Editorial: Special Issue “Promoting STEAM in Education”

Lately STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art/aesthetics/architecture/all, mathematics) education has become a common notion. Yet, the theoretical and practical perspectives on STEAM, from its nature to classroom applications and its implementation in teacher education have unexamined potential. This special issue grew out of the International LUMAT Research Symposium “Promoting STEAM in Education” that took place at the University of Helsinki, Finland in June of 2020. With the challenges of organizing an online symposium in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, its online nature had significant advantages. The symposium drew international scholars inviting a multitude of prospective on STEAM education, while uncovering the challenges faced by educators. The issue aims at examining these challenges through a collection of papers. In this editorial, we introduce some key notions, discourses, and challenges of STEAM education, as a relatively novel concept and briefly discuss the history of STEAM and its evolution over the last decades. We also problematize STEAM and its roots through asking a question: What is “A” in STEAM representing? Then we introduce the three articles in this special issue: “Full STEAM ahead, but who has the map? – A PRISMA systematic review on the incorporation of interdisciplinary learning into schools”; Promoting STEAM learning in the early years: ‘Pequeños Científicos’ Program”; and “Promoting student interest in science: The impact of a science theatre project”. These articles challenge us to rethink STEAM education, reveal the potential of STEAM, and offer ideas for future research.

Promoting student interest in science: The impact of a science theatre project

Researchers have often noted the potential of the performing arts to support STEM education – especially in heterogeneous classrooms. This article reports on the implementation of a science theatre project in a secondary school class located in a disadvantaged area of Hamburg (Germany). In the accompanying research study, effects on students' interest in STEM and artistic expression were surveyed. Data analysis using t-tests shows that the artistic work significantly increased students' interest in physics and chemistry, and specifically in the process of galvanization, the project's focus topic. The analysis also revealed a growth in students' knowledge of cultural practices, self-confidence, joy in individual artistic expression, and classroom spirit during the course of the project.

The Flat Earth satire, using science theatre to debunk absurd theories

Science needs everything, and art must feed on it for its actions. With the growing popularity of social media, absurd theories have been gaining consensus without any criticism, and, even worse, they have consolidated. Thus, in order to find solutions for a better understanding of our theories, it was created the project "The Earth is Flat! Now What?", that uses performing art as the main communicator to spread science. The first step was a meeting for promoting integration among Geophysicists, Art-educators, Artists, Astronomers, clowns and all the different expertise participating in the project. The meeting was also the occasion for planning the show. The second step was the dramaturgy along with the creative process, which involved discussions of the scenes and lessons about the theme to be presented. And the third step was the performance. The bibliographical review, which is the same method named the “table's work” for artists, was not based on indexed journals, but rather on social networks and classes for understanding the shape of the Earth. The show impacts the community in a fun way offering the opportunity of a new experience to the population.

Using Geo-myths in a classroom: towards creative science writing for scholars

<p>Since when together with A. Negrete we theorized the efficaciousness of using geo-myths in a classroom for Earth education purposes (Lanza&Negrete 2007) I have been experimenting the use of them in different science narratives context. In my presentation, I will retrace all the experiences done starting with science theatre, including  Open Air museum, till the more recent  done with scholars of secondary schools for re-writing myths and transforming them in fairy-tales for primary school children. Using geo-myths with students in different context has convinced me of their efficaciousness in spreading the knowledge of the planet, while educating to the respect of the Earth. In my presentation I will give also some precious hints in this sense.</p>

Theatre, Science, and the Popular: Two Contemporary Examples From Scandinavia

This article explores relations between theatre, science, and the popular, which have largely been overlooked by Nordic theatre studies. The aim here is to introduce and understand the variety of ways theatre may communicate science to the public, the point of departure informed by the historical development of the relations between the three concepts and Edmund Husserl’s phenomenological critique of modern science. The two analytical examples are Swedish Charlotte Engelkes’ and Peder Bjurman’s Svarta hål – en kvantfysisk vaudeville (2014) and Danish Hotel Pro Forma’s adult per­formance for children Kosmos+ En Big Bang forestilling om universets vidundre (2014).History of science reveals complex combinations of science and the popular in theatri­cal events that raises the question if the audience’s understanding of the scientific sub­ject matter itself always was – or has to be – the purpose of the popular science perfor­mance, or if it rather was – and is – about spurring interest by inspiring sentiments of wonder and reflection on science’s impact on life and outlooks. Newer conceptual devel­opments also suggest that it is not always the case that theatre is a tool for sci­ence popularisation, as a specific genre science theatre, but that scientific information and concepts are artistically interpreted by theatre, and not always in ways affirmative of the science. This later variant is called science-in-theatre. The two genres are demon­strated through the analyses of Svarta hål and Kosmos+, the claim being that the first was an ambiguous exposition of science, i.e. science-in-theatre, whereas the second established an artistically visionary affirmation, as regular science theatre.

An Experience of Science Theatre to Introduce Earth Interior and Natural Hazards to Children

<p>The present paper describes an experience of science theatre addressed to children of primary and secondary school, with the main purpose of making them acquainted with a topic, the interior of the Earth, largely underestimated in compulsory school curricula worldwide. A not less important task was to encourage a positive attitude towards natural hazards that are here presented as an expression of our planet vitality. We conducted the experience with the help of a theatrical company specialized in shows for children, trying to merge scientific accuracy, entertainment and ethical issues. Several performances have been reiterated in different context, giving us the opportunity of conducting a preliminary survey with a public of different ages, skills and expectations. Results suggest that science theatre, while relying on creativity and emotional learning has the potential to raise children interest on the process of making science, on natural phenomena and may trigger a positive attitude on natural disasters reduction best practices.</p>

Science theatre in teaching and popularizing the history of chemistry: The case of a theatrical play on Nobel-laureate A.I. Virtanen

The article discusses the significance of science theatre and the role of nature of science in it, as well as the significance of history of chemistry, and different methods for popularizing it and using it in teaching. The study includes two surveys (N=45 and N=126) conducted among the audiences of “Virtanen!” play, performed in 2011. The data was analyzed using content analysis. Based on the results, the history of science was mainly portrayed through the life of the protagonist of the play, and the play showed the human side of science to the audience. In addition, from the viewpoint of nature of science, the play emphasized the role of social interaction in science as well as the interaction between science and the society. According to the audiences, national expertise in chemistry should be emphasized more in order to increase interest towards the subject and also to promote national self-esteem. It was suggested that history of chemistry should be presented through different methods, such as science theater, school teaching, exhibitions, and documentary films, in future. Also, it was hoped that history would be included in chemistry teaching together with other chemistry contents, through historical portraits of scientists, in collaboration with other school subjects or as a separate lesson on history of science. Science theatre was found to be a good method to teach history of chemistry and nature of science, and to popularize chemistry.