STEAM
You may have already heard some discussion about STEAM in education and wondered what it means. Regents International School Pattaya's Principal Sarah Osborne-James explains how STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, Maths) is an approach to education that is becoming increasingly important as a way for us to truly prepare our children for the needs of the 21st century economy.
You may have already heard some discussion about STEAM in education and wondered what it means. Regents International School Pattaya's Principal Sarah Osborne-James explains how STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, Maths) is an approach to education that is becoming increasingly important as a way for us to truly prepare our children for the needs of the 21st century economy.
This approach to learning uses each of the areas of STEAM to guide student inquiry, dialogue and critical thinking skills. The aim is to develop students who have the skills to take thoughtful risks, engage in experiential learning, persist in problem-solving, embrace collaboration and work through the creative process. These are just the skills that will be needed to be the leaders, educators and innovators of the future.
We need to prepare our children to be part of a workforce that is skilled in the growing job markets like science, technology, engineering and math. STEAM allows students to connect their learning in all of these critical areas together with arts practices, design principles, and standards to provide a complete spectrum of learning at their disposal. STEAM removes traditional barriers of purely knowledge based teaching and replaces them with wonder, critical thinking, inquiry, and innovation.
It is even more important than ever that we engage all of our children and equip them for the workplace of the future. Just this week research undertaken for the World Economic Forum summit says that the gulf between men and women at work, in terms of both status and pay, is likely to widen unless action is taken in the high growth sectors such as technology. We want to ensure all of our students are best equipped to be successful but now, more than ever, we must play our part to ensure our girls have the skills, confidence and determination to take their place in the workplace of the future.
The STEAM approach to learning has benefits for both students and teachers alike, helping to make more real-life connections so that school is not a place where you go to learn but instead becomes the entire experience of learning itself. We are always learning, always growing, always experimenting.
At Regents, we already work hard to make sure our students get world class opportunities in STEAM subjects. Our partnership with MIT will further develop the amazing work we do as we prepare your children for a very bright future.
Ms Sarah Osborne-James
School Principal
Read about the NAE STEAM Festival, hosted by Regents International School Pattaya here.
