Experts Believe Arts Should Be Added to STEM

As recently reported in Education Week, a number of experts opine that instruction in the arts not only engages and motivates students, but also sparks creativity and innovation; as a result, they believe that the "A" for art should be added into the STEM acronym to make STEAM.  The National Science Foundation and Department of Education have offered grants and conferences related to an art-science-design curriculum framework similar to that seen at a number of universities in recent years, marrying fine arts/design or business with engineering coursework.  Rhode Island Congressman James Langevin recently introduced a House resolution to highlight the relationship between the arts and STEM.  The article notes that the idea is not new, as pointed up by a 2008 study showing Nobel Laureates' proclivity for involvement in the arts.  http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2011/12/01/13steam_ep.h31.html?qs=STEAM (registration required to read the full article)  Numerous examples of the intersection of art and science in school programs are given in the article.

In the Antelope Valley Union High School District, the marriage of art and STEM is shown through the existence of such programs as the Digital Design & Engineering Academy at Knight High School and the FAST (Falcon Academy of Sustainable Technologies) Academy at Palmdale High School, and multimedia programs at many school sites; the AVUHSD is also a participant in the AV Chambers' ArtSTEM Fair held twice per year at the Van Dam Pavilion at the AV Fairgrounds (next event scheduled for Sunday, 6 May).