Proposing a Curriculum Model for

STEAM-based Educational Practice

Karen McGarry

University of Cincinnati, Adjunct

Global STEMx Educational Conference, September 2013

CONTEMPLATE

CREATE

INNOVATE

W H Y ?

IT’S NOT ABOUT ME

My role in this model is to listen and

guide learning and hopefully be

responsive to learner needs.

Here is what I heard…

STUDENTS TOLD ME…

• They wanted something different from traditional

art education instruction;

• They wanted to pursue creative courses with a

connectedness to other academic pursuits;

• They wanted courses that offered them more

choice and independent creative

development;

• They wanted change.

STUDENT POPULATION Based on personal experience with teaching high school students, here are some numbers to consider:

• Approx. student population – 750-825

• Number of students in AP Studio Art – 8

• Number of students needing arts credits to graduate – ALL

• Number of students who might be affected with an

alternative course curriculum – ALL

• Potential for making students happy -

HIGH

CURRICULUM MODEL COMPONENTS

Contemplate

Create

Innovate

brainstorm, discuss, plan, consider, select

design

develop

make

build

construct

present, share, critique, reveal, assess

WHAT IT MIGHT LOOK LIKE

Contemplate

Create

Innovate

Students work individually or in groups to develop plan(s) to solve challenges.

Students work to make creative

solutions that may provide

answers to task

challenges.

Students realize and present solutions reflecting material choices and creative problem solving techniques.

LEARNING CRITERIA

• Connection with US Common Core Standards

• Authentic Assessment

• Performance Tasks and Learning Activities

• Big Ideas

• Essential Questions

and Enduring Understandings

LEARNING OUTCOMES

• Understandings

• Knowledge

• Skills

• Dispositions

HOPES AND INTENTIONS

MOVING FORWARD

• Complete model and pilot

curriculum in school settings, to measure effectiveness;

• Impact learning of an alternative

model of teaching art with pre-

service art education majors;

• Advocate for STEM to STEAM;

• Affect learning of the arts with a

positive impact and meaningful

outcomes for potential learners.

BECAUSE IN THE END…

…IT’S ABOUT

INTERNET RESOURCES A selection of Internet resources that inspired research:

Connected Learning: http://connectedlearning.tv/

dml Research Hub: http://teachingforartisticbehavior.org/

The Exploratory: http://www.theexploratory.com/intrinsic-motivation-v-extrinsic-motivation/

Make to Learn: http://m2l.indiana.edu/

Making Thinking Happen: http://makingthinkinghappen.wordpress.com/

National Coalition for Core Art Standards: http://www.arteducators.org/research/nccas

Project Based Learning/Buck Institute for Education: http://www.bie.org/

STEAM Connect: http://steamconnect.org/

STEM to STEAM: http://stemtosteam.org/

Teaching for Artistic Behavior: http://teachingforartisticbehavior.org/

TED Talks, Mihaly Csikszentmihaly: http://www.ted.com/talks/mihaly_csikszentmihalyi_on_flow.html

REFERENCES AND INSPIRATION

References:

• Amabile, T. M. "How to Kill Creativity." Harvard Business Review 76, no. 5

(September–October 1998): 76–87.

• Bluestein, J., The win-win classroom: A fresh and positive look at

classroom management. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press, 2008.

• Catterall, J. (2013). “Getting real about the E in STEAM.” The STEAM

Journal, 1 (1), 1-7, article #6.

http://scholarship.claremont.edu/steam/vol1/iss1/6.

• Csikszentmihalyi, M. Thoughts about education. Retrieved from:

http://education.jhu.edu/PD/newhorizons/future/creating_the_future/cr

fut_csikszent.cfm; March, 2007.

REFERENCES AND INSPIRATION

References (con’t):

• Flanagan, M., “Creating Critical Play” Artists Re:Thinking Games. Eds Ruth Catlow, Marc Garrett, and Corrado Morgana. Liverpool: Liverpool University Press, 2010, 49-53.

• Freire, P. (1970). Pedagogy of the oppressed. New York, NY: Herder and Herder.

• Ito, Mizuko, Kris Gutiérrez, Sonia Livingstone, Bill Penuel, Jean Rhodes, Katie Salen, Juliet Schor, Julian Sefton-Green, S. Craig Watkins. Connected Learning: An Agenda for Research and Design. Irvine, CA: Digital Media and Learning Research Hub; Retrieved from : http://dmlhub.net/sites/default/files/Connected_Learning_report.pdf, Jan. 2013.

• McTighe, J. & Wiggins, G., Understanding by design: Professional development workbook. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, 2004.

REFERENCES AND INSPIRATION

References (con’t):

• Nakamura, J., & Csikszentmihalyi, M. (2002). The concept of flow.

Handbook of positive psychology, 89-105.

• Robinson, K. Sir, TED Talks with RSA: Ken Robinson: Changing education

paradigms. [TED video lecture]. Retrieved from:

http://www.ted.com/talks/ken_robinson_changing_education_paradig

ms.html; Dec. 2010.

• Samuels, A. Invention and innovation. Retrieved from : http://art-

design.umich.edu/people/detail/allen_samuels#cv

• Vohs, K.D, Redden, J.P., & Rahinel, R. (August 2013). Physical Order

Produces Healthy Choices, Generosity, and Conventionality, Whereas

Disorder Produces Creativity. Psychological Science, 1-8. DOI:

10.1177/0956797613480186;

http://pss.sagepub.com/content/early/2013/08/01/0956797613480186

IMAGE CITATIONS

• All images used are borrowed from Creative

Commons and Flickr at:

http://www.flickr.com/photos

• Avatar created online at “The Simpsonmaker” via:

www.q4nobody.co.uk

• Images in slide no. 7 are the author’s work, all rights

reserved.

• Other images: Clip Art in Power Point

Thanks for listening