Abstract

In an education context, the acronym STEM is used to describe the integration of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics in educational curricula. In the United States, emphasis has been placed on programs that stimulate these disciplines. The early focus of STEM was on a set of scientific-only disciplines. However, some very prominent scientists have long recognized the value of art and imagination in the process of generating scientific knowledge. In the STEAM paradigm, the arts (especially the visual arts) reinforce engineering. Although these two fields set out to make things for different reasons, they both apply many of the same techniques, strategies, and tools. The arts contribute to STEM education by exposing students to a different way of seeing the world. Students learn through different pedagogical modalities engaging their other interests. By applying the STEM disciplines, combined with real-world experience, students become more comfortable in both worlds.