STEAM For Student Engagement
Jennifer R. Miller
University of North Texas
Abstract
The purpose of this paper is to explore how the art component can better enhance STEM and how STEAM can be integrated to better engage students to build stronger learning communities, improving the overall learning experience. Creativity is needed, but not at the expense of the core sciences. How can liberal arts integrate with core science components to produce innovative and new ideas and foster creativity, producing economic growth? Is there a correlation between income and achievement in the sciences? Including integrated and creative STEAM components in existing K12 curriculums promotes excitement and increase student engagement. Currently, there is a large push to evaluate how to best produce a new generation of STEM producers and contributors. Including the arts as a component to produce interest in the sciences is very popular among academic circles. Can we brand the study of the sciences artistically beautiful? Will such programs promote a new generation of entrepreneurial ideas?
STEAM camps can serve as a introduction and create excitement in such programs.
Keywords: STEM, STEAM, art, education, innovation, entrepreneurial, engineering STEAM For Student
Engagement

The purpose of this paper is to explore how the art component can better enhance STEM literacy and how
STEAM camps can be integrated to better engage and strengthen K12 students’ performance in science, technology, engineering, the arts, and math. Dublin ISD STEAM Camp 2012, financed by the Texas Education Agency’s
Connection grant, is attempting to integrate STEAM throughout its curriculum to radically influence interest and attitudes from rural, bilingual, low performing, and low income students in the academic fields of math and science.
STEAM camp serves to build excitement and allow students to enjoy learning while creating artistic products centered in science and math. Engineering and the arts taught in conjunction with math and science provides students with answers to questions of how and why. This paper will also explore how integrating STEAM content throughout the K12 curriculum highly engages students and develops systemic learning communities. STEAM programs stimulate students’ curiosity and motivation to Bloom’s higher order thinking skills to include problem solving, teamwork, self-directed learning, project based learning, challenge based learning, research, and solutions.
STEAM programs allow students to become contributors of knowledge and often engage students with real world scenarios encountered by professionals in the career field of STEAM. As a result, STEAM programs produce a higher percentage of students interested in pursuing careers to support the fields of math and science. Producing a workforce skilled in the fields of math and science is essential to the economic growth of any community and the nation at large. Savage, Chen, and Vanasupa (2007) suggest American institutions and students must evolve and become equipped to be “global engineers” who are technically versatile (multi-disciplinary), able to solve problems from a system-level perspective, generate effective communication, function in diverse ethnic teams and demonstrate social responsibility” (p. 15).
Literature Review
As many economic, political, educational, and world leaders and organizations advocate to increase academic rigor in the area of science, technology, engineering, and math, opportunities for programs that call attention to an integrated STEM approach that includes a strong creative component has gained much attention and support. Schachter (2011) points to “President Obama’s State of the Union address in which the president placed
STEM high on the list of the nation’s educational priorities” (p. 28). In a recent article published by Education Week
Robelen (2011) suggests that combining the arts to “move STEM to STEAM” can produce a powerful and meaningful learning experience (p. 2). The idea of including creative elements with an integrated STEM approach is extremely popular. Outcomes include higher levels of student engagement, stronger content connections, creative

STEAM FOR STUDENT ENGAGEMENT 3 and critical thinking, and opportunities for true innovation. The U.S. Department of Education, the National Science
Foundation, along with various other federal and state agencies are providing many grant opportunities to foster
STEAM integrated approaches and programs (Robelen, p. 2, 2011). Robelen (2011) provides various recent examples of grant programs interested in building STEAM awareness (p. 2-6). Harvey Seifter, a strong STEAM advocate, coordinated three conferences to collaborate with top scientists, artisans, industry leaders, educators, government leaders, and entrepreneurs to build a think tank of ideas to best integrate the arts to engage students and build strong STEM academic programs .
Strong connections with all stakeholders interested in rebuilding an innovative economy can be fostered through STEAM programs ( Robelen, p. 2, 2011). However, Robelen (2011) points to the many approaches to accomplishing this goal throughout the nation, and some experts fear that students and programs may need to consider the academic value of “good art or good science” (p. 3-4).
How are programs and states implementing grant awards for integrating STEAM or STEM into current curriculum? Some programs are sponsored by local non-profit agencies, such as the Philadelphia Arts in Education
Partnership’s grant program funded with the Education Department’s Arts in Education Model and Dissemination program. The organization emphasizes art skills and learning objectives in specific math and science goals to strengthen student awareness and interest in STEM. Research is a large component of the Philadelphia grant program. Quantitative data will be evaluated to include standardized assessments, student attendance, and parental engagement. Another recent $1.1 million grant implemented in California , is integrating art in existing science 3-5 curriculums in San Diego’s public school district. The Wolf Trap Foundation for the Performing Arts is using its
Education Department grant to implement a mentorship program , which includes local artisans mentoring early childhood classroom instructors. Student competitive programs such as the ArtScience Prize are engaging high school students across the country. Georgia is using a Race to the Top grant award t o build a model STEAM charter school. Ohio’s Dayton Regional STEM School is integrating all areas of STEAM, which is building connections across core academic classrooms (Robelen, p. 2-6, 2011)
Another STEAM program in place at Georgia Institute of Technology, funded by the NSF Creative IT program, is researching disparity between learning in engineering structures and creative learning aspects to better understand and foster an innovative economy. Fantauzzacoffin, Rogers, & Bolter (2012) utilize a mixture approach, evaluating three pairs of artisans and engineers who are creating similar innovations (p. 2). This study categorizes patterns into two separate areas: teleological and stochastic. Teleological is quantitative in nature with

defined goals, requirements and problem solving strategies. Engineering is traditionally taught with this approach.
The end result is clearly definable, with little attention paid to creative elements. Stochastic, a more flexible approach, gives students many parameters with the end result not as clearly defined. Constraints or requirements are usually hidden and allow for a more global and creative outcome. Failures during problem solving can increase student motivation, which the study found was critical to successful outcomes. Failure is expected. As a result, students who participated in the stochastic approach seemed to have more frustration. High and low points were found to be associated with the stochastic approach. The paper also looked at integrating engineering and art courses , where students utilized both strategies. The study introduced the art component to an undergraduate engineering course during the spring of 2012. Research in integrated courses utilized students enrolled in secondary or beginning post secondary courses. Project based learning was emphasized. Students were allowed a variety of choices to foster an innovative and creative conceptual design. Students’ showcased production results , which was a student led learning process. The course assessment centered on student reflections.
Among the positive reflections were that students were forced to imagine new ideas and critically think. Some students felt most frustration from peer reviews (Fantauzzacoffin et al., p. 1-4, 2012).
Why include the art component in STEM? ( Hoachlander and Yanofsky, 2011) point out that traditionally
STEM “tends to function in isolation from other core subjects ” (p. 2). STEM can build connections to how science, technology, engineering, and math are used to offer hands on approaches to solving real world problems.
Integrating STEM into all content areas will give students more exposure to technology and engineering components, which is often lacking when STEM is provided as an isolated course or pathway option.
Hoachlander and Yanofsky (2011) stress the importance of strong integration approaches, clustered career pathways , ; project based learning approaches, and robust work learning experiences (p. 3-6). Collaboration between professionals, schools, and industry is needed to build a coherent STEM integrated curriculum along with career pathways. LinkedLearning, a California STEM pathway certification program, prepares students to develop career interests early on. Hoachlander and Yanofsky (2011) insist, “STEM might have more STEAM if it actually paid attention to the arts, acknowledge the importance of creativity and design in STEM-related fields” (p. 2-6).
Tech and Learning recently compiled a listing of other recent examples of STEM integration programs.
One benefit of integrating STEM into core areas is it allows classrooms to actively ask questions, collaborate, research, imagine, create, and evaluate. A STEM academy secondary program at Kenwood High School in

STEAM FOR STUDENT ENGAGEMENT 5
Tennessee, using Race to the Top funding, is attempting to integrate STEM into all core courses. Current results of this program include increased attendance, high levels of student engagement, and higher academic performance on standardized tests (Careless, p. 36, 2011). The state of Florida’s Girls Get It and Voice program, a nationally and state sponsored grant program, is attempting to target low income, minority and impoverished girls living in rural environments opportunities to connect journalism and IT to STEM. The after school program provides hands on experiences to expose participants to career opportunities and STEM professionals. Careless (2011) shares that the program is meeting a “21 percent increase in participants who have declared a science career pathway , a 45 percent increase in the number who will graduate with a degree in science, and a 39 percent increase in the number who want to make a significant scientific contribution in their careers ” (p. 38).
”
Another program highlighted in Chile brings an international perspective to STEM integration. The
Colegio Colonial de Piraque is a rural school providing 1-12 grade students STEM extended learning experiences.
Students and teachers work together to build a community of learning , using robotics programs to build an automatic watering system for the school and establishing the first “green” school in Chile (Careless, p. 36-37,
2011).
Zollman ( 2011) recommends that STEM literacy go “beyond processes or learning to know and learning to do to include learning to live together and learning to be” (p. 15). In order to truly develop STEM literacy, STEM areas must not be regarded as an isolated subject. In addition, it is essential to develop STEM programs that foster interest, self esteem, and confidence so that students learn how to manage technologies to produce solutions effectively (Zollman, p. 15, 2011).
Curriculum improvement is not enough. Quality professional development is key to foster K12 STEM programs. Rockland, Bloom, Carpinelli, Burr-Alexander, Hirsch, and Kimmel (2008) identify the following practices for fostering effective PD to include “engaging teachers in practicing concrete tasks related to teaching, assessment, observation, inquiry, experiences, collaboration, exchange of ideas and practices, modeling, coaching, and problem solving” (Rockland et al., p. 55, 2008).
Dublin ISD STEAM Camp Summer 2012
The excitement produced with STEAM can foster creative thinking, engagement, and lifelong learning.
STEAM is catching on in a small town in Texas. Dublin ISD, a rural, low income, bilingual, and low performing

school , was awarded TEA’s Connection grant in the fall of 2010. The district is attempting to leverage technology to build a learning community on par with 21 st century skill sets. Dublin ISD is attempting to utilize a 1:1 iPod, iPad, and MacBook K12 program to give students extended learning opportunities. In May 2012, the Texas
Education Agency awarded a grant extension to integrate STEAM into existing curriculum , with the implementation of a STEAM camp. Due to the TEA Connection grant, the Dublin Economic Development board is funding wifi to build an offsite curriculum center in the town’s five community museums.
During the spring of 2012, Dublin ISD implemented the MMS Challenge curriculum, created by Sandra
Wozniak, Tom Chambers, and myself, to introduce the idea of STEAM as a means of conducting scientific research on NASA’s upcoming Magnetospheric MultiScale (MMS) 2014 mission. The project was a collaborative effort by the International Society of Technology Education (ISTE) and NASA to promote enthusiasm for STEM careers and to promote the upcoming space mission. Students participated in a joint digital art component where Mr.
Chamber ’ s ’ charter school students visiting from Houston’s Raul Yzaguirre School for Success , mentored 5-8 th grade students on how to create digital art from scientific research using imaging software. Students also hosted an international NASA summit on April 14, 2012 to collaborate and consider why the mission is of high importance.
In addition, students interviewed Laurence Gartel, the “Father of Digital Art,” to learn about career outlets in the field of digital art. Digital art , created at this event , was showcased in Dublin and at ISTE12 in San Diego. The event presented the possibilities of engaging students using STEAM approaches. It was decided shortly after the
NASA summit to implement a summer STEAM camp to stimulate interest and engage students in topics of
STEAM.
Teachers interested in STEAM received professional development in May 2012 on the best integration
STEAM approaches using WeDo and NXT robotic systems. In addition, K12 teachers , from a variety of content areas , participated in the MMS Challenge professional development, which included hands on approaches to research on NASA’s upcoming space mission. Attendees modeled student-learning experiences to include collaboration, problem solving, research, investigation, creation, and publishing of content. Teachers participating in professional development reported how they planned to use the experience in their regular classroom to build and strengthen academic vocabulary, foster critical thinking, and give students creative outlets to contribute or share learning experiences through video reflections, journaling, or publishing of content. Students interested in STEAM camp submitted an essay and recommendation letter as part of an application process. A team of four teachers

STEAM FOR STUDENT ENGAGEMENT 7 selected 43 applicants to participate in STEAM camp. The competition for these slots became fierce. Eighteen K12 teachers , across disciplines decided to contribute to STEAM camp and received additional daily professional development.
Top professionals in the field of STEAM were brought in every day for interviews and to answer questions.
Industry experts, engineers, artists, scientists, professors, and an astronaut shared real world experiences and examples of career opportunities available in the field of STEAM. Students actively researched, produced artistic reflections, built structures, conducted hands on science experiments, and created a variety of multimedia videos on
STEAM content related to space weather and NASA’s MMS 2014 mission. As part of an extended learning experience, students and teachers visited NASA’s Johnson Space Center facilities and recorded their learning experiences with iPads and iPods while on site. During STEAM camp, both teachers and students reflected on learning experiences each day. All students planned, built, programmed, and modified both WeDo and NXT robots in groups of two. Students applied art, mathematics, engineering, journaling, basic programming, technology and science both at camp and at home. Students were challenged to build a space lounge exhibition in crews to showcase their learning experiences to the community. A local university astronomy program brought a highpowered telescope to the community showcase. Students, in crews, taught the public at large about the benefits of
STEAM. Students included science experiments, some of which were created at home. One student built an electromagnet, while another student brought in a t-shirt from home that explains why STEAM is important.
Parents, grandparents, school board members, and industry were eager to see the NXT and WeDo robotic systems created by students. All participants were able to catch a view of the sun with a high-powered telescope as they left the community showcase.
Reflections from STEAM camp experience underscore how engaging such programs can be for both students and teachers. One of the biggest benefits from this experience was communication across campuses.
Teachers from multiple campuses were able to connect and share with each other, which will greatly impact the district in the coming year. Teachers now understand how true systemic communication greatly benefits a district.
One teacher commented that this experience was “a real eye opener for me.” Another teacher stated, “it helped me realize the connection between science and reading.” As members of the community were leaving, one student unofficially demonstrated to friends how to create a “rocket” from a film canister and launch it using Alka Seltzer.
Another student received a telescope for his birthday because he had decided to become an astronomer after

participating in STEAM camp. The kids and teachers experienced high levels of engagement. STEAM camp was professional development for the entire community.
Discussion
Many members of Dublin’s rural community are now talking about the sun, Earth’s magnetosphere, and solar storms. The level of participation was greater than expected and spanned across socio-economic bounds. The excitement produced last month as a result of this camp will greatly influence classrooms next fall.
Including the creative components creates excitement and highly engages students. Dublin’s STEAM demonstrates that STEAM can motivate students to become interested and excited about science and math .
, The feedback received from student surveys was overwhelmingly positive , despite long standing biases and fears of science and math. Excitement is a great start, but critical evaluation of art is subjective. Peer reviews offer a good viable solution to address assessment issues. As noted in the study conducted at Georgia Tech, students commented that engineering problems were very “frustrating. However, frustrations motivated students to move past roadblocks in the design process and to reimagine new ideas” (Fantauzzacoffin et al., 2012). Peer reviews can also be
“polarizing” but forces students to think critically to promote the academic value as determined by the class
(Fantauzzacoffin et al., 2012). Robotics can teach students how to continue problem solving until measurable results are clearly obtained. Engineering principles are often left out of regular mathematics courses, and students are left with questions. Many may ask , why is this important to know? How can I use this in the real world?
Integrating STEAM scenarios into all core curriculums can provide answers to such questions. Motivation, as a result, is increased. It will be interesting to monitor Dublin ISD STEAM camp participants in the coming year.
Changing the perception of STEM literacy will not be an easy process. Many educators may not know what this looks like and often-professional development is not modeled during training. STEM literacy is an evolving process that will require integrating STEAM objectives into content areas to push students to use STEM literacy for self–initiated learning and discovery (Zollman, 2011). Professional development, global collaboration, instructional support, sustainability funding, and leadership must be emphasized as stakeholders continue to seek academic improvements and interests in the industries of STEM. It was interesting to read about the artistic and creative abilities of some of our most famous heroes in the sciences. Albert Einstein, Leonardo Da Vinci, and Steve

STEAM FOR STUDENT ENGAGEMENT
Jobs all derived new scientific innovations and ideas from rich histories founded in artistic backgrounds (Robelen,
2011).
Conclusion
The unleashing of creative programs , such as STEAM camp will aid in implementing STEM integration efforts. Leaders in education, industry, and government recognize the importance of maintaining competitive edges as the nation further integrates with the global economy. Creating a revival in science, technology, mathematics and engineering is the goal of this movement. Creating excitement through art is an integral part to give this goal momentum.
Integration programs centered on STEAM can also bring communities together that are seeking to revitalize local economies and to attract global markets. It is time to reshape standardized public education efforts and engage students to become contributors to the global scientific community. Community showcases, museum partnerships, and virtual extended learning platforms offer classrooms a variety of opportunities to become publishers or generators of new ideas and content. Increased student engagement, self-confidence, esteem, empowerment, and personal discovery can lead low-income students to new opportunities and career pathways.
Students truly enjoy the challenge of robotics, the arts, and skill sets applied during such exercises will further the goals of science and industry.
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