website logo 2022website logo 2022website logo 2022website logo 2022
  • ABOUT US
    • OUR APPROACH
    • LEADERSHIP TEAM
    • PARTNERS & ORGANIZATIONS
    • CAREERS
    • IN THE NEWS
  • STEAM CURRICULUM
    • K-8 CURRICULUM
    • HANDS-ON-PROJECTS
    • TEACHING RESOURCES
    • CODING ENVIRONMENT
  • OUR SERVICES
    • PROFESSIONAL LEARNING
    • MAKERSPACE DEVELOPMENT
    • FAQS
  • IMPACT
    • WHY STEAM MATTERS
    • IMPACT & OUTCOMES
    • SUCCESS STORIES
  • RESOURCES
    • STEAM MADE SIMPLE BLOG
    • TINKRPEDIA
    • WEBINARS
    • FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES
    • GRANT WRITING
  • CONTACT US
  • PARTNER LOGIN
Young girl working on art piece

STEAM VS. STEM: DEFINING THE “A” By Dr. Anu Mahajan, TinkRworks CEO

STEM is an amalgamation of four subjects, science, technology, engineering and math, into one cohesive curriculum. The ethos of STEM is problem solving. The original goal of implementing this cross-disciplinary content was to give students a strong foundation in hard skills and create the next generation of problem solvers. 

 

STEAM is a variant of STEM that also includes the arts (A) to emphasize a more creative, artistic approach to problem solving that encourages communication and collaboration. 

student

Why Add the “A”?

When you think of Apple, which Steve do you think of? Probably Steve Jobs, although Steve Wozniak is an equal cofounder. A brilliant engineer and problem solver, Wozniak is responsible for a large part of the initial technological innovations that put Apple on the map. So why is Jobs the name we always associate with Apple?

 

While both Jobs and Wozniak are talented at the hard skills associated with engineering, Jobs was also a master at communication and marketing. This allowed Apple to reach a broader audience and eventually become the industry’s leading innovator. 

The Art of “A”

Solving a problem is not inherently innovating. The innovation comes from the inclusion of the arts, or the “A.” 

 

But what does the “A” really represent? 

 

It represents art in all its forms—

The art of self expression.

The art of design.

The art of communication.

The art of understanding.

The art of collaboration.

The art of beauty.

The art of integration.

The art of flexibility and openness. 

 

It involves considering oneself and the user.

 

art-eletric

For instance, Art Electric is one of our most popular projects. It is a simple project at face value. The students can choose one of three kits: a circle, square or triangle. From there, they’re asked to create a thematic element that they can bring to life as users look at their project. We get a thousand different variations—a square could become a house; a triangle becomes a pizza slice or a mountain. Then the student adds light, movement and sound to engage all senses in their project. 

Building Innovators

The addition of the arts also allows for the development of a variety of soft skills often neglected in traditional STEM education: critical thinking, communication, collaboration and creativity. Having the ability to communicate the solution to a problem is just as important as solving the problem. An exemplary problem-solver can be crippled by a lack of ability to work with other people or communicate their ideas to their peers. 

 

Many of our projects require students to pair up with someone and solve a problem. Teamwork is inherent in our curriculum. It is integrated formally in our assessments, including each student’s digital portfolio, which all students use to document their learning process and share it with others. 

kids

STEAM, when done properly, will enable children to transform themselves into 21st-century learners and doers. With TinkRworks, students’ projects not only solve a problem, but reflect their being and their personality as well. Students become open to new ideas and collaboration. They gain the skills all educators hope their students will gain— becoming not only problem solvers, but innovators.

Related posts

TinkRworks and Uniform Junction partner to bring STEM to schools in India. Pictured are TinkRworks and Uniform Junction leaders at a STEM Conference in Kolkata.

September 1, 2022

TinkRworks and Uniform Junction Partner to Bring STEM to Schools in India


Read more
October 7, 2021

Tinkrworks Honored with Tech & Learning’s Award of Excellence in “Best Primary Tools for Back to School” Category


Read more
January 28, 2021

Aurora Launches Tech Academy for 750 Students


Read more



About Us
Our Services
STEAM Curriculum
Resources
FAQs
Contact Us
Partner Login

TinkRworks Address:
501 West Lake Street, Suite 106
Elmhurst, IL 60126

Phone: 888-998-4657
Email: info@tinkrworks.com

© 2021 TinkRworks. All Rights Reserved.
Powered by True Productions