{"id":4265,"date":"2021-05-26T15:18:11","date_gmt":"2021-05-26T09:48:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/learn.toddleapp.com\/?post_type=blog_post&p=4265"},"modified":"2023-05-18T16:58:49","modified_gmt":"2023-05-18T11:28:49","slug":"s-is-for-s-t-e-a-m-and-student-engagement","status":"publish","type":"blog_post","link":"https:\/\/www.toddleapp.com\/learn\/blog-post\/s-is-for-s-t-e-a-m-and-student-engagement\/","title":{"rendered":"\u2018S\u2019 is for STEAM and Student Engagement<\/b>"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The \u2018Why\u2019 and \u2018How\u2019 of Student Engagement<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

One of my favourite teacher quotes is \u201cThe fact that you are teaching, does not mean that they are learning\u201d (anonymous). Student engagement sometimes appears to be this elusive object of teachers\u2019 desire, the mirage, the \u201cpromised land\u201d that we are all after. I say elusive, on purpose, as very often we are not quite sure if learners are truly engaged or simply compliant. Without authentic engagement from our students, our daily interactions in the classroom fall flat and become performative and quite draining on both the teachers\u2019 and students’ side. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cStudent engagement is the product of motivation and active learning. It is a product rather than a sum because it will not occur if either element is missing,\u201d wrote Elizabeth F. Barkley. These two elements, motivation and active learning, are at the forefront of current discussions in education. We want learners to foster self-efficacy and intrinsic motivation, and hence, are willing to engage in discussions and increased professional inquiries into learner agency. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Learners enjoy and thrive when their learning is active and they get to connect, communicate, collaborate, create and use their personal passions and interests within their learning environment and interactions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The \u2018Why\u2019, \u2018How\u2019\u00a0 and \u2018What\u2019 of\u00a0 STEAM<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

STEAM as a term was originally developed early in the 21century in the U.S. as an enhancement to the initial acronym STEM first used by the U.S. Dept. of Commerce<\/a>. STEM was coined to refer to gaps in the job market requiring more science, technology, engineering and mathematically oriented employees, which fuelled certain educational programmes and schemes. It was quickly recognised that the true power and future promise lies in STEAM, with Arts as the fifth essential component.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nowadays, national and international education programmes are incorporating STEAM elements into their framework to meet the needs of the future employability of their learners and tap into their interests and passions. STEAM programmes offer learners opportunities to explore and experiment with practical elements of science, technology, engineering, art and mathematics. Thus drawing on the natural curiosities and wonder that children carry in them regarding exploring the world through senses, observations, testing, predictions, play and making.<\/p>\n\n\n