How to Boost Student Engagement with Math Pictures

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How to Boost Student Engagement with Math Pictures

How to Boost Student Engagement with Math Pictures

Teachers can us math pictures to spark deep discussions and make mathematics more visually accessible for students

Math Pictures can be used to spark student interest and discussion for a variety of topics.

Mathematics is a visual subject, and math pictures are an important tool for understanding and communicating mathematical ideas. Math pictures help us see patterns, visualize concepts, and explore relationships.

In this post, we will explore the world of math pictures in several forms including:

Math Pictures: Graphs and Diagrams

Graphs and diagrams are perhaps the most common type of pictures for math applications. These visual aids are used to represent real-world data in a visual way that is easy to understand. Graphs can show relationships between variables, patterns in data, and trends over time. There are many different types of graphs, including line graphs, bar graphs, scatter plots, and pie charts.

 

Picture Math: Graphs and charts are one of the most common types of visual math representations. (Image: Mashup Math FP)

 

Line graphs are used to show how a variable changes over time or in relation to another variable. For example, a line graph might show how the temperature changes throughout the day, or how the stock price of a company changes over the course of a year. Bar graphs are used to compare different categories of data, such as the sales of different products or the number of students in different grade levels. Scatter plots are used to show how two variables are related to each other, such as the relationship between height and weight. Pie charts are used to show how a whole is divided into parts, such as the percentage of a budget that is spent on different categories.

Diagrams are another type of math pictures that can be used to represent relationships between concepts. Venn diagrams, for example, are used to show how sets overlap or do not overlap. Flowcharts are used to show the steps in a process or algorithm. Tree diagrams are used to show the outcomes of different choices or events.

 

Pictures of Math: Venn Diagrams

(Image: Mashup Math)

Compare/Contrast Colors

(Image: Mashup Math FP)

 

Math Pictures: Think-Notice-Wonder

Encouraging students to write about math facilitates the structuring of their thoughts, utilization of crucial terminology, and effective mathematical communication, ultimately resulting in a profound and significant comprehension of the subject.

 

When you look at this math picture, what do you think? What do you notice? What do you wonder?

 

A recent trend in math education is the use of captivating think-notice-wonder (TNW) writing prompts to spark student thinking and participation.

TNW activities involve presenting students with a math picture along with a prompt to complete the following statements in writing:

  • I Think…

  • I Notice…

  • I Wonder…

You can learn more about using TNW activities in your classroom by clicking here.

 

Math Pictures: Think-Notice-Wonder Writing Prompts

 

Math Pictures: Art and Visualizations

Mathematical art combines the beauty of art with the precision of mathematics. One incredible example of mathematical art are Lissajous figures that are made using a Harmonograph—a mechanical device that uses a pendulum to draw a geometric math picture. Some of the most beautiful Lissajous figures can be found out the Exploratorium Museum in San Francisco, California, where several works by Ivan Moscovich are on display.

Math Pictures: Harmonographs

Math Pictures: Harmonographs

Math Pictures: Harmonographs

Another example of art-related pictures for math learning are Escher tessellations, which are repeating patterns that are created by fitting different shapes together in a precise way.

Math Pictures: Escher Tessellations (Digital)

Image: Mashup Math FP

Math Pictures: Escher Tessellations (Tiles)

Photo by Jack T on Unsplash

Mathematical visualizations are yet another type of math picture that is used to help us understand complex mathematical concepts. Visualizations use color, shape, and movement to represent mathematical objects and relationships. They are often used in fields such as physics, computer science, architecture, and engineering to help researchers understand and model complex systems.

 

Pictures of math: Architecture is a great way to visualize concepts such as lines, angles, space, and symmetry.

Photo by Alex wong on Unsplash

San Francisco, CA

Photo by Jessa Lundquist on Unsplash

 

Another example of pictures for math visualization is a heat map. Heat maps are used to show how a variable changes over time or space. For example, a heat map might show how the temperature changes throughout a city or how the stock prices of different companies change over the course of a day. Another example is a network diagram, which is used to show how different nodes or points are connected to each other. Network diagrams are used in fields such as social science and computer science to model complex systems of relationships.

 

Pictures of Math: Weather Heat Maps (Photo by Brian McGowan on Unsplash)

 

Math Pictures: Topic-Specific Examples

Mathematical pictures are not just useful for professionals and researchers; they can also be used to help students understand difficult concepts. In fact, many math teachers use pictures and diagrams to help their students learn math.

For example, a teacher might use a picture of a number line to help students understand how numbers relate to each other. Here a few more ideas for using math pictures to engage students when learning specific topics:

 

Math Pictures: The common medical pain scale chart is also a number line!

(Image: Mashup Math FP)

 

Here are a few more topic-specific examples of math pictures that you can use to engage your students:

Fractions: Fractions can be one of the most challenging topics for students to grasp. Teachers can use various math pictures to give students a visual way to think about fractions and what they represent.

 

Relating Fractions to Legos

Exploring parts and wholes with avocados.

 

Percents: Like fractions, percents can be a tricky topic for students and using visual math pictures is a great way to help students think more creatively about percentages.

 
 

Probability: Another math topic that can be highly visual and enhanced by the use of math pictures is probability. In this case, using math pictures that utilize fun and interesting scenarios is a great way to spark student engagement and interest in applying their math skills to making predictions about what will happen next.

 

Using pictures of math to explore probability.

 

Money: When teaching students about money and spending, using math pictures that bring relatable scenarios to life is a no brainer.

 

Math Pictures: Bring money scenarios to life with visual aids.

 

Geometric Shapes: Teachers can also use math pictures to supplement any lesson on 2D and/or 3D-geometric shapes and their properties.

Math Pictures: Geometric Shapes in Art

Photo by Clément Falize on Unsplash

Math Pictures: Geometric Shapes in Sculpture

(Image: Mashup Math FP)

There are many places online to search for math pictures including Google Images and free online stock photo galleries such as Unsplash.

Regardless of the source of the math pictures, your students will be enthusiastic and interested in discussing them, as mathematics is present in our surroundings.

More Teaching Insights Just for You:

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The Platonic Solids Explained

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The Platonic Solids Explained

The Platonic Solids Explained

The Incredible History, Meaning, and Beauty of the Platonic Solids

The 5 Platonic Solids. (Image: Mashup Math FP)

The platonic solids are incredible, timeless, and fascinating three-dimensional shapes that have been studied and admired by mathematicians and mystics for thousands and thousands of years.

The platonic solids are named after the ancient Greek philosopher Plato, who believed that these sacred geometrical figures represented the fundamental building blocks of our universe.

In this post, we will explore the history and mathematical properties of the 5 Platonic solids, as well as their significance in mathematics, science, religion, and art.

What are the 5 Platonic Solids?

There are five total platonic solids:

  • Tetrahedron: 4 faces, 4 points, 6 edges

  • Hexahedron: 6 faces, 8 points, 12 edges

  • Octahedron: 8 faces, 6 points, 12 edges

  • Icosahedron: 20 faces, 12 points, 30 edges

  • Dodecahedron: 12 faces, 20 points, 30 edges

The outlines of the five platonic solids. (Image: Mashup Math FP)

The History of the Platonic Solids

The history of Platonic solids can be traced back to ancient Greece, where the geometric shapes were first described by Plato in a dialogue entitled Timaeus. His interest in these geometrical figures is why they are called Platonic Solids today.

Plato believed that our universe was comprised up of five elements: earth, air, fire, water, and aether. He associated each element with a different Platonic solid. According to Plato:

  • The tetrahedron represents fire.

  • The cube represents earth.

  • The octahedron represents air.

  • The dodecahedron represents aether.

  • The icosahedron represents water.

 

Platonic Solids Elements as described by Plato. (Image: Mashup Math FP)

 

Plato's ideas about the platonic solids and their relationship with our universe have influenced mathematicians, mystics, and astrologists for thousands of years all the way to modern day. Notably, Plato’s writings on the 5 Platonic Solids strongly influenced the famous Roman engineer and architect Vitruvius, who wrote extensively about the use of the Platonic Solids in architectural design, as well as the Islamic scholar Al-Kindi, who dedicated his life to studying the geometrical and mathematical properties of the 5 Platonic Solids.

 

Platonic Solids Elements: The Platonic Solids are named after the philosopher Plato, who believed that each figure represented one of the 5 elements that make up our universe. (Image: Mashup Math FP)

 

Platonic Solids Sacred Geometry Relationship

Sacred geometry is a term used to describe the belief that certain geometric shapes have spiritual or divine significance. Since the Platonic Solids are believed to represent the 5 elements that make up the universe, they are considered to be a part of sacred geometry.

Furthermore, sacred geometry is often associated with the study of ancient architecture, art, and symbolism, as well as with various mystical and esoteric traditions. Proponents of sacred geometry believe that these shapes and patterns can be found throughout the natural world and can serve as a means of connecting with higher spiritual realms.

 

The Platonic Solids can be found in sacred geometry. (Image: Mashup Math FP)

 

One of the most striking features of Platonic solids is that they are all regular polyhedra. This means that each face of the solid is a congruent regular polygon, and the vertices of the solid are all congruent (i.e., identical) and equidistant from the center of the solid. In addition, the angles between the faces and the angles between the edges are all the same.

In relation to sacred geometry, the unique and universal mathematical properties of the Platonic Solids is what makes them so special—and, perhaps to some, even divine.

For example, the ratio of the length of an edge to the length of the radius of the circumscribed sphere (i.e., the sphere that passes through all the vertices of the solid) is the same for all Platonic solids. This ratio is known as the "golden ratio" and has been a subject of fascination for mathematicians and artists for centuries.

The 5 Platonic Solids Explained

How many Platonic Solids are there?

There are five platonic solids: the tetrahedron, cube, octahedron, dodecahedron, and icosahedron. Let's explore each of these shapes and their properties.

Tetrahedron

The tetrahedron is the simplest platonic solid, consisting of four equilateral triangles that meet at four vertices. Each vertex is surrounded by three other vertices, and the angles between the edges that meet at a vertex are all equal. The tetrahedron has the smallest number of faces, edges, and vertices of all the platonic solids.

Cube

The cube is probably the most well-known of the platonic solids, consisting of six square faces that meet at eight vertices. Each vertex is surrounded by three other vertices, and the angles between the edges that meet at a vertex are all right angles. The cube has a total of twelve edges, and each edge is the same length.

Octahedron

The octahedron is a three-dimensional shape made up of eight equilateral triangles that meet at six vertices. Each vertex is surrounded by four other vertices, and the angles between the edges that meet at a vertex are all equal. The octahedron has a total of twelve edges, and each edge is the same length.

Dodecahedron

The dodecahedron is a shape made up of twelve regular pentagons that meet at twenty vertices. Each vertex is surrounded by three other vertices, and the angles between the edges that meet at a vertex are all equal. The dodecahedron has a total of thirty edges, and each edge is the same length.

Icosahedron

The icosahedron is a three-dimensional shape made up of twenty equilateral triangles that meet at twelve vertices. Each vertex is surrounded by five other vertices, and the angles between the edges that meet at a vertex are all equal. The icosahedron has a total of thirty edges, and each edge is the same length.

Is there a new Platonic Solid?

While it is not classified as a Platonic Solid, there is an extremely interesting three-dimensional figure called a Buckyball that has many of the same mystical and structural properties of the Platonic Solids.

A buckyball is a type of fullerene, which is a molecule composed entirely of carbon atoms. Buckyballs are also known as C60 molecules because they are made up of 60 carbon atoms arranged in a spherical shape, like a soccer ball.

The structure of buckyballs was discovered in 1985 by scientists Robert Curl, Harold Kroto, and Richard Smalley, who were awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1996 for their work. Buckyballs have unique electronic, optical, and mechanical properties, and they have potential applications in fields such as nanotechnology, materials science, and medicine.

If you have ever walked along the waterfront in San Francisco, California, you have likely seen the famous 25-foot Buckyball sculpture in front of the Exploratorium at Pier 15.

 

The famous Buckyball sculpture in San Francisco.

The structure of a Buckyball, which has faces comprised of hexagons and pentagons.

(Image: Mashup Math FP)

 

Conclusion: Platonic Solids

Platonic solids are special because they are a group of five regular, convex polyhedra that have the same number of faces meeting at each vertex, and all faces are congruent regular polygons.

The 5 Platonic Solids have unique mathematical properties, such as their relationship between the number of vertices, edges, and faces, as well as symmetries and interesting geometric properties that have made them the subject of study in various fields.

Additionally, their historical significance, recognized by Plato in his philosophical works, has further contributed to their divine status in the fields of mathematics and sacred geometry.

The properties of Platonic solids have fascinated mathematicians and scientists for thousands of years and continue to be a subject of study and fascination today.

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Tags: platonic solids, 5 platonic solids, elements platonic solids, platonic solids elements, platonic solids sacred geometry, five platonic solids, how many platonic solids are there, what are platonic solids 

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The 37 Greatest Math Quotes of All Time

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The 37 Greatest Math Quotes of All Time

The 37 Greatest Math Quotes of All Time

Inspiring and Motivational Quotes About Math for Students

The Best Motivational and Inspirational Math Quotes for Kids (Image: Mashup Math FP)

Without mathematics, there’s nothing you can do. Everything around you is mathematics. Everything around you is numbers. -Shakuntala Devi

Mathematics is an alluring and inspiring subject that has captivated inquisitive minds for thousands of years. Yet, helping your students to have a passion and appreciation for the beauty of mathematics can be a difficult task.

One way to give your students insight into the wonders and mysterious charm of math is by sharing and discussing inspiring math quotes. Many teachers opt to share a quote of the week or post a bulletin board in their classroom with inspiring quotes about math on display.

While there are hundreds of math quotes to be found online, many of them are not exactly inspiring, interesting, or even appropriate for students. So, we have compiled a list of the 37 best math quotes for students along with several corresponding image graphics that you can display in your classroom digitally or by printing them out.

We call our list The 37 Greatest Math Quotes of All Time because it is just that. Below, you will find inspiring, insightful, and even funny math quotes from some of history and modern day’s wisest and most talented male and female mathematicians from various backgrounds.

So, go ahead and scroll through this awesome collection of math quotes. You will be sure to find many that will fill you and your students with inspiration, motivation, and even a renewed passion for the greatest subject there ever was—math!

(Do you want more free K-8 math resources and activities in your inbox every week? Click here to sign up for our math education email newsletter)

The 37 Greatest Math Quotes of All Time

The first of our inspirational math quotes dates back to the 16th century.

“Nature is written in mathematical language.”
— Galileo Galilei
“Mathematics is the most beautiful and most powerful creation of the human spirit. ”
— Stefan Banach
“It is impossible to be a mathematician without being a poet in soul.”
— Sofia Kovalevskaya
“The essence of math is not to make simple things complicated, but to make complicated things simple.”
— Stan Gudder
“Life is a math equation. In order to gain the most, you have to know how to convert negatives into positives”
— Anonymous

Math is like going to the gym for your brain.—Is this one of the best quotes about math ever!?

“Math is like going to the gym for your brain. It sharpens your mind.”
— Danica McKellar
“What is mathematics? It is only a systematic effort of solving puzzles posed by nature.”
— Shakuntala Devi
“There should be no such thing as boring mathematics. ”
— Edsger Dijkstra
“I’ve always been interested in using mathematics to make the world work better.”
— Alvin E. Roth
“I hope that seeing the excitement of solving this problem will make mathematicians realize that there are lots and lots of other problems in mathematics which are going to be just as challenging in the future.”
— Andrew Wiles

This statement on the importance of understanding is one of the best math quotes of all time.

“Mathematics is not about numbers, equations, computations, or algorithms: it is about understanding.”
— William Paul Thurston
“Mathematics is the most beautiful and most powerful creation of the human spirit. ”
— Stefan Banach
“Mathematics has beauty and romance. It’s not a boring place to be, the mathematical world. It’s an extraordinary place; it’s worth spending time there. ”
— Marcus du Sautoy
“The only way to learn mathematics is to do mathematics. ”
— Paul Halmos
“We will always have STEM with us. Some things will drop out of the public eye and go away, but there will always be science, engineering, and technology. And there will always, always be mathematics.”
— Katherine Johnson

A list of the greatest math quotes of all time would not be complete without including Albert Einstein. (Image: Mashup Math MJ)

“Mathematics is, in its way, the poetry of logical ideas. ”
— Albert Einstein
“Mathematics knows no races or geographic boundaries; for mathematics, the cultural world is one country.”
— David Hilbert
“Mathematics may not teach us to add love or subtract hate, but it gives us hope that every problem has a solution.”
— Anonymous
“In mathematics, the art of proposing a question must be held of higher value than solving it. ”
— George Cantor
“I’ve always enjoyed mathematics. It is the most precise and concise way of expressing an idea.”
— N.R. Narayana Murthy

This insight by famous Indian mathematician Shakuntala Devi is one of the most inspirational math quotes of all time.

“Without mathematics, there’s nothing you can do. Everything around you is mathematics. Everything around you is numbers. ”
— Shakuntala Devi
“Mathematics are the result of mysterious powers which no one understands, and which the unconscious recognition of beauty must play an important part. Out of an infinity of designs a mathematician chooses one pattern for beauty’s sake and pulls it down to earth.”
— Marston Morse
“It is the perennial youthfulness of mathematics itself which marks it off with a disconcerting immortality from the other sciences.   ”
— E.T. Bell
“A mathematician who is not also something of a poet will never be a complete mathematician.”
— Karl Weierstrass

This insight from James Joseph Sylvester is another simple, yet impactful, quotes about math.

“Mathematics is the music of reason”
— James Joseph Sylvester
“Go down deep enough into anything and you will find mathematics.”
— Dean Schlicter
“Mathematics is not a careful march down a well-cleared highway, but a journey into a strange wilderness, where the explorers often get lost. Rigor should be a signal to the historians that the maps have been made, and the real explorers have gone elsewhere.”
— W.S. Anglin
“It’s fine to work on any problem, so long as it generates interesting mathematics along the way - even if you don’t solve it at the end of the day. ”
— Andrew Wiles
“Mathematics compares the most diverse phenomena and discovers the secret analogies that unite them.”
— Joseph Fourier
“The study of mathematics, like the Nile, begins in minuteness but ends in magnificence.”
— Charles Caleb Colton

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Funny Math Quotes

The last portion of our list includes some funny math quotes to add a little humor into your classroom.

Looking for more math humor? Check out these super cute and funny math jokes and puns for students.

The first of our funny math quotes is from Snoop Dogg.

“If you stop at general math, then you will only make general money.”
— Snoop Dogg
“There are two ways to do great mathematics. The first is to be smarter than everybody else. The second way is to be stupider than everybody else — but persistent.”
— Raoul Bott
“If people do not believe that mathematics is simple, it is only because they do not realize how complicated life is.”
— John von Neumann
“Somehow it’s o.k. for people to chuckle about not being good at math. Yet if I said ‘I never learned to read,” they’d say I was an illiterate dolt.”
— Neil Tyson
“Arithmetic is numbers you squeeze from your head to your hand to your pencil to your paper till you get the answer.”
— Carl Sandburg
“‘Obvious’ is the most dangerous word in mathematics.”
— E.T. Bell
“In mathematics, you don’t understand things. You just get used to them.”
— John von Neumann

Using Math Quotes to Inspire Your Students

While these quotes are excellent for posting in your classroom to inspire your students on a daily basis, you can also use them to foster whole class or small group discussions about math or even as a writing prompt for a math journal entry (we recommend the I Think… I Notice… I Wonder… model for math journaling).

Luckily, there are many ways to share these math quotes with your students. Here are a few suggestions to get you started:

  • Write a favorite math quote on the board for students to see when they enter class.

  • Select a favorite quote to place underneath your professional email sign-off.

  • Copy-and-paste your favorite quotes onto a word document that can be printed and posted in your classroom or somewhere in your school.

  • Have your students create their own inspirational math quotes.

  • Put an inspirational math quote at the header or footer of quizzes, tests, exams, etc.

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Would your students love some ridiculously funny, silly, and sometimes wacky jokes about numbers?

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51 Teacher Memes That Will Make You Laugh Out Loud

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51 Teacher Memes That Will Make You Laugh Out Loud

51 Funny Teacher Memes That Are All Too Relatable

Teachers have one of the most challenging and under-appreciated jobs in the world.

And, while many teachers love their jobs and all of the positive aspects of being an educator—like molding young minds and collaborating with like-minded individuals every day—there are also, like any job, plenty of elements that can be irritating, bothersome, or even downright perplexing.

So, to celebrate the art of teaching—warts and all—today we are sharing some humor related to the more challenging and aggravating aspects of being a teacher by sharing some all too relatable funny teacher memes for teachers of all subjects and grade levels.

Whether it’s boisterous students, delusional parents, out-of-touch administrators, meetings that could have been emails, unnecessary paperwork, inadequate financial compensation, or any other eccentric aspect of being an educator, there is a teacher meme on our list that will make you absolutely laugh out loud.

Funny teacher memes may be just what you need to make it through the week.

Teaching is an incredibly demanding job and it’s important to be able to laugh at some of the silliness that comes with the territory of working in a school and/or with students on a daily basis.

So, take some time to scroll down and enjoy this collection of funny teacher memes that spotlight and celebrate the crazy, the goofy, the unhinged, and the absurd moments that we all deal with every day.

Keep in mind that each teacher meme is spoken with tongue-in-cheek and it’s okay to laugh! Feel free to share this post with your colleagues and share a good laugh together. Enjoy :)

Funny Teacher Memes #1-10

1.) It happens to the best of us.

 
 

2.) I swear, I can’t leave y’all alone for two seconds…

 
 

3.) When your classroom phone interrupts your lesson for the sixth time…

 
 

4.) I’m just going to lay down and rest my eyes for a minute…

 

Teacher Memes: Every teacher by 8:00pm on a Friday night…

 

5.) You love to see it.

 
 

6.) These kids are going to be the death of me, I swear.

 

Teaching Memes Funny

 

7.) What on Earth does this say?

 
 

8.) When you overhear your students’ personal conversations…

 
 

9.) You can’t be serious…

 
 

10.) When the fire alarm goes off during an awesome lesson…

 
Embed Block
Add an embed URL or code. Learn more
 

Funny Teacher Memes #11-20

Are you ready for 10 more hysterical teacher memes?

11.) Many teachers often wonder the same thing…

 
 

12.) When you start distributing hands-on materials in your classroom…

 
 

13.) I don’t know, maybe consult the people who actually do the job?

 
 

14.) When your students ask you your age…

 
 

15.) Seconds turn into minutes, and minutes turn into hours, and hours turn into—we get it.

 
 

16.) When you’re being observed and you suddenly feel like you’re giving a TED talk…

 
 

17.) Number One Pet Peeve.

 

Don’t get too triggered by this teaching meme.

 

19.) We just sat around waiting until you came back…

 
 

20.) You can not be serious.

 
 

Funny Teacher Memes #21-30

Okay, let’s keep the laughter going with another teacher meme that will make you laugh out loud.

21.) Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, o-ohh

 
 

22.) Wake up, people!

 
 

23.) When you find out that you have to stay after school for another meeting…

 
 

24.) If it ain’t broke…

 
 

25.) Does this ever work?

 
 

26.) The struggle is real…

 
 

27.) Keeping up with the lingo is no easy task.

 
 

28.) When your favorite student misbehaves in class…

 
 

29.) When a student asks you to stay after for extra help on a Friday…

 
 

30.) There’s always that one teacher…

 
 

Funny Teacher Memes #31-40

And now for ten more funny memes teacher edition.

31.) Good. Goood….

 
 

32.) When a student tells you that you’re their favorite teacher…

 
 

33.) When someone asks you to cover a class during your off period.

 
 

35.) When you see a student doing math using a pen…

 
 

36.) Surely, I plan my lessons out by the minute.

 
 

37.) It’s a tough look.

 
 

38.) She was my teacher when I was a student here!

 
 

39.) Where did I go wrong?

 
 

40.) When you find out that the department meeting was cancelled…

 
 

Funny Teacher Memes #41-51

Our funny teacher memes collection concludes with these final 11 teaching memes.

41.) Is it warm in here?

 
 

43.) When someone interrupts your lesson by knocking on your classroom door…

 
 

44.) Hey, class just started, and this is crazy, but here’s your do-now, so try it maybe!

 
 

45.) When you’re in the middle of a meeting that obviously could have been an email…

 
 

46.) When the substitute tells you that your students were on-task and well behaved…

 
 

47.) It’s no secret.

 
 

48.) No, I can not volunteer to chaperone the school dance.

 
 

49.) Every teacher on parent/teacher conference day…

 
 

50) Is it June already?

 
 

51.) Every teacher after the final period before summer vacation…

 
 

(Do you want more free K-8 math resources and activities in your inbox every week? Click here to sign up for our math education email newsletter)

Did you laugh, cry, or both? Share your reaction in the comments below!

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What is STEAM Education? (And Why Is It Important?)

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What is STEAM Education? (And Why Is It Important?)

What is STEAM Education and why is it important?

What is STEAM Education and why is it important? (Image: Mashup Math MJ)

Creativity now is as important in education as literacy, and we should treat it with the same status.

-Sir Ken Robinson

In his acclaimed 2006 TED Talk titled Do Schools Kill Creativity?, Sir Ken Robinson concludes that 21st century education fails to cultivate creativity and actually makes students less creative by actively discouraging imagination and individualism. 

At the time of this post, Robinson's TED Talk has nearly 75 million views and has left many wondering how our schools can better promote creative thinking and foster a more imaginative approach to solving problems in all subjects.

While you are probably familiar with STEM—an acronym that stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math—you may not be so familiar with STEAM, where the added letter A stands for the arts.

In this post, you will explore the difference between STEM vs STEAM Education and why the extra letter makes a huge difference when it comes to fostering the type creative thinking and problem-solving skills students need to be successful in modern times.

What does STEAM stand for in Education? STEAM in education refers to the addition of the arts to the STEM movement as a way to foster creative thinking skills and ingenuity.

STEAM Meaning Education Explained

What does STEAM stand for in education?

STEAM is an acronym that stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math.

If our students are going to become effective problem solvers working in technical fields, then they'll need the creativity and critical thinking skills that are developed and enhanced through artistic pursuits in addition to the technical skills that are developed in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics courses.

Many believe that the STEM movement falls short of this goal by not including the arts, which is why the STEAM movement was born.

The shift from STEM to STEAM in education is no small leap. Traditional education, which often devalues the role of the arts, is failing our students as other countries continue to outpace the United States in Science and Math.

The STEAM education meaning is more than just giving students opportunities to pursue art, performance, or music classes. Without the arts, STEM education is often a soulless institution focused on memorizing facts and procedures, taking standardized exams, and acquiring skills that have no perceived application to the real world.

The arts serve as the cohesive element that makes STEM learning accessible and inviting to students who are eager to apply their unique sense of creativity to solving real-world problems.

 

STEAM Meaning Education: Without the arts, the STEM movement falls short of giving students the skills required to succeed in the 21st century.

 

STEAM Definition Education

Complex modern problems, including climate change, social inequality, and divided political landscapes, will require strong critical thinking and problem-solving skills. The STEAM education movement aims to equip students with creative problem-solving skills by injecting an element of creativity and inventiveness into traditional STEM education.

While the emphasis on STEAM learning varies from school to school, the opportunities for exposing yourself to creative opportunities is available to anyone with an Internet connect, thanks to YouTube.

STEAM in Education: What Comes Next?

The goal of STEAM in education is to develop students who take creative and tactful risks. Such students are willing to participate in experiential education that is both flexible and engaging to diverse learning styles. Under this model students have grit and show persistence when taking on challenging problems. They are eager to work collaboratively and have a growth mindset for learning.

 

STEAM Meaning Education: The STEAM in Education movement promotes a growth mindset for learning.

 

Why is STEAM education important?

As the modern career landscape continues to evolve, the most important skills for students to be successful in life are technical skills combined with the creative thinking and flexibility that will allow them to adapt and thrive in an ever-changing job landscape.

To best prepare students for what’s ahead, learning environments must be relevant to real life, as well as variable, dynamic, and stimulating.

By incorporating real-world knowledge and creative thinking learning curriculums, students become more vested in what they are learning, which leads to higher engagement and improved learning outcomes for all.

STEAM in Education: Research

Recent studies suggest that the STEAM in education movement is a powerful method for improving students’ attitudes about learning, classroom achievement, and teacher effectiveness.

For example, another recent study showed that combining STEAM with literacy had a positive impact on cognitive development and led to a boost in literacy and mathematics performance. The student also showed that students who were exposed to STEAM were better able to engage in meaningful reflection and self-assessment compared to classmates who were not exposed to STEAM in education.

STEM vs. STEAM Education

STEM vs STEAM Education: What is the difference?

As mentioned earlier, there is more to the STEM vs STEAM education discussion than simply including the arts. Many believe that STEAM is superior to STEM and that the STEAM education movement is necessary to help students develop the skills required to be successful in the 21st century.

Without including the arts, STEM fails to help students to develop creative thinking skills and problem-solving skills that are critical for thriving in an ever-changing social, political, and economic landscape.

While students currently enrolled in STEM courses and programs do develop 21st century skills and problem-solving strategies, their ability to think and express themselves is limited by the confines of science, technology, engineering and mathematics. However, being successful in a 21st century marketplace calls for individuals who are skilled in these areas and have creative thinking skills, imagination, resourcefulness, and ingenuity.

The STEAM in education movement combines the strengths of STEM with the positive attributes related to thinking, problem-solving, and adapting that are developed through pursuit of the arts. In short, STEAM elevates STEM to another level by allowing students to make connections and applications between what they are learning in STEM courses with creative and artistic thinking and principles that will give them the tools to become well-rounded adults equipped with all of the necessary skills required to succeed in the 21st century.

Keep Learning:

Nurturing a Growth Mindset for learning—where mistakes are celebrated as learning opportunities—is a key component of the STEAM Education movement. To learn more about how you can nurture a growth mindset in your classroom, check out our free Growth Mindset guide for teachers and parents.

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