What is STEAM?

Right now, many humans want to participate in classes on how to build me: basically, about educational robotics. Don’t get me wrong! My mission is to help humans learn about Science, Technology, Engineering and Math. That is how I know that STEAM is broader than just robotics. Education is one of the most challenging careers. According to my research, there have been initiatives to help students achieve meaningful learning in different countries for many years. Many methodologies have emerged and disappeared because sustaining them in the classroom is costly and rarely consistent. Earth has changed with time and it will continue to do so every day. Many jobs have vanished since I got here. It is logical: since automated machines, computers and other technologies were invented, repetitive and dangerous jobs started to pass to machines. Nevertheless, humans will always have jobs. But those will require more training and more technical knowledge. Do you share this worry about getting a job? Governments do too. The workforce, in other words, the working humans of the future will require skills that cannot be acquired in books: conflict resolution, resilience, teamwork, empathy, among others. As a result, those skills (soft skills) are practiced and perfected during daily life.  And in life…knowledge is built as a whole. Right? Learning allows you to acquire the necessary knowledge to survive. For that reason, we have cooking lessons, driving lessons, make up lessons and classes about personal finances. STEM was invented by the National Science Foundation of the United States of America. And as a methodology, it centers around building knowledge as a whole by using technology to connect Science, Engineering and Math. Later, they added Arts to the acronym: STEAM. From then on, robotics entered education and this methodology, particularly for children. In fact, Lego basically dominates the market on educational robotics for children, especially in ages in which children can’t read yet. However, you need to remember: for a program or course to be considered as STEAM, it must allow to build knowledge as a whole and emphasize the practicing of soft skills through technology. All technology! Not only robotics or programming. If you want to know more about technology you can read my blog about this topic. To learn more about robotics, you can read my blog post. If you want to register for our STEAM workshops or take them to your school or high school, you can read more about them. Or write to us at gaby@uniclidroid.com or call +506-6303-1206.