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Executive Summary The acronym STEM short for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics has taken hold in education policy circles, but many are arguing there is a missing component: the arts. Research shows the arts enhance student engagement and learning, while tapping into creative thinking, innovation, and problem solving. According to John Maeda, the president of the Rhode Island School of Design, There is creativity in STEM itself, super genius in it, [] but in arts education, it really is the raison detre to be out of the box, to accept the chaos (Robelen, 2011). Infusing the arts into STEM education may hold the potential for greater creativity and new ways of releasing STEM innovation. By addressing issues within STEM, including issues with the Digital Divide (DD), and adding in the arts component, educators can work to include all learners in the learning process.

Introduction Most educators would agree that every learner has much to learn from a well-rounded education that includes the arts, whether as a source of recreation or one of passion (Harvard School of Education, 2010; Peretz, 2006). Yet there are many threats to arts education, most recently in the form of STEM mandates (Peretz, 2006; Sanders, 2009). STEM is a nationwide movement pushed forth to increase cognition and performance in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics across all levels of education (Fairweather, 2008; Kuenzi, 2008; Sanders, 2009). The attention given to STEM is warranted: learners need to be prepared with 21st century skills in order to work well and succeed in a competitive work force (Fairweather, 2008; Kuenzi, 2008; Sanders, 2009). However science, technology, engineering, and mathematics are intrinsically linked with the arts (Root-Bernstein & RootBernstein, 2012; Sanders, 2009; White, 2010), for example in the following skills: 1. Observing 2. Imaging and visualization 3. Abstracting 4. Pattern recognition and pattern invention 5. Analogizing
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6. Dimensional thinking 7. Modeling 8. Body or kinesthetic 9. Manual dexterity 10. Familiarity with tools 11. Transforming data into visual or graphical forms 12. Converting theories into mechanical procedures 13. and understanding data and experiments kinesthetically and empathetically (RootBernstein & Root-Bernstein, 2012)

argument is innovation and invention stems from the four disciplines where they overlap naturally (Fairweather, 2008; Kuenzi, 2008; Sanders, 2009). A STEM-literate student engages in 21st century learning and is a creative innovator and critical thinker (Fairweather, 2008; Kuenzi, 2008; Sanders, 2009). STEM students are able to make authentic and meaningful connections across various issues and environments, including school and community (Fairweather, 2008; Kuenzi, 2008; Sanders, 2009). Research suggests STEM foundations will support learners in future careers and will allow them to succeed in society (Fairweather, 2008; Kuenzi, 2008; Sanders, 2009). Understanding the Digital Divide

The DD is an inequality between groups of learners in terms of access, use, and knowledge of technology (Epstein, Nisbet & By addressing issues within STEM, including Gillespie, 2011; Hassani, 2006; Hertz, 2011). The DD can occur based on race, education level, and socioeconomic status issues with the Digital Divide (DD), and incorporating arts education, educators can work (Epstein, Nisbet & Gillespie, 2011; Hassani, 2006; Hertz, 2011). There has recently been a shift in the definition of the DD: to include all learners in the learning process. According to a research team consisting of Howard Gardner, Ellen Winner, and Lois Hetland from Harvards Project Zero, the arts offers a way of thinking not available in other disciplines (Harvard Graduate School of Education, 2010). Including arts in the STEM movement can have a beneficial outcome with an integrated approach to learning (CAPE, n.d.; Lee, Lostoski & Williams, 2000; Rogers, 2004); therefore, some proponents are arguing it should not be STEM, but STEAM (STEM + the Arts). Understanding STEM STEM, an acronym for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, is an interdisciplinary and applied learning approach combined with authentic, collaborative problembased learning (Fairweather, 2008; Kuenzi, 2008; Sanders, 2009). STEM education removes the need for learning content knowledge in isolation, removing the barriers between each of the disciplines in order to create a more cohesive teaching and learning process (Fairweather, 2008; Kuenzi, 2008; Sanders, 2009). The 1! !

There are five conditions of the DD to consider: 1. Knowing that the information or information service is available 2. Owning or having access to the equipment or service necessary to connect 3. Connecting to the information source (e.g., computer, television, telephone, software, modem)
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4. Knowing how to operate the necessary hardware and software (e.g., be computer literate) 5. Understanding how to use technology to go beyond basic information acquisition (Epstein, Nisbet & Gillespie, 2011; Hassani, 2006; Hertz, 2011) The DD has a direct impact on STEM learning: a learner with major barriers to technology will not be as successful as other learners who do have access. Learners not only need to know informational services exist and how to use services to find and explore information, but how to use technology to go beyond basic information attainment to creatively solve problems, design products, and innovate. STEAM Not STEM The left side of our brain is considered the logical side and supports the learning of facts and deducing answers (Hardiman, Magsamen, McKhann & Eilber, 2009). The right side of our brain supports perceptual, creative, and inductive thinking (Hardiman, Magsamen, McKhann & Eilber, 2009). Just as both sides of the brain are needed for complete and focused thinking, so are the arts needed within STEM for a complete and focused curricula (Hardiman, Magsamen, McKhann & Eilber, 2009). Without the arts, there would be no outlet for the other four disciplines. Arts education supports creativity, creativity has a direct impact on innovation, and innovation will create new industries that will support a more successful future economy (Tarnoff, 2010; White, 2010). Working within the loosely coupled educational system (Birnbaum, 1988; Weick, 2000), educators who support STEAM could use an incremental approach to supporting change (Leslie & Berdahl, 2008) in combination with Lowis redistributive technique (Fowler, 2009) to shift both resources and power from STEM areas across the areas of STEAM, giving equal distribution of resources and power to educators in the arts. In so doing, the advantage is given to the learner who will receive a fuller overall learning experience.

Conclusion STEM programs already receive governmental and institutional support, so it would be relatively minor to incorporate the arts and move toward STEAM programming. Infusing the arts into STEM education may hold the potential for greater creativity and new ways of releasing STEM innovation. By addressing issues within STEM, including issues with the DD, and adding in the arts component, educators can work to include all learners in the learning process. Promoting STEAM education is essential to future economic prosperity for our current learners and has long-term benefits to our society and economy. Implications and Recommendations Considering the significance and potential of STEAM educational programming, it is important to note the significance and consequence of the arts in an overall, well-rounded curriculum. Policymakers at both the state and institutional levels should ensure clear communication, planning, and implementation of STEAM in order to ensure students do not miss a learning opportunity or are left behind.

References Birnbaum, R. (1988). How colleges work: The cybernetics of academic organization and leadership. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass. CAPE | Chicago Arts Partnerships in Education. (n.d.). Retrieved November 1, 2013, from http://www.capeweb.org/ Epstein, D., Nisbet, E. C., & Gillespie, T. (2011). Whos Responsible for the Digital Divide? Public Perceptions and Policy Implications. The Information Society, 27(2), 92104. doi:10.1080/01972243.2011.548695 Fairweather, J. (2008). Linking evidence and promising practices in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) undergraduate education. Board of Science 8!

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Education, National Research Council, The National Academies, Washington, DC. Fowler, F. (2009). Policy studies for educational leaders: An introduction (3rd Ed.). Boston, MA: Prentice Hall. Hardiman, M., Magsamen, S., McKhann, G., & Eilber, J. (2009). B. Rich & J. Goldberg (Eds.), Neuroeducation: Learning, arts, and the brainNew York, NY: Dana Press. Harvard Graduate School of Education. (2010). Project Zero. Retrieved November 1, 2013, from http://pzweb.harvard.edu/ Hassani, S. N. (2006). Locating digital divides at home, work, and everywhere else. Poetics, 34(4-5), 250272. doi:10.1016/j.poetic.2006.05.007 Hertz, M. B. (2011). A new understanding of the digital divide. edutopia.org. Retrieved from http://www.edutopia.org/blog/digital-dividetechnology-internet-access-mary-beth-hertz Kuenzi, J. J. (2008). Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (stem) education: Background, federal policy, and legislative action. Lee, M., Lostoski, M., & Williams, K. (2000). Diving into a schoolwide science theme. Science and Children, 38(1), 31-35. Leslie, D. W., & Berdahl, R. O. (2008). The politics of restructuring higher education in Virginia: A case study. The Review of Higher Education, 31(3), 309-328. Peretz, I. (2006). The nature of music from a biological perspective. Cognition, 1-32. Robelen, E.W. (2011). STEAM: Experts make case for adding arts to STEM. Education Week. Retrieved December 4, 2013, from 9! !

http://www.bmfenterprises.com/aep-arts/wpcontent/uploads/2012/02/Ed-Week-STEM-toSTEAM.pdf Rogers, G.L. (2004). Interdisciplinary lessons in musical acoustics: The science-math-music connection. Music Educators Journal, 91(1), 25-30. Root-Bernstein, R., & Root-Bernstein, M. (2012). The importance of early and persistent arts and crafts education for future scientists and engineers. SEAD: White Papers, Retrieved from http://seadnetwork.wordpress.com/whitepaper-abstracts/final-white-papers/theimportance-of-early-and-persistent-arts-andcrafts-education-for-future-scientists-andengineers/ Sanders, M. (2009). Stem, stem education, stemmania. The Technology Teacher, 68(4), 20-26. Tarnoff, J. (2010). STEM to STEAMrecognizing the value of creative skills in the competitiveness debate. The Huffington Post. Weick, K. E. (2000). Educational organizations as loosely coupled systems. In M. C. Brown, II (Ed.), Organization & Governance in Higher Education (5th Ed.) (pp. 36-49). Boston, MA: Pearson Custom Publishing. White, H. (2010). STEAM not STEMWhitepaper [White Paper]. STEAM not STEM.
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