STEAM Approaches Handbook

For those unfamiliar with the term, STEAM is an acronym for Sciences, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics. For the STEAM.INC project, Arts encompasses artistic, cultural and creative practices, including design. Also the Sciences includes, not only the traditional natural sciences, but also more contemporary topics such as social and environmental sciences. This handbook addresses points of intersection across current European Higher Education STEAM approaches and presents a collaborative definition of how STEAM applies in Higher Education. For the project partnership, STEAM in Higher Education includes the customary teaching and curriculum as well as academic research. It also incorporates internal Higher Education policies and governance as well as external engagement with stakeholders and the public. These often become mutually supportive. For example, a university that embraces STEAM, is likely to embed the concept in its curriculum, support STEAM research and innovation and adjust its policies and facilities accordingly. This publication presents a collection of STEAM approaches as well as the themes and intersections that link them. The handbook shows some of the many different expressions of STEAM from individual, institutional and national perspectives. It aims to provide a shared understanding of what might be achieved by STEAM in Higher Education through identifying foundational competencies and perspectives as well as establishing a baseline of STEAM knowledge. The project draws a distinction between a ‘STEAM approach’ and a ‘STEAM method’. In general, the former can be considered the wider expression, covering strategies, programmes, fields, and philosophies, whereas the latter more clearly relates to specific techniques. Therefore, this handbook’s perspective is that STEAM methods sit within STEAM approaches. This is the first comprehensive attempt to collect and codify European approaches to STEAM in Higher Education and, as such, the work is exploratory and should not be considered exhaustive. The handbook is intended to stimulate dialogue about the perceived nature of STEAM, its principles and parameters while providing inspiration for those looking to develop and introduce STEAM approaches of their own