STEAM: Where Creativity Meets Critical Thinking

As 21st-century educators, we are in a constant state of growth and change in order to prepare our young people for a future that we cannot yet see. To do this effectively, we need to develop programs and educational experiences that allow students to adapt to an ever-changing world – to learn, unlearn, and then learn again as needed.

A critical strategic direction at Launceston Grammar is to build these skills across the curriculum through STEAM learning. STEAM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Mathematics, and allows students to problem-solve, adapt, design, and critically examine the possibilities of the world around them.

Using STEAM, our key focus is to develop fully immersive and authentic cross-curricular programs that will see our School become a leader in STEAM education. Some of the vital 21st-century strategies being taught across the curriculum are Design Thinking, Critical Thinking, and Project-based Learning. Each of these strategies allows our students to create individualised learning experiences, with multiple outcomes that enhance understanding.

One of the significant components of this is our new Lumination Lab. The Lumination Lab is a fully immersive innovative learning space that provides experiential learning using Virtual and Augmented Reality. It allows students to understand and experience content at a deeper level, increases motivation and provide opportunities to experience situations and worlds that they might not experience otherwise.

The Lumination Lab will be used extensively across the curriculum, with staff being trained and supported in its effective use. It will support our next generation to become better world citizens, able to tackle challenges, build empathy, become more engaged in their own community, and build a more prosperous and resilient world.

Written by: Michelle Bradley (Learning Area Leader – Design Technologies and Enterprise)