The arts are something that is becoming more accepted within the STEM Community, so much so that some organizations may refer to it as STEAM. As explained best by EDUTopia, STEM isn’t supposed to lock students into one category, it’s intended to blend all the subjects and create connections with them all to enforce critical skills. Something essential for any student looking to get involved with STEM is creativity! Whether it’s building 3D models or coding a website, creative minds produce amazing, revolutionary ideas.
The National Afterschool Association (NAA) writes that the similarities between the arts and STEM are more apparent than not, “There is something about having an artistic side that helps with having success in STEM fields. Expression through art encourages creativity, play and innovation.” In fact, one of the most famous artists, Leonardo Da Vinci, was inspired by the sciences and managed to express that through his art. Art Net explains, “Da Vinci believed that art, science, and nature were inextricably linked.” Through pieces such as Vitruvian Man and through his notebooks he is full proof of how important Art actually is within the sciences. Art Net also writes about Da Vinci, that his notebooks revealed “inventions that could not be realized in his lifetime, including the parachute, helicopter, and even the calculator.”
A main way that the Arts can be helpful within STEM is by incorporating it into lessons! In a study performed by John Hopkins University, Researchers found that students who were placed into Art classes would retain techniques and incorporate them within their courses, namely the science and math classes. Jaime Martinez, a STEAM specialist at the New York Institute of Technology in New York City, notes that, “researchers find that students in art-focused classes develop more creativity and learn to collaborate better.” This is connected directly to a staple at National STEM Honor Society, which is Project-Based Learning. PBL is a concept intended to better help students retain skills and knowledge in a subject by completing hands-on projects. PBL is related to the arts because of the ways previously explained, it involves creativity and outside-of-the-box thinking to create amazing projects or products.
Furthermore, consider involving some art activities within your classroom to help your students not only have a bit more fun, but also to better get engaged with their work. If you’re a student, reach out to one of your teachers and let them know your own ideas about getting the arts involved at your school.
If you are interested in learning more about getting Project-Based Learning or NSTEM at your school, fill out the contact form on the NSTEM website!
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Written by: Kathryn Cottingham
