Developing a Conceptual Framework for Early Childhood STEAM Instruction: Integrating Social Emotional Competencies

• In Event: Integrating STEAM and Early Childhood

Abstract

STEAM education is an innovative instructional approach to teaching that is becoming more common in educational contexts. Children in early childhood possess developmental characteristics, such as a desire to investigate, ask questions, innovate, and problem solve, which make them ideal learners for STEAM instruction. The context of early childhood classrooms exemplifies an environment for cultivating authentic hands-on play-based learning, exploration, and collaboration. This conceptual paper proposes a model of STEAM instruction for early childhood settings that integrates STEAM instructional practices, contextual aspects of the classroom environment, and explicit teaching aimed at developing students’ social emotional competencies. Findings from this paper fill a gap in the literature surrounding the creation of a novel framework to implement in the early childhood classroom.

Author

• Amanda E. Bennett, Clemson University
  Presenting Author