STEAM for Integrated Education

Dr Briony Thomas, School of Mechanical Engineering & School of Design (joint)

Public Engagement Fund

The Covid-19 infodemic has highlighted that poor science literacy is an underestimated public health problem globally, calling attention to the importance of science education in the prevention of disease.  In partnership with Batley Multi Academy Trust, we are exploring the opportunities, priorities and challenges for creative, interdisciplinary science literacy interventions through action research in schools.  Our approach combines STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics) education and co-design methods to create innovative classroom activities that aim to increase science literacy in infectious disease prevention and control.  This is an aspect of science education that is largely omitted from the UK curriculum until Key Stage 4.

This project will disseminate the creative outputs from our work with schools to a public audience through exhibitions and online galleries.  We aim to engage with educational leaders and policy influencers through a deliberative forum event focused on the priorities for science literacy, opportunities offered through STEAM education and approaches to participatory working between schools and universities.  Through these activities we aim to increase knowledge and understanding of the opportunities for creative STEAM approaches in the KS2 and KS3 curriculum, influence teaching practices and the adoption of creative pedagogic approaches.  We also aim to increase awareness of collaborative ways of working between schools and universities.