A Case for STEAM Education
By Natalie Larsen
Carnegie Mellon University
Fall 2022
Stem Vs. Steam
STEM
The STEM education model comprises science, technology, engineering, and mathematics subjects. It underscores the hard skills necessary to solve problems and adapt to the ever-changing demands of these fields.1
The focus of STEM is on its application to "real-world problems" and its promotion of "student achievement and preparation for global competitiveness."2
The "Arts"
"The arts" is a term inclusive of all types of artistic and creative expression, such as music, dance, visual art, theater, etc.3 Thus, "arts education" encompasses all educational programming related to any artistic discipline.
Arts education provides several benefits, including improved academic performance, increased cognition, and healthier mental and emotional well-being.4
STEM + A = STEAM
The STEAM education model has gained traction in the past several years. Building upon the traditional STEM model, an "A," representing the arts, is added. The addition of the arts enhances the STEM learning experience.5
Advocates for STEAM argue its necessity for providing students with the arts instruction that would round out their K-12 education. Many believe the arts should be considered as important as these other subjects; "the intersection of science, technology, engineering, arts and math" builds "habits of mind for life and work in the 21st century."6
Photo by Misael Moreno on Unsplash
Photo by Misael Moreno on Unsplash
Photo by laura adai on Unsplash
Photo by laura adai on Unsplash
Photo by Jem Sahagun on Unsplash
Photo by Jem Sahagun on Unsplash
what do the arts provide?
Countless studies have shown the many benefits of incorporating the arts into a K-12 educational curriculum.
Some of the arts' immeasurable impacts include supporting social and emotional development, building empathy, improving school engagement, and generating compassion for others.7
The arts have also largely been linked to greater academic performance in other subject areas and encourage overall higher motivation and engagement in learning.8
Studies have shown that students who receive arts-integrated instruction have a higher reading retention rate than students who receive conventional instruction.9
Students also have been shown to perform better in English classes when they exhibit high participation in the arts.10
The arts have been shown to encourage academic attendance, particularly in low income students.11
Current state of arts education in the U.S.
U.S. public schools have been hyper-focused on STEM education since the passing of the No Child Left Behind Act in 2001.11 This act required "states to administer standardized tests" and to "demonstrate that they make adequate yearly progress," which served as the basis of schools' federal funding.13
Because schools were strongarmed into focusing on tested subjects like math and reading, arts curricula were deemed "unimportant" and "secondary."14 In many public schools across the country, arts programs were significantly reduced or eliminated altogether.
Students are not receiving a well-rounded education.
Educators and advocates agree that the Act has failed to provide children with the high-quality education it purported to provide. By focusing heavily on standardized testing, arts classes suffer. Arts budgets in schools are constantly cut or eliminated. Students are encouraged to pursue STEM fields in college and are given little to no opportunity to explore any arts subjects.
50% of arts classes in public schools have been shortened.15
1.3 million students do not receive arts instruction.16
American students are being deprived of a well-rounded educational experience.
Why does this matter?
The Georgetown Center on Education and the Workforce projects that arts and STEM occupations are two of the fastest growing occupations of the past decade.17 A reported 91% of jobs in the arts and 94% of STEM jobs require a bachelor's degree.18
The U.S. Department of Labor predicts an 11% growth in STEM jobs between 2020-203019
But the heavy emphasis on standardized testing in schools leaves students entering STEM fields feeling unprepared for undergraduate studies.
4 out of 5 high school students decide to pursue a career in a STEM field before they graduate.20
However, only 1 out of 5 students say they feel prepared for the rigors of a STEM major in college.21
Employers value the ability to innovate unique solutions to problems more than ever. 93% of employers say that soft skills, such as creativity, emotional intelligence, and critical thinking are considered crucial when deciding who to hire.22
One of the most important skills sought is the ability to look at the world's problems from an empathetic, humanistic lens. The arts inherently provide this perspective.
Yet U.S. public schools are not prioritizing the very classes that teach these necessary ways of thinking.
the arts encourage stem participation
The arts encourage a more well-rounded education. Students who are highly engaged in the arts perform better academically than their peers with little to no engagement in the arts.
Studies show that 8th graders from low income backgrounds perform better in science and math if they are also highly involved in the arts25
American Public support for the arts in schools is high
Despite the lack of government support, the American public highly supports the integration of the arts into the public school curriculum.
Overall, Americans believe the arts belong in public schools.26
Additionally, arts educators have long advocated for the addition of the arts into the traditional STEM education model to counter the effects of the No Child Left Behind Act.
STEAM Education in Pennsylvania
In 2019, the Pennsylvania Department of Education added STEAM to its priorities for funding in its Consolidated State Plan, recognizing that is an important initiative toward improving digital literacy.27
In Allegheny county, there are multiple ways community members can further the advancement of STEAM education, both in and out of schools.
Parents: Involve your children in the arts however you can
There are many opportunities for after-school arts, crafts, music, theater, and dance lessons in the area. Kidsburgh offers information on arts programs and events.
Find out what your child's school's arts requirements are. If they seem to be lacking, reach out to the school board collectively and advocate for more arts offerings.
Teachers: Seek professional development in STEAM education
There are many resources for teachers who wish to become better equipped. One local source of training is the University of Pittsburgh's STEAM Certificate.
This website also contains plenty of information, which features many resources for teachers wishing to become more familiar with STEAM.
Artists: Find organizations to partner with for after-school arts programs
Several organizations in the area employ teaching artists, such as Assemble and MCG Youth. These artists provide arts instruction for students in after-school and supplemental arts programs. Seek out such opportunities and see how you can become involved.
Policymakers: Support the Arts Education for All Act
This bill would support more extensive arts education research, professional development for educators, and partnerships to increase arts education and development in afterschool programs.28
For further information on arts advocacy efforts in the Greater Pittsburgh region, visit the Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council.
Photo by Nick Fewings on Unsplash
Photo by Nick Fewings on Unsplash
Sources Used:
1. "Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math, including Computer Science," U.S. Department of Education, accessed October 5, 2022, https://www.ed.gov/stem.
2. Mary Dell’Erba, “Preparing Students for Learning, Work and Life Through STEAM Education,” Arts Education Partnership, September 2019, https://www.ecs.org/wp-content/uploads/Preparing-Students-for-Learning-Work-and-Life-through-STEAM-Education.pdf.
3. "the arts," Encyclopaedia Britannica, accessed October 5, 2022, https://www.britannica.com/topic/the-arts.
4. “Art for Life’s Sake: The Case for Arts Education,” American Academy of Arts & Sciences, 2021, https://www.amacad.org/publication/case-for-arts-education.
5. Mary Dell’Erba, “Preparing Students for Learning, Work and Life Through STEAM Education,” Arts Education Partnership, September 2019.
6. Ibid.
7. “Art for Life’s Sake: The Case for Arts Education,” American Academy of Arts & Sciences, 2021.
8. Ibid.
9. Mariale Hardiman, Luke Rinne and Julia Yarmolinskaya, “The Effects of Arts Integration on Long-Term Retention of Content and Student Engagement,” Mind, Brain and Education 8, no. 3 (2014): 144-148.
10. Serin Ngai, "Painting Over the Arts: How the No Child Left Behind Act Fails to Provide Children with a High-Quality Education," Seattle Journal for Social Justice Volume 4, Issue 2 (2006): 683.
11. "Arts Education Navigator," Americans for the Arts, accessed September 23, 2022, https://www.americansforthearts.org/by-program/networks-and-councils/arts-education-network/tools-resources/getting-started.
12. Serin Ngai, "Painting Over the Arts: How the No Child Left Behind Act Fails to Provide Children with a High-Quality Education," Seattle Journal for Social Justice Volume 4, Issue 2 (2006): 683.
13. Ibid.
14. Ibid.
15. Brian Kisida and Angela LaPorte, “Art for Life’s Sake: The Case for Arts Education,” American Academy for Arts & Sciences, 2021, https://www.amacad.org/sites/default/files/publication/downloads/2021-Art-for-Lifes-Sake.pdf.
16. “Arts Education Navigator, Facts & Figures,” Americans for the Arts, accessed October 5, 2022, https://www.americansforthearts.org/by-program/networks-and-councils/arts-education-network/tools-resources/arts-ed-navigator/facts-figures.
17. Mary Dell’Erba, “Preparing Students for Learning, Work and Life Through STEAM Education,” Arts Education Partnership, September 2019.
18. Ibid.
19. "Research and Policy Implications of STEAM Education for Young Students," Education Commission of the States, April 20, 2022, https://www.ecs.org/research-and-policy-implications-of-steam-education-for-young-students/.
20. Joseph Lathan, PhD, "Why STEAM is so Important to 21st Century Education," University of San Diego Online, accessed September 25, 2022, https://onlinedegrees.sandiego.edu/steam-education-in-schools/.
21. Ibid.
22. “Hard Facts About Soft Skills: An actionable review of employer perspectives, expectations and recommendations,” Wonderlic, 2016, http://docs.wixstatic.com/ugd/cceaf9_ec9ed750296142f18efdd49f4930f6d3.pdf.
23. Brigid O'Rourke, "Growing gap in STEM supply and demand," The Harvard Gazette, November 18, 2021, https://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2021/11/increasing-access-and-opportunity-in-stem-crucial-say-experts/.
24. Ibid
25. James S. Catterall, Susan A. Dumais, and Gillian Hampden-Thompson, "The Arts and Achievement in At-Risk Youth: Findings from Four Longitudinal Studies," National Endowment for the Arts, March 2012, https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED530822.pdf.
26. "Americans Speak Out About the Arts in 2018: An In-Depth Look at Perceptions and Attitudes About the Arts in America," Americans for the Arts, accessed September 23, 2022, https://www.americansforthearts.org/sites/default/files/Public%20Opinion%20National%202018%20Report.pdf.
27. “Every Student Succeeds Act, Pennsylvania Consolidated State Plan,” Pennsylvania Department of Education, May 31, 2019, https://www2.ed.gov/admins/lead/account/stateplan17/paconsolidatedstateplanfinal.pdf.
28. “Arts Education for All Act,” National Arts Education Association, November 18, 2021, https://www.arteducators.org/advocacy-policy/articles/832-arts-education-for-all-act.
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