STEAM, Maker Education, and Universal Design for Learning (UDL)
Preparation for Discussion: What role will technology and media arts play in future K-12 classrooms?
STEAM: Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, Mathematics
An educational approach to learning that uses Science, Technology, Engineering, the Arts and Mathematics as access points for guiding student inquiry, dialogue, and critical thinking.
STEAM came out of the educational establishment and was originally STEM but added art, design, architecture
The Maker Movement or Maker Education
An approach to problem-based and project-based learning that relies upon hands-on, often collaborative, learning experiences as a method for solving authentic problems.
Closely associated with the STEM initiative
The Maker Movement came out of the industry and higher education: engineering, math, and science starting with Maker Faires.
These two concepts, STEAM and Maker Education are now converging in many school learning environments including STEAM labs and Maker Spaces. Both approaches use project-based learning strategies, focus on inquiry with students seeking answers to a “driving” essential question, use a design thinking process to solve problems and find solutions, produce or create a final product to share with the public, and reflect on the creative design process. Read through the Edutopia article at: https://www.edutopia.org/practice/steam-project-based-learning-real-solutions-driving-questions and watch the video.
Watch Video
STEAM + Project-Based Learning: Real Solutions From Driving Questions
User: n/a – Added: 1/26/16
YouTube URL: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H7LHsL0iB_w
Background: In “Maker Education: The STEAM Playground,” (2016), Opperman provides some background into these two creative education movements that are gaining popularity in the schools. Opperman states: “While traditional instruction focuses on filling students’ mind banks with content knowledge, maker-centered learning is oriented around the learner’s context. Because it allows the learner to actualize his or her own ideas, maker education is a framework for learning that can be applied to any subject area. When it comes to STEAM and beyond, maker education utilizes authentic materials and equipment as a vehicle for learning the how of a concept, including the process, the socio-emotional component, and the application of 21st century skills such as problem solving, collaborating, and persisting. Bringing content alive by situating it in a meaningful context for students is what makes it possible for them to engage with content on their own terms, becoming makers who produce their own knowledge and experience in classrooms, or maker spaces.” (2016)
“Maker education is being increasingly integrated into classrooms of all grade levels. It’s an approach that draws upon philosophies and pedagogies of the past (constructivism, constructionism, inquiry, hands-on, and project-based learning) and integrates methods from the present (design thinking, effectuation). It reimagines a progressive approach to learning through modern affordances. It democratizes the tools of creativity and empowers the learner. It develops a maker mindset that that has been described as “playful, asset- and growth-minded, failure positive, and collaborative” (Martin, 2015).
(http://scholarship.claremont.edu/steam/vol2/iss2/4/)
Discussion Prompt: Select ONE to review by Wednesday night: A. STEAM or B. Maker Education
In addition, you will need to respond to TWO other students by Sunday, midnight. Read and reply to at least ONE student’s response to the Part A (STEAM or Maker Education) that you did not address in your own main response.
Choose either A. STEAM or B. Maker Education
A. STEAM: Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Mathematics
Read through the Education Closet STEAM readings in the week 8 assignment/readings folder.
What is STEAM? – https://educationcloset.com/steam/what-is-steam/
How to STEAM: https://educationcloset.com/steam/how-to-steam/
STEAM Examples – https://educationcloset.com/steam-education/
STEAM Lessons – https://educationcloset.com/steam/lessons/
Summarize the content and provide 3-4 key points that you feel are significant about STEAM education. What do you see as the value of STEAM from your readings? Describe the design thinking process used in STEAM. What is the role of the teacher? What is the role of the student?
Select at least one of the videos in the the week 8 STEAM video folder under week 8 assignments. View the video and summarize key STEAM ideas, concepts, and strategies. Please do not duplicate videos others have reviewed. What big picture ideas and essential questions that drive the project? What are the students curious about in this video? What steps did students go through in the STEAM “design thinking process?” What is the final product? What did students produce or make? What types of media and/or technology did students use at the various stages of their design process? What are the strengths and the weaknesses of this type of STEAM project-based learning?
Please do not duplicate videos others have reviewed.
B. Maker Education
Read through the Youth Makerspace Playbook – http://makered.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Youth-Makerspace-Playbook_FINAL.pdf
Summarize the content and provide 3-4 key points that you feel are significant about Maker Education. What do you see as the value of the Maker Movement from your readings? Describe the design thinking process used in a Maker Space. What is the role of the teacher? What is the role of the student?
Select at least one of the videos in the the week 8 Maker Educator video folder under week 8 assignments. View the video and summarize key Maker Movement key ideas, concepts, and strategies. What big picture ideas and essential questions drive the project? What are students curious about in this video? What steps did students go through in the Maker Movement “design thinking process?” What is the final product? What did students produce or make? What types of media and/or technology did students use at the various stages of their design process? What are the strengths and the weaknesses of this type of Maker Space project-based learning?
Please do not duplicate videos others have reviewed.
User Generated Education – Design Thinking Process and UDL
In what ways does the design thinking process help you the teacher meet the needs of diverse learners and satisfy the principles of Universal Design for Learning (UDL)?
Read through the article “User Generated Education – Design Thinking Process and UDL Planning Tool for STEM, STEAM, Maker Education – http://barbarabray.net/2017/06/08/design-thinking-process-and-udl-planning-tool/. (Also included in the week 8 readings folder).
Multiple Means of Engagement (Why) is the affective network that explains how interest and purpose engages and motivates learners to want to learn.
Multiple Means of Representation (What) is the recognition network how content is represented and how learners process information.
Multiple Means of Action and Expression (How) is the strategic network involving how learners monitor progress and demonstrate and reflect evidence of learning.
