Efficacy of STEAM-based programmes

THE EDITOR, Madam:

Technical institutions have always held an attractiveness because of their commitment to providing practical and skill-based education over mainly theoretical learning. If this framework is adopted more broadly, it can encourage greater interest towards STEAM programmes at high-school and tertiary levels, and create skill diversity among the professionals that emerge from these fields. Greater practicality breeds greater innovation among our students.

Generally, the way our students are taught provides them with a broad understanding of the many possibilities available in their subject areas. A student doing CSEC and CAPE chemistry will learn organic chemistry, inorganic chemistry and stoichiometry. A biological science student may take courses in anatomy and physiology, basic biochemistry, zoology and plant science. Both will engage in practical activities related to the specific topics they cover. However, this may not provide them with a proper appreciation of the applications in their field. Adaptations to the vocation-based model used by technical schools can be a great asset in producing students with specific and marketable STEAM skills and services.

Imagine a student is interested in agriculture and specifically wants to go into fertiliser production. That student would have to learn how to make both organic and inorganic fertilisers, how to test their effectiveness using research models, how to weigh ecological considerations, how to calculate the expected cost of batch production versus mass production, how to market fertilisers to farmers and large corporations, and other topics. If another student is interested in greenhouse farming, they will need to consider environmental factors that affect growth and yield and how these can be controlled using emerging technologies. Both students will cover similar basic agricultural foundations but, ultimately, all aspects of learning - mathematics, language, business, science and technology and art - are tailored to their specific interests in a practical sense.

The main issues with this proposed model are that it requires trained professionals and the necessary resources to make it effective. Many of our schools already have minimally functional laboratories that lack resources or proper safety vetting to manage simple experiments. Many vocational programmes lack proper resources for practical learning and assessments. However, if funded properly and planned effectively, STEAM-focused technical institutions will provide expanded entrepreneurial and research opportunities for many individuals. The aim is not to replace tertiary institutions and CSEC and CAPE examinations, but to provide a larger skills-based framework for STEAM students.

KRYSCHINA FEARON

khonnelle@gmail.com