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"Both project-based learning and STEAM education (science, technology, engineering, art and math) are growing rapidly in our schools. Some schools are doing STEAM, some are doing PBL, and some are leveraging the strengths of both to do STEAM PBL. With a push for deeper learning, teaching and assessment of 21st-century skills, both PBL and STEAM help schools target rigorous learning and problem solving. They are not exactly the same, but teachers can easily connect to them to teach not only STEAM content and design challenges, but also authentic learning and public, high-quality work. In fact, many know that STEAM education isn't just the content, but the process of being scientists, mathematicians, engineers, artists and technological entrepreneurs. Here are some ways that PBL and STEAM can complement each other as you deliver instruction"

"When you were growing up, what did you enjoy playing with? If you were like me, maybe it was Tinker Toys, an Easy Bake Oven, or Lite Brite. I liked designing and creating things. As a teenager, my imagination ran wild as my ideas turned into sketches which later covered the walls of my bedroom. (Thanks Mom, for never painting over the walls-even 25 years later!) My own children love building and messing around with things, too. It's amazing how long a few cardboard boxes or toilet paper rolls and some duct tape will keep them entertained. (We've built forts, spaceships, and garages for all their Match Box cars.) It's the nature of these learning experiences that allow young people to think creatively and use their imagination. With a focus on standards, accountability, and assessment over the last decade or so, it seemed that these opportunities disappeared from our schools. However, within the last few years, the tide is beginning to turn. I believe an exciting shift is happening in education as schools across the country are embracing the Maker Movement and returning creative, hands-on learning opportunities to their classrooms. Additionally, STEAM education has come to the forefront with an emphasis on preparing students for college, career, and beyond, focusing on the 4 C's: communication, collaboration, critical thinking, and creativity. STEM has transformed into STEAM as the arts become an integral component to meaningful learning. In many schools, the STEAM and maker education are colliding. Hybrid models are being created that embrace the integration of STEAM components and the creative spirit of the Maker Movement. At the intersection between STEAM and making, powerful learning occurs. I would argue that a new movement is emerging-STEAM Makers."

"To survive in today's world, it's imperative for students to become innovators able to think both critically and creatively. Because of this, many schools are looking to STEAM education. If you're unfamiliar, STEAM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, the Arts, and Math. STEAM education aims to help students see and use connections between all of these disciplines to become well-rounded. However, STEAM didn't always exist. In fact, the arts were never part of the original equation. Read on to see how STEM morphed into STEAM and how to bring these important ideas into your classroom."

"In many schools, the STEAM and maker education are colliding. Hybrid models are being created that embrace the integration of STEAM components and the creative spirit of the Maker Movement. At the intersection between STEAM and making, powerful learning occurs. I would argue that a new movement is emerging-STEAM Makers."

"Welcome to this fourth post in a series that brings STEM, STEAM, and Maker Space together with Project Based Learning and proper technology integration in the classroom. You will discover around one hundred resources in this series along with some great ideas for finding student success.  Before reading, please take a moment to subscribe by email or RSS and also give me a follow on "

"Augmented content is just another tool you can pull out of your teacher toolbox that brings student engagement to a whole new level.  For STEAM the letter "S" is supposed to stand for science, so  I thought how fun it would be to have a space STEAM unit.  As a teacher I would use the Quiver Space Comparison coloring sheet to introduce the unit.  Since I am into Augmented Student Interactive Notebooks I would print the coloring sheet as either a 4x6 or 5x7 size that could be easily attached to a page in the notebooks. I would also have writing prompts posted in an LMS, on Bulletin Board. whiteboard, etc..."

"Looking for some good iPad apps to teach STEAM in your classroom? This collection created by We Are Teachers is definitely a must see. It provides about 60 iPad apps categorized under different subject areas, all of which are geared towards enhancing your kids' STEAM knowledge. The app recommendations are also arranged in such a way that you will be able to access apps for different grade levels (k-12). I have spent sometime going through this collection and find it really worth sharing with you here. Have a look and share with us what you think of it."

"There is a lot of talk about the importance of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) in education. Schools, governments, and businesses are hoping that today's STEM students can solve tomorrow's global issues. The importance of a quality education has not been lost on me. I've gone from a liberal arts university to some highly-technical professions and back (and forth). This has left me with a well-rounded amount of experience in all the STEM subjects. But there's more to education than getting a STEM job. A lot more. That's why a new term is gaining *ahem* steam. It's called STEAM and it's the idea of incorporating arts into a STEM-based curriculum. In other words, let's help students think more creatively and better understand the problems they're already working to solve"

"Using a tablet to explore STEAM concepts is a natural pairing-as kids drag, draw and create they learn more about technology and the world around them. That's why we've gathered 60 of our favorite apps for teaching STEAM in the classroom, with recommendations for every grade level. Read on to get our list!"

"As a parent or an educator, you may have heard the term' STEAM' being used to describe a new way of learning. What is it though, and what does it mean for students today? Here's exactly what STEAM means for the future of learning."

"Nicholas Provenzano puts the 'A' in STEAM education. As a high school English teacher who actively seeks new ways to enhance learning, he is often at the leading edge of trends in education and technology - from going paperless in the classroom, to creating a makerspace in the school library, to teaching STEAM skills through project-based learning. For his TED-Ed Innovation Project, Provenzano launched student innovation projects - in which students were given the opportunity to choose an interesting problem and solve it in an innovative way. The projects were then shared in the school's first ever STEAM competition. Here is Provenzano's recap of what worked best for his students - and how you can launch student innovation projects in your school:"

"Whether you are looking for resources related to integrating science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) or infusing arts, design, and humanities to transform STEM into STEAM, this curated compilation will help you strategize around different approaches to integrated studies."

"In 2006 there was a term that started to grow in the United States-- STEM education (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math). The basis of the STEM movement was the growing concern that our students were not prepared for the high-tech jobs of the future. Just a year later a well-know researcher, Georgette Yakman, announced the need to include the arts in STEM programs; thus STEM became STEAM. Georgette took the inclusion of the arts and expanded on how it relates to the other STEM subjects. Her well-know quote is "Science and technology, interpreted through engineering and the arts, all based in elements of mathematics." This is a rich beginning to our dive into the 21st century job market... but! We have lost sight of one very important aspect of our education and all jobs, be they high-tech, low-tech, or no-tech. What about the importance of reading? Without the ability to read and write, there is not a job to be found for which STEM or STEAM education is going to be enough preparation. ELA, or English Language Arts, is a critical component of the core standards. There are also standards that help reference reading and writing for science and the technical subjects. The notion seems to be that reading is still a critical element in any student's success. Why not give it its proper place... STEM to STEAM to STREAM, standing for Science, Technology, Reading, Engineering, Arts and Math. "

"Whether you are looking for resources on integrating science, technology, engineering, and math or on infusing the arts to transform STEM into STEAM, this curated compilation will help you strategize around different approaches to integrated studies."

"Whether you are looking for resources on integrating science, technology, engineering, and math or on infusing the arts to transform STEM into STEAM, this curated compilation will help you strategize around different approaches to integrated studies."

"The "maker movement" can play an important role in getting kids interested in innovation and design, and littleBits-which makes easy-to-use electronic building blocks-is finding itself at the center of this movement. Until now, the company has focused mostly on the consumer market, but during a March 8 keynote session, littleBits founder and CEO Ayah Bdeir announced a new kit made specifically for schools. "We want to unleash the inventor in everyone," Bdeir said. In a conversation with Education Week, Bdeir said schools need to find ways to make science, technology, engineering, arts, and math (STEAM) education more fun, engaging, and accessible for students. "I studied engineering, and almost on a weekly basis I wanted to quit," she said. "We need to find ways of approaching STEAM education differently." Bdeir said her experience in learning engineering as an undergraduate was "completely hands-off; as a result, many other students and I were turned off to it." But when she arrived at the MIT Media Lab for her master's of science degree, "it was the exact opposite. Every week was a new project, a new learning challenge. It was very scary, but also exhilarating and engaging." That's the experience her company is trying to replicate for students at all levels with the new STEAM Student Set."

"User Generated Education Education as it should be - passion-based. Design Thinking Process and UDL Planning Tool for STEM, STEAM, Maker Education leave a comment » Post by Jackie Gerstein, Ed.D. @jackiegerstein and Barbara Bray @bbray27. Crossed posted at http://barbarabray.net/2017/06/08/design-thinking-process-and-udl-planning-tool/. If there is a makerspace in your school, it may be down the hall, in the library, or in another building. If there is someone other than the teacher managing the makerspace or there is a schedule for the school, your kids may only be able to use it once a week or month. Some makerspace activities may be focusing on how to use the resources available and may not be connecting the activities to the curriculum or around a real world problem. If this is how the makerspace is set up in your school, then your kids may not have access to the resources, materials, and tools when they need them, especially for STEM or STEAM. In deciding what resources you need based on the learners you have, you may first need to determine how your learners learn best, what projects you plan to do, how you can set up a makerspace in your classroom, and much more. This is why we decided to create a planning tool for makerspaces in the classroom for you using the Design Thinking Process and Universal Design for Learning®."

"Wow! I'm a huge fan of the best engineering projects for kids and want to be sure you have some great STEAM ideas on hand. This list is sure to get those creative juices flowing! Use this set of 28 Days of STEM Activities and STEAM Activities for Kids posts to excite the kids all year long. Learn using STEM and STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art, & math) concepts while you explore forces of motion, chemistry, sound, and so much more!"

Making the most of Maker Spaces and STEAM will require professional development and a new mindset for all learners. 

"Welcome to this fifth post in a series that brings STEM, STEAM, and Maker Space together with Project Based Learning and proper technology integration in the classroom. You will discover around one hundred resources in this series along with some great ideas for finding student success.  Before reading, please take a moment to subscribe by email or RSS and also give me a follow on "