Science. Technology. Engineering. Arts. Mathematics. These are the disciplines encompassed in STEAM education.
But you’re not alone if you wonder, "How is STEAM different from STEM?” You might also wonder how the integration of the arts makes a meaningful contribution to science education.
This blog post will clear your doubts about STEAM and highlight its significance in shaping the future of education and the workforce.
Let’s do some exploring.
What does STEAM stand for in education?
STEAM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics. In 2012, the United States National Research Council proposed STEAM as a new method of teaching K-12 science classes. This shift recognized the value of incorporating arts into STEM education.
Why was it important to integrate arts into STEM?
Well, research suggests that the arts help to enhance critical thinking, problem-solving, and communication skills. They help students to foster divergent thinking (generally seen as a fundamental component of creativity) and encourage students to approach challenges from multiple perspectives.
In fact, a 2016 study found that students exposed to STEAM lessons showed greater improvement on physical science benchmark assessments compared to those in STEM-only programs.
Another study from 2014 revealed that integrating STEAM and literacy enhances cognitive development, increases literacy and math skills, and helps students meaningfully reflect on their work and that of their peers.
Does that mean a STEAM education is more valuable than a STEM education? To answer, let’s explore the differences.
What is STEM?
STEM, as you may know, stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics. It's an interdisciplinary approach to learning that integrates these disciplines to solve real-world problems. (For a full guide to STEM education, check out that link.)
What’s the goal of a STEM education? It’s not just about memorizing facts or formulas. It’s about learning to think critically, solve complex problems, and innovate using knowledge from multiple fields.
For example, in a STEM physics class, you might learn about the principles of motion by designing and constructing a roller coaster to demonstrate concepts like velocity, acceleration, and energy transfer.
If you’d like to explore further, you can check out this guide to STEM majors.
What is STEAM?
STEAM, as we mentioned above, stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics. It takes the traditional STEM subjects and adds an extra element: the arts.
What’s the goal of a STEAM education? It’s about exploring scientific principles, technological concepts, engineering design, and mathematical theories while also engaging in creative ways to express technical concepts.
For example, you might learn about the water cycle in a STEAM lesson. However, instead of just reading about it or watching an educational video, you might create a multimedia art project that visually represents the stages of the water cycle.
What’s the difference between STEAM and STEM?
The primary difference between STEAM and STEM lies in the inclusion of the arts. This addition transforms STEM into a more interdisciplinary approach to education, integrating artistic concepts and practices into traditional STEM subjects.
| STEM | STEAM | |
|---|---|---|
| Subjects | Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics | Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, Mathematics |
| Focus | Emphasis on scientific inquiry, experimentation, and problem-solving within STEM disciplines | Integrates artistic concepts and practices into STEM learning |
| Approach | Analytical and technical | Interdisciplinary and creative |
| Example Activity | Building a roller coaster to demonstrate physics concepts | Creating a multimedia art project depicting the water cycle |
While both STEM and STEAM aim to cultivate critical thinking, problem-solving, and innovation, STEAM takes a more holistic approach.
Consider the example activities of STEM and STEAM lessons to understand the contrast between the two approaches.
The STEM activity—building a roller coaster to demonstrate physics concepts—emphasizes scientific inquiry, experimentation, and problem-solving to learn about the principles of motion.
In the STEAM example–creating a multimedia art project depicting the water cycle–students learn about scientific principles and explore creative ways to engage with and present the subject matter.
Is STEAM education important?
Yes, STEAM education is incredibly important in today's world. By integrating arts into STEM learning, STEAM better prepares students to tackle complex challenges and drive innovation.
Consider the issue of climate change. Addressing this global challenge requires more than just scientific and technical solutions. It also demands creative thinking, collaboration, communication, negotiation, innovation, and many other “soft” skills.
So, in a STEAM classroom, you would learn about more than just the science behind climate change. You might also explore aspects of environmental awareness and advocacy.
For example, you might design sustainable architecture models or develop multimedia presentations to communicate climate science to a broader audience.
This interdisciplinary approach is necessary to thrive in the future of work, where creativity, critical thinking, innovation, problem-solving, and other soft skills will be increasingly valuable.
How does STEAM influence career paths?
By combining STEM disciplines with the arts, STEAM education prepares you for workplaces where creativity, critical thinking, and adaptability are valued traits across industries.
Those qualities are already valued now, but their value is only going to increase in the future. Why?
Experts predict rapidly evolving technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) will eliminate millions of career paths and create new ones that we may not even be able to imagine yet.
So, the challenge for the future workforce won't be mastering technical skills alone. It will be navigating complex, ever-changing environments, devising innovative solutions to new problems, and effectively collaborating with others across disciplines.
Incorporating arts into STEM helps students develop both the creative capacity and the essential soft skills to face those challenges head-on. STEAM ensures those students can thrive in dynamic workplaces and contribute meaningfully to innovation and progress.
For example, here’s what a Senior Sales Manager at Microsoft recently said when asked about the importance of STEAM:
“With the development of AI technologies, it is expected that in the coming years, a significant part of the professions related to tracking and collecting data, reporting, and other repetitive tasks will be fully automated. However, there are some soft skills that a computer cannot reproduce. Such are teamwork, creativity, quick adaptation to changes in the environment, and others. It is these skills that STEAM education develops, especially at a young age.”
In other words, STEAM influences career paths by empowering you to develop a unique blend of technical expertise and essential soft skills.
And that combination of skill sets will be increasingly valuable in a future job market dominated by automation, AI, and other emerging technologies.
Key takeaway on STEAM
By integrating arts into STEM disciplines, a STEAM education offers a dynamic approach to learning that prepares students for the challenges and opportunities of the future.
Are you considering a STEAM subject as a potential college major? If so, you may first want to check out How to Choose a College Major to make sure it’s the right path for you.
Special thaks to Ameer Drane for writing this blog post
Ameer is a freelance writer who specializes in writing about college admissions and career development. Prior to freelancing, Ameer worked for three years as a college admissions consultant at a Hong Kong-based education center, helping local high school students prepare and apply for top colleges and universities in the US. He has a B.A. in Latin American Studies from the University of Chicago and an M.A. in Spanish Linguistics from UCLA. When he’s not working, Ameer loves traveling, weight lifting, writing, reading, and learning foreign languages. He currently lives in Bangkok, Thailand.
Top values: Growth / Diversity / Empathy
