stem to idea

This concept is now 10 years old. And, It fascinates me that many in education are still debating the merits of art and design within the frameworks of STEM. There is value in STEM, but where does it lead? 

I posted this graphic on Instagram today, and someone asked me to explain. My response was this:

This graphic exemplifies the STEM vs STEAM debate. STEM learning is valuable, but it is mostly based on principles. To find creative solutions, those STEM fundamentals must either contain or lead to an element of art, design, and empathy. 

I posted a similar sentiment over a week ago. At that time, I was considering the merits of incorporating art and the ways in which it stands in contrast to STEM.

When applying the STEM > IDEA concept to public education, I would argue that we are not there yet. We are only now beginning to appreciate what design thinking offers students and the ways the design (or IDEA) impacts learning. 

image credit: John Maeda, Rhode Island School of Design