Why Science and Art Creativities Matter: (re-)Configuring Steam for Future-Making Education

Why Science and Arts Creativities Matter is a ground-breaking text which significantly extends current understandings of STEAM and debates about individuation of disciplines vis-à-vis transdisciplinary theory. Drawing upon posthumanism, new materialism and enactivism, this collection of chapters aims to dwell further into the ways in which we come to know in relationship with the world. The text draws together a wide set of approaches and points of views to stimulate dialogue and awareness of the different ways in which we can extend the repertoire of human faculties for thinking and experiencing the world. A unique invitation is shared with readers to develop greater understanding of the contribution of education across the arts and sciences and to re-imagine our collective futures.

This book is a unique and timely volume that opens up several new lines of enquiry and arguments on STEAM education. It rebalances and readdresses the current emphasis in the literature around STEAM as another, newer opportunity to teach content. Instead, it brings a more specific focus on an entwining of contemporary theorists - putting theory to work - to extend the means for understanding and cultivating science and arts creativities, and make explicit key connections with the materiality of practices. This new go-to text offers a demonstration of how the latest research and theoretically engaged thinking (thinking through theory) on STEAM education can be put to work in practice.

Contributors are: Ramsey Affifi, Sofie Areljung, Chris Brownell, Pamela Burnard, Kerry Chappell, Laura Colucci-Gray, Carolyn Cooke, Kristóf Fenyvesi, Erik Fooladi, Cathy Francis, Lindsay Hetherington, Anna Hickey-Moody, Christine Horn, Tim Ingold, Riikka Kosola, Zsolt Lavicza, Elsa Lee, Saara Lehto, Danielle Lloyd, James Macallister, Caroline Maloney, Tessa Mcgavock, Karin Murris, Lena Nasiakou, Edvin stergaard, Anne Pirrie, Hermione Ruck Keene, Ruth Sapsed, Diana Scherer, Pallawi Sinha, Margaret Somerville, Keiren Stephenson, Carine Steyn, Jan Van Boeckel, Nicola Walshe, Olivier Werner, Marissa Willcox, and Heather Wren.

Pamela Burnard is Professor of Arts, Creativities and Educations  at the Faculty of Education, University of Cambridge, UK. Her work in diverse creativities has been published in multiple books and journals.

Laura Colucci-Gray is Senior Lecturer in Science and Sustainability Education at Moray House School of Education and Sport, University of Edinburgh, UK. Her theoretical and empirical work has been published and presented nationally and internationally.