More Than STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math): Conceptualizing Aesthetic-Based Art and Design Thinking in STEM Education

• In Event: Roundtable Session 113
  In Roundtable Session: Learning Through Poetry and Aesthetic Based Art and Design

Abstract

The recent push for STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) education introduces (through the emphasis on engineering) a design process to science classrooms; some educators have pushed for the arts to become a part of this process. In some cases, this might be an opportunity for greater prominence for the arts, better arts and STEM learning, and higher student engagement; in others it might weaken each discipline and confuse the boundaries between different approaches. In this exploratory research and conceptual development, the possibilities and pitfalls of this approach are unpacked, and the roles and responsibilities for arts education researchers are developed.

Authors

• James W. Bequette, University of Minnesota

• Marjorie Bullitt Bequette, Science Museum of Minnesota