For a very long time, our education system revolves around the STEM approach for teaching students. That means the only educational aspects were science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. But this system is now quite outdated. In the last few years, the education system adapts the STEAM approach to teach the students.
In this approach, the system gives attention to the creative aspects of learning, which is useful for jobs and careers. The innovative elements give merit to creative thinking in businesses like technology, innovation, teaching, and others. Even teachers need to upgrade their skills of teaching to utilize unique teaching methods. Now, let’s see why the STEAM approach is better than the STEM approach.
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STEM Approach
STEM is an educational approach that is used to learn and develop in the areas of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics. Science is everywhere, Technology is continuously growing, Engineering is the basis of every design, and Mathematics is in every profession.
By teaching students about the STEM, approach increases curiosity and passion for pursuing a job in a STEM field. It enhances the real-life learning skills of the students. This approach only focuses on theoretical knowledge. These activities provide hands and minds to lessons for the students. The STEM approach helps in developing the following skills of the students:
- Problem Solving Skills
- Critical Analysis Skills
- Work in a team
- Leadership skills
- Communication skills and independent thinking
- Initiative skills
Why is STEM important?
STEM is more than the class to finish; it includes the activity that shows the real-life implications and how they benefit our society. STEM is beneficial for students in the following ways:
- The skills developed by STEM helps in improving the foundation to achieve success in their life.
- STEM gives an individual a skill to adapt to the change in their life and surroundings.
- It is necessary to understand the basics of the environment and surroundings.
- STEM is the key to solving any problem creatively, seeking the truth, and exploring new things.
- STEM provides many careers and job opportunities to the children.
STEAM Approach
STEAM is also an educational approach that is used to learn and develop the areas of Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics. In the STEAM approach, art is an essential aspect of learning. STEAM inspires students to think broadly, and it is a hand-on approach. In the STEAM approach, students can make connections and can learn in different ways. STEAM helps students to develop their soft skills. This approach focuses on both theoretical and practical knowledge. It prepares students with better innovators, educators, learners, and leaders. The STEAM approach provides a powerful avenue for building the following skills:
- Critical Thinking Skills
- Creativity Skills
- Confidence
- Problem Solving Skills
- Collaborative Skills
Why is STEAM important?
After knowing about the STEAM approach, the question that comes in mind is, how is this beneficial? Following are some ways in which students can benefit from the STEAM approach:
- It exposes students to a creative process that helps students to think creatively and try out different ways of learning.
- Students learn to divide responsibilities, listen and encourage others, and discuss a way to problem-solving.
- It encourages teamwork and offers meaningful collaboration. Together, their knowledge and skills can be utilized and can give better outcomes to any problem.
- It encourages students to think systematically about the problems, apply the information they learn, and find better solutions.
- It provides more artistic mediums to solve any problem. The students can combine the familiar with unfamiliar and discover the world of creative innovations.
STEM vs. STEAM
STEAM is an extension to the STEM. It includes arts such as humanities, dance, music, language, new design, and drama. The STEAM is different from STEM in the following ways:
- The main difference is that STEM focuses on the scientific concepts and methods, but STEAM investigates the same idea through studying and learning the creative process.
- STEM misses several key components, which is crucial for the students to achieve success. These key components are included in the STEAM approach and thus make it a better approach to education.
- STEAM takes STEM to the next level. It forced students to connect their learning to critical areas, design principles, and practicing arts.
- STEM has some limitations in learning. STEAM alters these limitations with critique, inquiry, and innovation.
- It is fun to learn scientific concepts with arts, and it becomes more approachable. It contributes to developing the top skills reported to be in demand in 2020, i.e., problem-solving, critical thinking, and creativity.
STEM vs. STEAM has been a debate over the past few months. Those who are in favor of STEM, they argue that STEAM is not a practical approach and arts must be separated from science and technology. On the other hand, STEAM supporters say that the STEAM approach is quite reasonable because it fills in the gap between the studies of the core subject.
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