STEAM educational model

He STEM educational model aims for the student to be the protagonist of his own learning through an approach competitive, innovative and interdisciplinary. Its acronym comes from the acronym in English of four disciplines: science, technology, engineering and mathematics. This proposal requires the use of learning tools such as the development of projects, laboratory practices and the use of technological tools.

This methodology was born in the mid-1990s thanks to the National Science Foundation (NSF), in the USA. The main objective was to develop a model that promotes student autonomy by providing them with tools for problem resolution. Likewise, it is inspired by the collaborative work that characterizes science and engineering.

There STEM methodology seeks to develop the student interest in science and their ability to solve problems. The objective is to use the knowledge of science, and its various disciplines, in the understanding of the real world. Currently, we see it in the use of new technologies in virtual reality or robotics.

Around 2011, South Korea incorporated arts (“A”) into this approach, becoming TO SMOKE. They felt it necessary to add the creative thinking to real situations like art. Thanks to this proposal, they managed to mix the logical thinking with creativity, that’s why today we talk about STEAM and not just STEM.

From this model, art is not just about drawing or painting in a studio, but about discovering, creating, integrating and presenting information. This is how this discipline integrates with others by offering a creative, collaborative and critical approachkey principles in research processes and, therefore, in the search for answers and learning.

In this sense, STEAM promotes the integration and development of Science subjectstechnical and artistic within the same interdisciplinary framework (Yackman, 2008). Likewise, its objective is to develop areas of knowledge and skills suitable for the digital revolution so that society is prepared for the future and meets labor needs that do not yet exist.

Through TO SMOKEboth the teacher and the educational institution represent a openness to innovationin one ecosystem of mutual exchange of ideas and collaborative for the creation of a digital educational environment in which creative learning strategies can be included (Jho, Hong & Song, 2016).

It should be noted that among the main advantages of TO SMOKE we can see that: it promotes learning; develops the ability to solve problems creatively; integrates learning through ICT; encourages teamwork; and enhances long-term learning of learned concepts (Igniteonline.la, 2020). Likewise, among its main features we find that:

– It’s interdisciplinarymeans that it brings together various disciplines such as scientific knowledge, technology, engineering, art and mathematics.

– Has a holistic approach to learningable to influence the way knowledge is constructed, with the aim of solving problems with a global and comprehensive perspective.

– It is strongly oriented towards learning through digital and technological skillsconsidered as the fundamental basis of a modern labor and socio-cultural panorama.

– Art contributes to creativity which involves the development of critical thinking applicable to any situation or problem.

On the other hand, among the particularities of this approach we find:

– Training based on the practice of acquired knowledge.

– Participation of expert teachers in the subjects to develop educational projects which implies good communication between the teacher and the student.

– Management of resources such as the Internet and technological devices.

The truth is that at present, various universities, institutes and innovative companies in Latin America, they hire talent that fits the STEAM profile. For exampleresearchers in artificial intelligence, mobile application developers and designers of augmented and virtual reality content. In our country, the National Council for Science, Technology and Technological Innovation (Concytec) promotes the development of STEAM methodology through various initiatives and projects:

1. Observatory of STEM initiatives for basic education (http://stem.concytec.gob.pe/). Here you will find Khan Academy, Cisco Education, Code, Intel Education, and Google for Education, as well as projects developed at colleges and universities.

2. science and technology clubs (http://clubescyt.concytec.gob.pe/). There are initiatives that students, teachers and researchers carry out through joint projects and works, using STEAM.

Moreover, the Ministry of Education of Peru (Minedu) promotes various STEAM virtual classes and educational technologies for their teachers at the national level, such as the teacher training program for the development of skills within the framework of the methodologies STEAM 2022 ().

In June of this year, the Institute SUPPORT organized on for STEAM + H, a term that adheres to the traditional model of the discipline of humanities. In this sense, the UNESCO stresses that the humanities are necessary to cultivate transformative, innovative and creative skills in order to progress towards sustainable development to achieve the 2030 agenda. Through this proposal, skills are forged in students to make them autonomous citizens who wish solve the problems that affect their society.