It Lives! A STEAM-based in-class workshop for promotion of creative and innovation thinking

As information, technology, and globalization expand exponentially, innovation and creative thinking skills have become vital. The It Lives! project is developing and testing models and curriculum that address the need for these thinking skills in students of all demographics by integrating formal and informal learning experiences. The classroom approach uses problem-based hands-on learning, integrating Art with traditional STEM domains (STEAM), and is designed in collaboration with classroom teachers to be aligned with mandated curriculum. This paper describes the in-class workshop and reports on the results of pilots in three classrooms from Grade 5 to Grade 8 levels, in the U.S. and Canada. We find that the approach engages students and survey data show that students increase in a number of positive measures, notably their ability to connect art and creativity to engineering problem-solving, their comfort and confidence with hands-on problem-solving, and their appreciation for the importance of collaboration.