At a recent event, DUSD students showed off their acumen in STEAM subjects. STEAM Education is an approach to learning that uses Science, Technology, Engineering, the Arts, and Mathematics to guide student inquiry, dialogue, and critical thinking. Because students can apply their knowledge through explorative, investigative, and creative means, they often develop more critical approaches to thinking and learning.
STEAM Education at Downey Unified
One area in which STEAM learning is applied at Downey Unified is in the robotics program. All students, TK through 12th grade, have access to various age-appropriate, project-based activities that allow students to design, build, and program robots. Not only are these students able to learn practical engineering skills, they also gain essential life skills in teamwork, perseverance, communication, collaboration, project management, and critical thinking.
While STEAM education has significant benefits from an academic standpoint, it also offers positive outcomes for students on a social-emotional level. Through activity-based learning, students are motivated to interact more with each other. They learn to work as a team on various tasks toward a common goal. Even when working independently, they have opportunities to collaborate. Sharing ideas and perspectives also helps increase their understanding of new concepts and solutions.
Learn more about how DUSD uses technology to assist STEAM learning: web.dusd.net/gallatin/technology
DUSD STEAM Expo
In addition to the robotics program, there are many other ways that STEAM is tied into daily education in Downey Unified. Families were invited to see this in action at the 2023 Elementary Expo in February. The expo provided a first-hand look at how DUSD students apply their knowledge in robotics, programming, and other STEAM-related fields.
Photos from the event are available in the gallery below.
