The A to E of Young Children’s Creativity in STEAM Inquiry Projects

Around the world we see children thinking creatively and discovering through STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics) inquiry in their everyday activities and through their play. As children inquire, they can pose their own questions, make predictions, try out new construction ideas and playfully use digital devices in artistic ways. Children use their five senses to answer questions, talk about their ideas and creatively represent their understandings. Through STEAM inquiry, children are learning through a cross- disciplinary approach where they apply concepts from multiple fields, think creatively, problem solve and construct artistic solutions and representations. In this presentation we will share the innovative A to E of Young Children’s Creativity Framework and explore how educators design of STEAM learning environments and pedagogical practices can impact on children’s opportunities for creative thinking and doing. We will share examples of STEAM inquiry projects from early years centers and explore how in practice children’s creativity can be positioned as a social, interactional and a meaningful process, rather than being simply focused on a product.

Experts

Karen Murcia, PhD, Associate Professor in the School of Education Curtin University, Perth, Western Australia.

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Katie Fielding, Early-career researcher, School of Education, Curtin University, Perth, Western Australia, Early-career researcher.