STEAMS Mission Statement
“In accordance with the divine teachings the acquisition of sciences and the perfection of arts are considered acts of worship ... What bounty greater than this that science should be considered as an act of worship and art as service to the Kingdom of God.”—‘Abdu’l-Bahá
What Is STEAMS?
Brilliant Star’s vision for STEAMS education is designed to engage children and to help them develop their skills and character in today’s technologically focused world. It is spearheaded by Dr. Steve Scotti, Brilliant Star’s STEAMS Education Advisor.
STEAMS learning encourages art and creativity.
STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) education is a prominent focus among educators. Adding an “A” for Arts recognizes the need to develop creativity though artistic education, making the acronym STEAM. Brilliant Star further broadens this approach to include “S” for Spirituality, resulting in STEAMS education.
Some characteristics of STEAMS education:
- It acknowledges the harmony of science and religion.
- It helps kids learn the scientific and rational skills needed in today’s world, including structured approaches to problem solving and critical thinking.
- It fosters artistic abilities, leads to more rounded and creative individuals while fostering innovation and an outward-looking orientation.
- It incorporates spirituality through universal virtues such as respect, kindness, trustworthiness, fairness, service, and encouragement.
- It also includes the consultation skills needed to work effectively with others in a group.
STEAMS content focuses on solving society’s problems with justice and protection of human rights, as encouraged by this quote from the Bahá’í writings:
“Knowledge is as wings to man's life, and a ladder for his ascent. Its acquisition is incumbent upon everyone. The knowledge of such sciences, however, should be acquired as can profit the peoples of the earth ...”
—Bahá’u’lláh
Viewing the Brilliant Star mission through the lens of STEAMS integrates our content into the holistic education of children. As more STEAMS-focused content is published, the ties to arts and spirituality will be highlighted.
Teamwork is key in STEAMS education.
Some specific approaches emphasized in STEAMS content include:
- Use of the scientific method, a structured approach to solving problems, making decisions, or achieving goals that incorporates independent investigation and learning. It is rational and based on evidence and experience. Steps include Observe, Ask Questions, Form Prediction, and Test Prediction.
- Encouraging kids to work synergistically in a cooperative group. Many STEAMS challenges require diverse skills and abilities, so no single person can meet the challenge and working effectively in a team is necessary. Each team member brings a unique perspective and different skills. To be productive, they must communicate a common vision and provide mutual support to each other.
- Teaching life lessons by highlighting the ties between the physical world and the world of values and spirit through analogy. This is reflected in the following quote:
“The outward is the expression of the inward: The earthly realm is the mirror of the heavenly Kingdom, and the material world is in accordance with the spiritual world.” —‘Abdu’l-Bahá
- Fostering character strengths such as curiosity, determination, encouragement, empathy, fairness, kindness, perseverance, resilience, respect, service, and trustworthiness. Mistakes and challenges are appreciated as opportunities for growth and a natural result of trying new things.
- Supporting efforts of teachers and parents to encourage kids’ exploration of STEAMS topics and offering tools for adults to share learning and experiences.
Our STEAMS approach to learning will continue to evolve with changes in technology, society, and our team’s experiences and abilities.
Additional Reading
5 Reasons Why STEM Is Important
We Need STEAM, Not STEM Education, To Prepare Our Kids For The 4th Industrial Revolution
Transformative Leadership: Its Evolution and Impact
Holistic Education: An Approach for 21st Century
Dr. Steve Scotti is Brilliant Star’s STEAMS Education Advisor and a Distinguished Research Associate at NASA Langley Research Center in Virginia, U.S. His background is in developing lighter, stronger materials and structures for aircraft and spacecraft. Watching the first astronaut launched into space inspired his interest in space exploration.
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