iSTEAM: Integrating Art into STEM - Cohort 2

During the 2021-2022 school year, an interdisciplinary team of IU faculty affiliated with the IU Center for Rural Engagement collaborated to provide a series of professional development workshops for middle school art and STEM teachers from rural schools in south central Indiana. The focus of the workshops was to help teachers improve interdisciplinary teaching and learning by infusing art into science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) curricula. The project brought together teams of art and STEM teachers to explore connections with the goal of designing and implementing inquiry-based activities for their students. The program utilized engineering design, art, and music to engage students in both creative and innovative pursuits that serve to build robust understandings of core disciplinary concepts and advance their technological and artistic knowledge and skills. Career awareness of disciplines that foster creativity and innovation were highlighted throughout the project such that participating teachers could share STEAM career options with their students.