
This paper reviews recent STEAM efforts at Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) foregrounded by the history of how it was championed by the RISD (Rivero, 2014), including the 2013 Congressional STEAM Caucus.

Perspectives
This historical overview will discuss the history of RISD’s involvement with STEAM, focusing on the collaborations with state and federal legislators that led to the development of the Congressional STEAM Caucus.

Techniques
The paper will describe how RISD students have been involved in informing policymakers about STEAM and its implications for increasing creativity and innovation for the public.

Objects/materials
The RISD STEAM Map (http://map.stemtosteam.org) is an interactive website that will be explored to show locations of where STEAM is happening in the world.

Substantiated conclusions
This Map will be presented, and discussed in terms of how it and other RISD efforts have been used to inform government and industry leaders.

Scholarly significance of the work
This paper will show how policy is formed to advance new educational goals such as STEAM linking higher education and the federal government with students, faculty and administrators at the heart of these collaborative efforts.

Author

• Babette Allina, Rhode Island School of Design