STEAM Education: The Integral Role of Arts in Aotearoa
STEM or STEAM?
The sneaky integration of A into the umbrella of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics has definitely made it into our vocabulary – and with that comes questioning. Why is Arts included in STEM now? Isn’t Art completely different than STEM? How does Art fit into these 21st century skills? These are valid questions. It’s a new shift towards recognising the aspects of the Arts that connect with areas of STEM, but in our indigenous cultures, in the Pacific, STEM has always been Art, Art has always been STEM. Blending tradition, mātauranga, and innovation, STEAM acknowledges that the arts play a pivotal role in understanding and applying knowledge.
When we think about art, what do we think of? Interpreting stories, sharing emotions, self-expression? For tangata whenua, for our Pacific cultures, it can be so much more than this. Telling narratives, passing on systems of knowledge, understanding societies, and acknowledging people, places, or things. It serves as a vessel of knowledge and wisdom passed down through generations. Traditional art forms, such as whakairo (carving), raranga (weaving), and tāmoko (traditional tattoo), are intertwined with cultural narratives, whakapapa, and te taiao. And most notably, art is not static- It evolves alongside te ao whānui, our world we live in, including science and technology.
Historically, we have been masters of utilising the natural resources and developing technologies needed to live and thrive, becoming innovators from the beginning. Crafting tools with precision, with a deep understanding of materials and their properties. The arts are not seperate from technology; rather they are essential parts of it. The intricate carvings on a waka or the weaving patterns of a tapa cloth show both artistic expression and technical expertise.
The integration of arts into STEM education, giving rise to STEAM, recognises the interconnected nature of all of these disciplines. The inclusion of arts into STEM learning aims to foster creativity, critical thinking, and a broader understanding of the world. For young learners, the inclusion of arts in STEM education offers variety and cultural identity to the learning experience. Through artistic expression, students can explore scientific concepts, experiment with technology, and into mathematical principles in ways that acknowledge different systems of learning, knowledge and being. The arts play a dual role: preserving cultural heritage and fostering innovation. Traditional art forms serve as a bridge between the past and the future, ensuring that kōrero tuku iho is not lost.
At the end of the day, the importance of arts in education extends far beyond creative expression, it is a vessel for cultural knowledge, a driving force behind technological innovation, and an integral part of a deeper understanding of te ao-mārama. As we at Science Alive embrace the STEAM approach, we acknowledge and celebrate the intertwined nature of arts with science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, recognising the interconnectedness all these domains of knowledge have on our young learners and the future of education.