STEAM - The Importance of Creativity

Facilitated by Rarni Rothwell

There is a growing trend in adding the arts to STEM and make it STEAM. This is a natural fit because of STEAM’s emphasis on creativity and design. Adding art provides additional options for educators to present STEM concepts to children, allowing for enhanced student engagement and learning, but also to help unlock creative thinking and innovation. This is also important because research suggests that creativity is in decline. How can adults promote and develop creativity in children if they don’t have it themselves? What are we able to do about it in OSHC? By focusing on the seven critical developmental components of creativity and the CREATE lens we can overlay in our STEAM environments, educators will not just further their own understanding but also experience practical examples they can experiment with in their own programs.