Have you heard the latest?
We are scratching STEM and replacing with STEAM. Science, technology, engineering, arts, and maths! Why? Because in 10 years there is going to be a significant shortage of tech qualified employees that will fill the millions of STEM orientated jobs worldwide. Teachers need a way to engage and reenergise students to be passionate about these core subjects that will change, and maybe even save the world one day. Leave it to those sneaky science teachers to squeeze in another subject. While it may sound a little confusing, grouping these inherently different subjects together, we have investigated on your behalf and have come to some interesting conclusions.
Artistic science & math applications!
Just think about the artistic applications of science, math, engineering and technology. From the way a camera captures an image, to the way a guitar reverberates tones, these tools for creativity are all exceptionally scientific. The length of a guitar string is directly related mathematically to the wavelength of the wave which resonates within it, now try and explain the same theory on paper to your musical students and the likelihood they won’t relate to this equation is relatively high.
Creative problem solving equation…
STEM is problem solving, the ability to take a scientific approach will undoubtedly deliver consistent results and provide a platform for students to work from in any context. Take my job for example. Marketing. You can look at a creative role like marketing as being based on good ideas and a good understanding of the target market… or you can break it down into numbers and take a scientific approach to it. If I know that a website attracts a certain number of people each week, and a consistent portion of those convert to customers, to increase business you can look at it like a simple math problem. If my communications teacher had taken me aside back when I was at school, and explained that marketing was less about pretty images and creative slogans, and more about science and math, it would have totally changed the way I worked for the first 10 years of my career.
General theory of relativity… excuse the pun.
Science is all around us. It guides exciting new medical developments, the progression of our society, and how we use and maximise technology. So the next time some cheeky student questions their requirement to know about Doppler theory or the general theory of relativity, using STEAM you can take it to their level and allow them to understand on a creative level so their engagement is higher and knowledge is retained. And if you find something that can’t be related back to math, science, engineering or technology in some way, let me know because I haven’t found anything yet!
Check out our STEM and Arts Trips to the USA or ask one of our School Travel Consultants about a bespoke STEAM itinerary at schooltours@educatingadventures.com.
