Week 4: Integrated Learning

What is Learning?  And how do you do it best?

Education has a specific reason and purpose, which is to provide knowledge to students.  SO is there one way that is better then others? Do students learn better in current systems than others?  Lets explore some of these systems to see if there is a better or even best system for education and student learning.

The ideas of STEM vs STEAM, and which is best?

In Anne Jolly articile,  STEM vs. STEAM: Do the Arts Belong?, she defines a tug of war currently looming between proponents of STEM education (science, technology, engineering, and math) and advocates for STEAM lessons, which add art to the mix.  When discussing education in the vain of what type of learning is truly beneficial for children the idea of STEM education provide students a variety of skills that are essential for success: critical thinking and problem solving, creativity and innovation, communication, collaboration, and entrepreneurship, to name a few. This system of education is based on focus and has great student benefits so would it benefit from the addition of the arts?  The focus of STEM is developing rigorous math and science skills through engineering. How can you focus on other subjects (such as art) without losing the mission of STEM or watering down its primary purpose? And there is the fill side from the arts because as Jolly points out, " if we're talking about how one can use art in engineering… as an artist, it seems we're missing the point and devaluing, or not realizing, art’s purpose and importance." So how exactly can teachers fit the arts into STEM programs and do justice for both STEM and STEAM? What would an ideal STEAM program look like? That is what Jolly article explains through artist and educator-turned-STEAM-enthusiast Ruth Catchen. "According to Ruth, the arts are a great learning tool and can serve as an on-ramp to STEM for underrepresented students. Engaging students’ strengths using art activities increases motivation and the probability of STEM success. She views art as a way of offering more diverse learning opportunities and greater access to STEM for all types of learners."  Leaving the big question how can we solve this question of STEM vs STEAM? The answer and what Ruth proposes is that they shape STEAM programs by exploring opportunities where art naturally fits in the STEM arena. Art can be treated as an applied subject—just like math and science.  This sounds like  the perfect solution and something that education needs as an improvement  but Jolly has one final point that leaves me wondering as well, "Art is often touted as a method of adding creativity to STEM—but keep in mind that engineers are rarely lacking for creativity and ingenuity. Just look at the world around you for proof. The purpose of STEAM should not be so much to teach art but to apply art in real situations. Applied knowledge leads to deeper learning."  

Project-Based Learning vs. Problem-Based Learning vs. Connected Learning

Now that we have explored STEM vs. STEAM, it seems that the flood gates have been opened for all different types of learning.  The article in Edutopia by John Larmer there are over 10 types of educational style listed right at the beginning.   With many of them ending with the suffix " based- learning"  it can get very confusing understanding the difference between all the different types.   To start clearing the difference between the styles; the big two project-based and problem-based need definition first. According to this article " The term project learning derives from the work of John Dewey and dates back to William Kilpatrick, who first used the term in 1918 and is a broad category which, as long as there is an extended "project" at the heart of it, could take several forms or be a combination of; designing and/or creating a tangible product, performance or event, solving a real-world problem , and investigating a topic or issue to develop an answer to an open-ended question.  Whereas "problem-BL does have its own history and set of typically-followed procedures, which are more formally observed than in other types of projects. The use of case studies and simulations as problems dates back to medical schools in the 1960s, and problem-BL is still more often seen in the post-secondary world than in K-12, where project-BL is more common" according to Larmer.  Then there is "connected learning" that seems to be the new-age of both these styles. Building on the ideas of using students as active participants in learning seems to be an idea that runs through all of these learning styles.   I think it is the elements of connected learning, thought, that will take new technology and ideas into the future because as Larmer stated, "extended learning experience just depends on how you frame it."

Local Influences
It is sad then to read about how these styles of learning are being ignored  right here at home in the Chicago Public Schools. According to Fitzpatrick of the SunTImes, "While Chicago Public Schools increased arts offerings and teachers overall last year, next month’s threatened layoffs could derail that progress heralded Thursday by one of the city’s arts partners." And although a CPS spokeswomen says “We will continue in our efforts to fight for fair funding for Chicago’s students to prevent cuts to our classrooms and arts programs.” But there are already signs that the arts aren't a priotity in "that smaller high schools tend to offer just what’s required for graduation, two courses rather than the four recommended as ideal under CPS Arts Education Plan.  Luckily there are organizations like Hive Chicago that are bringing together arts, technology, as well as integrated styles of learning. And it may be organization like this that make CPS realize how important these ideas are.