Abstract:

This work presents the Project “Applying STEAM strategies in the Social Sciences and Arts areas by means of a Service-learning methodology” that aims to facilitate the acquisition of the Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Maths competences of Master students in the Universitat Politecnica de Valencia. A community service-learning focus is used. An interdisciplinary group of seven lecturers work in an own model that latter could be also applied to other Master and Bachelor Programs.

More than STEM competences, some authors have highlighted the value that an Arts&Design competence can give to the students’ curricula. On the other hand, the Service-learning methodology gives the possibility of learning by doing and, at the same time, it can represent a community and environmental improvement. This community benefit is related to the United Nations Sustainable Goals. According to Batlle, “it is a method for linking the social engagement with the learning of contents, skills, aptitudes and values. Learning to be competent by being useful to others”. This kind of outside activities let the students to apply their knowledge to a real situation, improving other skills such as communication, active participation, creativity and others.

We propose the following learning goals for our Master students:
- To be able to establish hypothesis and measurable results (Science).
- To give evidences and register the process using technology tools that let to contrast if some changes have occurred (Technology).
- To apply decision-making methods to compare different alternatives (Engineering).
- To propose creative solutions that could have a social impact (Arts& Design).
- To evaluate their proposal cost and future benefits (Maths).

Two Master programs are involved: Business Management, Products and Services (MGEPS) and Conservation and Restoration of Cultural Assets (MCRBC). Some of the STEAM competences are already covered but not others.

We are developing different sheets, according to each professor’s experience and background, to give basic information on how to apply each competence and how to evaluate it. In a first step, we have focused on some subjects of the first semester. As we will finish it, we will be able to provide some results. The Project will be running the next two courses and its aim is that the students will be able to develop all the STEAM competences in their Master Programs and also to notice the links among them.

This work has been developed within the project “Applying STEAM strategies in the Social Sciences and Arts areas by means of a Service-learning methodology”, conducted by Professor María de Miguel Molina, and with the support of the Universitat Politécnica de València (Science Education Institute, ICE).

Keywords:

STEAM competences, higher education, creativity.