Elementary Student Perspectives on STEAM Education
Abstract
:1. Introduction
2. Overview of Synthesis
2.1. Methodology
2.2. Contribution of Synthesis
3. Findings from the Synthesis
3.1. The Arts in STEAM
- Embrace a wide definition of the Arts to include various forms of creative expression such as design, digital media, and performance. This broad approach allows for the inclusion of diverse student interests and backgrounds. Land (2013) identified potentially transformative uses of the Arts, such as musical compositions, kinetic art, product design, prototype development, and performance art, as ways to connect many students and foster engagement with STEM through the Arts;
- Employ formative and summative assessment practices that promote student choice and voice, ensuring that each learner can find a point of connection with the STEAM curriculum at any point during the curriculum;
- Facilitate experiential and inquiry-based learning opportunities informed by the Arts that emphasize the process of discovery and innovation over rote memorization of content;
- Develop interdisciplinary experiences that enable students to apply their learning in real-world contexts, thereby enhancing the relevance and impact of their educational experiences;
- Provide or participate in professional learning that focuses on the integration of STEAM disciplines, emphasizing collaborative and empathetic teaching practices that reflect the interconnectedness of the Arts and sciences, completing the same thought process and experience as the students.
3.2. Empathy as a Driver to Engagement
- STEAM Activities: involve fun, challenging activities but with no clear connection to science/math content or practices (as gleaned from coding that looked for connections to the NGSS Lead States (2013) standards for science or the Common Core State Standards (CCSSO, 2010) for mathematics). They do not align with standards-based learning and do not tend to transform students’ perceptions;
- Authentic Problems: connect learning to real-world contexts and specific science/math content and practices. They represent a more transformative learning experience as students’ frames of reference are extended regarding the content;
- Empathetic Problem-Solving: involves students feeling empathy and articulating a humanistic connection. These are relational learning experiences that transcend the specific disciplines and are highly transformative, as students’ frames of reference expand greatly through creative and purpose-driven solution seeking. This is the ideal for which to strive.
3.3. Connected to Reform Efforts in Science and Mathematics Education
4. Discussion and Conclusions: Recommendations to Educators Related to Empathy in STEAM
Future Directions
Author Contributions
Funding
Institutional Review Board Statement
Informed Consent Statement
Data Availability Statement
Conflicts of Interest
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Manuscript | Methods | Key Findings |
---|---|---|
Article 1 (Bush et al., 2020) | Thematic analysis: systemic and iterative analysis of students’ written responses. Qualitative: grounded in a transformative learning theory (Mezirow, 2009) approach to analysis. | Identification of STEAM disciplines: many students identified strongly with science and mathematics within the context of STEAM. Progression of STEAM activities: activities progressed from simple engagement (i.e., STEAM activities), to solving authentic problems, to empathetic problem-solving. The most transformative learning experiences occurred when students engaged in empathetic problem-solving that considered the needs and feelings of others. Metacognition: substantial evidence of students reflecting on their learning processes. Impact on Perceptions of Learning: STEAM experiences positively influenced students’ perceptions of learning. |
Article 2 (Cook et al., 2020) | Instrumental case study: detailed exploration of a phenomenon. Inductive and deductive data analysis. Note: although this manuscript focused on teacher practices, the reflections were guided throughout by student feedback that the teachers collected and used formatively in their lessons. | Evolution of planning practices—teachers showed growth in aligning their curricula more closely with fewer and more specific standards. Integration of Arts and Technology—teachers broadened their definitions of arts and technology. Pedagogical shifts—teachers moved from planning activities to developing deeper learning experiences. Assessment challenges—while formative assessment practices improved, integrating comprehensive assessments that effectively measured learning across STEAM disciplines remained challenging. |
Article 3 (Edelen et al., 2023) | Theoretical framework—employs positioning theory (Davies & Harré, 1999) to analyze and reframe the roles of students within STEAM Literature review—reviewed existing studies in the literature and frameworks of integrated STEAM education, highlighting the predominance of teacher-focused perspectives and identifying gaps regarding student experiences and positioning. Conceptual analysis—developed a conceptual framework that centers on students’ perspectives. | Student positioning—traditional STEAM approaches often see students as recipients of knowledge rather than active participants who can influence learning outcomes New framework—STEAM might include empathy as a central component to move towards transformative learning. |
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Cook, K.L.; Cox, R.; Edelen, D.; Bush, S.B. Elementary Student Perspectives on STEAM Education. Educ. Sci. 2025, 15, 689. https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci15060689
Cook KL, Cox R, Edelen D, Bush SB. Elementary Student Perspectives on STEAM Education. Education Sciences. 2025; 15(6):689. https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci15060689
Chicago/Turabian StyleCook, Kristin L., Richard Cox, Dan Edelen, and Sarah B. Bush. 2025. "Elementary Student Perspectives on STEAM Education" Education Sciences 15, no. 6: 689. https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci15060689
APA StyleCook, K. L., Cox, R., Edelen, D., & Bush, S. B. (2025). Elementary Student Perspectives on STEAM Education. Education Sciences, 15(6), 689. https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci15060689