From Stem to SteAm: Integrating technology and the arts in the creative classroom. Helen Caldwell and Rebecca Heaton Key Research Questions: How can the arts and technology be used in unison to enhance educational practice? Can this practice bridge the gap between industry, education, technology and the arts, giving the arts a prominent position in the SteAm agenda? What role do the students, teachers and pupils play in this agenda and how do they become, or are they agents of change? What can an interdisciplinary approach add to the experience? What are the successes and limitations of digital and artistic tools when documenting a reflexive account of the experience? University staff, local teachers and students share innovative ideas online to promote pedagogy and practice surrounding the Stem to SteAm agenda. Project Aims: To develop a network of University staff and teachers to widen participation and demonstrate exemplary and innovative models of how the arts and technology can be used in unison. To create an online space populated with classroom resources, ideas and discussion on the theme of technology and the arts in education. To formulate a series of videos shared on the Learn4Life web TV channel to raise awareness of the issue and model practice. To set up a group of trained student volunteers to support the integration of arts and technology in schools. Our Aspiration: To extend the project by creating partnerships between local enterprises and educational settings through a series of real world challenges to inspire genuine creative outputs from students and and school pupils. Project Outline: The acronym STEM for science, technology, engineering and maths has become an accepted term, but many suggest that the addition of an A for Arts makes for a more powerful interaction between subjects. This recognises the need to bridge the gap between industry, education, technology and the arts, and empower students to become agents of change. The manipulation of media adds a new dimension to thinking across curriculum subjects and can enhance educational practice. However more evidence is needed about what an interdisciplinary approach can add and the fields of the arts and technology can appear particularly disparate in schools, resulting in a lack of recognition of how they contribute to global culture. To further explore our Stem to SteAm concept please visit out website or contact the project organisers Helen Caldwell: and Rebecca Heaton We are most grateful to the other members of our team: Jean Edwards, Belinda Green, Stephen Bryant, Al Holloway, Emma Whewell and Linda Davis, without their support and technical expertise this project would not have been possible. Outcomes to date: Students are actively working as digital leaders in school supporting and developing new practice in technology and the arts. Teachers are engaging with our web materials, media days, inspire network events and are challenging the boundaries of the Stem to SteAm agenda in their schools. The Inspire team are organizing future events, reviewing the data, disseminating the project through conferences and publications and generating new ideas through collaboration. The Inspire network explore movement through light trails and photographic effects using the iPad App Light Camera Pro. Explore similar effects using Weave Silk, BeFunky and Phoster. A twitter snap shot of the journey so far: Key References: Burnard, P., and Hennessy, S. (Eds.). (2006). Reflective practices in arts education (Vol. 5). Dordrecht: Springer. Freedman, K., and Stuhr, P. (2004). Curriculum change for the 21st century: Visual culture in art education. Handbook of research and policy in art education, pp Platz, J. (2007). How do you turn STEM into STEAM? Add the Arts! [Online]. Available from: STEAM.pdf [Accessed ]. Robelen, E. W. (2011). STEAM: Experts make case for adding arts to STEM. [Online]. Available from: [Accessed ]. Physical to digital art: pupils at Standens Barn Primary School create art for World Book day in response to FArTHER by Grahame Baker-Smith. Where next? With the project generating innovative and engaging learning opportunities for pupils, teachers, students and researchers, which are at the forefront of educational practice we hope to continue the network and delve deeper into pedagogical research surrounding Stem to SteAm. We hope to further involve industry in our research and measure the impact of the network on its participants.