Education is constantly adapting to societal changes and to the needs of each student. Although the old “three R’s” education slogan – reading, writing, and arithmetic – have long since given way to new models for primary and secondary education, textbook learning is no longer enough.
In recent years, there has been a growing interest in exploring the boundaries and benefits of art and science. This includes the integration of Art and Design into STEM (as in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) Education. In fact, many studies have shown that adding art to STEM subjects can not only enhance student learning, but also help foster creativity and critical thinking. This is the reason why the recent academic push for creating Art-design STEM is taking center stage.
On Sunday 8th February, UNIST hosted a week long Art-Design STEM workshop, bringing together STEM educators from Bergen County Academy (BCA, New Jersey, US.) and Ulsan Science High School (USHS, Ulsan, South Korea).
This International Art-Design STEM Program was part of Global Exchange Program between two high schools, BCA and USHS. This workshop will feature on-campus lab tours, a tour of the Hyundai Heavy Industries Company, a student symposium, and Design Thinking projects. The hands-on Design Thinking projects will be held under the supervision of Prof. Hyun Gyeong Lee (Division of General Studies, UNIST) for the next two days. The purpose of this coursework is to help students to develop creative thinking skills to innovation.
Russell Davis, Principal of BCA states, “We are excited to visit UNIST, which is regarded one of the best places to conduct world-class research in Korea.” He continued by saying “I am happy to report that we are already in the planning stages for continued Global Exchanges with UNIST in the future.”
The Bergen County Academies (BCA) is a free public magnet high school, located on the Dr. John Grieco Campus in Hackensack, New Jersey. The school offers seven specialized programs, including science, engineering and design, and has been recognized as one of the best-performing high schools in the United States.
