Facilitating Systems Thinking Through Arts-Based STEM Integration

• In Event: Thinking Like a Scientist: Enhancing STEM Learning Experiences

Abstract

Socio-scientific issues (e.g. global climate change, pandemics, or vaccination requirements) require citizens to be both educated and engaged with the science and politics of these situations to meaningfully participate in a democracy. Understanding both the socio-scientific issues and their implications requires thinking that can integrate multiple systems including social, economic, environmental, and ethics. The present investigation seeks to understand how arts integration into STEM curriculum could support systems thinking around these issues. Our after-school program, which works with 3rd – 5th grade students in rural-agricultural communities, leverages the arts to promote systems-level understanding of zoonotic diseases and ecosystem dynamics. Our findings indicate that we successfully promoted systems thinking as assessed by an image selection task. Implications and future directions are discussed.

Authors

• Robert William Danielson, Washington State University - Spokane

• Elizabeth Grace, Washington State University - Spokane

• Molly Louise Kelton, WA

• Maria Mozo Cardona, MiraCosta College

• Vianette Pena