Learning through STEAM
STEAM is becoming more common in the early years and is central to children’s learning and development in the 21st century. During the first few years of a child’s life, STEAM focuses on self-directed play and exploration rather than direct teaching. It supports an array of valuable lifelong learning skills and may help to inspire the engineers, architects, artists and mathematicians of the future.
What does STEAM stand for?
The acronym stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, the Arts, and Mathematics. STEAM is based on an integrated approach, rather than single subject teaching and learning.
Why is STEAM important?
STEAM learning promotes children’s problem solving, creativity and critical thinking skills by bringing together these different areas of learning.
Whilst we may not want to overload children in the early years with complex questions and equations, resources and materials can be the perfect way to start them on their STEAM journey, encouraging them to be curious and inquisitive about the world around them. They are able to encounter these concepts through experiential learning and build foundations to become lifelong learners.
How the Immersive Projector supports STEAM learning?
S for Science
The curious, independent learner will start to explore and experiment with how to disperse the light, how to alter the sharpness of a shadow and how to make images larger and smaller. They will be working with and gaining an understanding of materials and their properties. As they play with the Immersive Projector, they will begin to use trial and error as they make predictions, construct, verify hypothesis, and then form conclusions.
T for Technology
Technology is at the heart of the Immersive Projector. Children are truly integrating technology with a rich variety of other skills. They are using it as a subtle tool to empower, facilitate, enrich and enhance learning across all areas.
E for Engineering
Children will incorporate engineering skills into their work with the Immersive Projector. They will make discoveries of how different materials and components can be utilised, amended and manoeuvred within the light. Through investigation, children will discover how resources used alongside the Immersive Projector operate and interact with one another.
A for Art
As children use the Immersive Projector, the walls and ceiling will become a canvas for their work. They will be designing, building, manipulating, manoeuvring, connecting, and experimenting with all kinds of materials and loose parts. They can build, decorate and enrich their structures and sculptures, conjure up creative scenarios with the addition of different narratives or incorporate dance and music into their play.
M for Mathematics
As children play and explore, there will be many opportunities for mathematical enquiry which will help to secure the foundations of early maths. They might be sculpting using their mathematical knowledge or weaving mathematical language into their stories and conversations. Children may be seen sorting, matching, estimating, comparing and looking for properties in the materials that are within their reach. They will encounter different mathematical concepts such as weight, shape and measure as they manipulate the materials around them.
To develop a complete mind: Study the science of art; Study the art of science. Learn how to see. Realize that everything connects to everything else.
Leonardo Da Vinci
Many thanks to Paola Lopez, Founder & Executive Director at Kinderoo Children’s Academy, Inc, for allowing us to include some of her images in this blog.
