What is STEAM?  

Originating in the United States, STEAM is a model created by adding the element of "A" (Art) to the STEM acronym, which stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics. The concept of STEM focuses on educating students to excel in collaboration, questioning, problem-solving, and critical thinking. These are essential skills for a society predicted to undergo rapid development in science, technology, and related fields, with a significant labor force.  

However, in line with the modern education approach, educators have recognized limitations in the STEM model, leading to the emergence of STEAM with the addition of the "Art" element to address these shortcomings.   

The addition of the letter "A" represents a significant advancement in the current era of STEM/STEAM and technology. Increasingly appreciated, the "A" (Art) in STEAM represents visual arts, social studies, history, physical education, fine arts, and music. While art and science might seem unrelated, their combination in STEAM education plays a significant role in fostering innovation, creativity, aesthetics, and the human aspect of scientific and technological products.   

The role of "A" (Art) in STEAM is vital in several aspects. 

1. Fostering aesthetic orientation in students:  

Art education primarily focuses on aesthetics. It not only enhances individuals' ability to assess aesthetics but also nurtures emotional aesthetics, taste aesthetics, and ideal aesthetics. In the STEAM education method, the integration of visual arts aims to build healthy, transparent emotions and thinking, distinguishing between the old and the new, the ugly and the beautiful.   

• Educating proper aesthetic viewpoints, science, and progress.    
• Educating the ability to perceive, evaluate, and create based on art.  
• Educating pure and noble aesthetic emotions based on fundamental principles: truth, goodness, and beauty.  

2. Stimulating creativity, critical thinking, and problem-solving:  

Art can manifest as painting or music. An artist looking at an artwork or a musician listening to a piece of music often experiences emotional resonance, impacting their thinking and inspiring unique ideas. Art is a direct driver of individual creativity. It teaches students flexible thinking, enhances their ability to explore designs, and generates new and innovative ideas.  

3. Cultivating decision-making skills:  

The key to solving tasks comprehensively lies in decision-making skills. STEAM education allows students to unleash their creativity and imagination through exposure to art. When a teacher presents a painting, each student will undoubtedly have a different perception. Consequently, students enhance their decision-making skills by being ready to give information and confidently express their creative ideas and perspectives.  

4. Enhancing visual learning:  

Visual arts, like other subjects in the STEAM approach, play a crucial role in improving students' understanding across various dimensions such as thinking, intelligence, ethics, etc. It requires students to directly interact with observation-based and visual-based learning methods. Art serves as an effective tool for quickly and effectively transmitting knowledge. Moreover, with the support of learning tools, teachers can focus on more than just technical aspects, generating interest in learning for each student.  

5. Developing communication and collaboration among students:  

The power of art extends beyond entertainment or appreciation; it provides an opportunity to share one's voice. Students can learn various communication methods through visual arts like painting or performance arts like singing and acting. Integrating art with STEM holds the potential for promising innovations, benefiting both fields by enhancing learning in technical domains while valuing the contributions of art.  

Experts believe that "Art drives cultural change, stimulates community imagination and action, acts as a bridge to scientific understanding, and applies sustainable efforts."  

With modern facilities and intelligent teaching tools, True North School maximizes students' learning needs while implementing STEAM education. Students experience project-based learning, taking charge of their education, exploring freely, and naturally accumulating skills for independent work, teamwork, planning, and problem analysis.