One relatively recent attempt to connect arts and sciences in the context of STEM education is simply inserting an “A” in the acronym. The impetus behind STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art, and math) is prompting an exploration of how adding creativity and design to STEM education can foster innovation.
As a concept in education, STEAM has been around for about 15 years. As with any educational idea that has gained traction, there are many different projects under its umbrella, including the Indigenous STEAM Collaborative. Current interpretations of how to effectively incorporate art into STEM education are building on past artistic practices that were very much a part of many sciences.
In fields such as biology, drawing has long been integral to training and professional practice. Observing and diagraming cells is still a staple of pre-college lessons. From schematics to symbol logic to photography, many sciences rely on visual modes of communication and problemsolving. The focus of many STEAM projects, however, is recognizing the visual arts and other art forms as more than simply a means of communicating scientific concepts.
One goal of STEAM is for the art to add something novel to the science. In essence, the art is not merely aesthetic but is in conversation with the underlying STEM concepts. The Indigenous STEAM Collaborative created activity cards to help families and educators engage youth in learning about their local environment. The “Plants Everywhere” cards are presented using a rounded card design with different colors to represent the four seasons, pictures, and first-person narration explaining what each plantbeing experiences during that season. The English name for each plant, such as “grapevine,” is accompanied by the Western scientific name (Vitis riparia) and several other names as they appear in Indigenous languages (kiisiipitoonisinki, assande-pakwe, ᎤᏂᏖᎸᎳᏗ, sominahtik). The names are listed in different orders on each card, which pushes against any sense of hierarchy and encourages the learner to consider the many relationships that people have to this unique plant. The first-person narration urges learners to think about their own relationship — a valuable consideration for younger students, but also a useful practice for working scientists.
Artistically creative projects can encourage students as well as professionals to explore STEM fields or scientific concepts in more depth. Even performance arts can be an asset for scientists looking to develop stronger communication and presentation skills. After all, innovation requires risk taking, and learning how to fail in a healthy way is a huge focus of activities such as improvisational theater.
One reason STEAM efforts have resonated is the recognition that local communities, Indigenous nations, and entire countries face complex and challenging problems. Adding the unique perspectives and skills of the arts to the mix is seen as a multifaceted strategy for strengthening the sciences to secure a more positive and sustainable future. Increasing innovation and creativity will also propel emerging fields such as artificial intelligence, which requires both visual thinking and a strong STEM foundation.
To access and use creativity effectively, scientists need a foundation of “practical skills with problemsolving, combined with broader knowledge.”
—AL Q
Creativity has long been essential to the scientific method. AISES co-founder J.C. Elliott High Eagle, Osage and Cherokee, started his career as a physicist with NASA and then successfully pursued a career in music and writing. He writes that for scientists “creative thinking is one of the most important skills to possess — whether that creativity is used to come up with an alternative theory, devise a new way of testing an idea, or look at old data in a new light.” But is “creativity” something that professionals in a field can learn?
For scientists “creative thinking is one of the most important skills to possess.”
—J.C. ELLIOTT HIGH EAGLE
Co-founder Al Qöyawayma (“Al Q”), a noted Hopi potter, sculptor, and mechanical engineer, has worked in many different professional arenas. He recalls a time when recruiters for major science and engineering companies would focus on schools that had farms nearby because, in their experience, people who grew up on a farm learned to solve diverse problems early. To access and use creativity effectively, says Al Q, scientists need a foundation of “practical skills with problem-solving, combined with broader knowledge.”
For professional scientists, venturing beyond their well-practiced working habits is a way to begin cultivating creativity. Scientists already have “broader knowledge” and through art may explore and develop new, practical problem-solving skills. For those feeling siloed in their discipline or “stuck” on a problem, exploring an artistic area can be a way to envision a fresh perspective.
One important aspect of creative projects focused on science is making STEM concepts more interesting and accessible. This kind of engagement is especially important for prospective students who are interested in STEM but believe that a career in science simply isn’t for them. Art has the potential to help individual students and professionals learn vital new skills, develop new beliefs about their capabilities, and even offer new avenues for scientific exploration. As High Eagle sees it, both art and science are attempts to understand and describe the world. They may have differing ways of conveying that information, he says, but “the motivations and goals of both are fundamentally the same.”
Individuals, organizations, and scientific fields of study have unique stories and values, whether they are conscious or not. And they lead to prioritizing specific ideas, concepts, and aims. Art — which so often involves novel thinking — can encourage a productive breaking of these patterns. According to Al Q, “creativity isn’t just a physical process, it’s also a philosophical process.” And this philosophical process has a lot to do with “exploration.” Art and science are not singular entities and when there is room and opportunities for cross-pollination, profound innovations are possible.