Search

The process of perceiving music involves the transference of environmental physics in the air to anatomical and physiological interpretations of resonance in the body and psychological perceptions in the brain. These processes and musical interpretations are the basis of physical and cognitive science, neurophysiology, psychoacoustics, and cultural psychology. The intersection of interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary curricular offerings forms the basis of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics). In this study, the researcher explores the synergy of music in STEM for formulating and affording authentic STEAM programmatic offerings for learners. The blending of the art of music within STEM provides opportunities for teachers and students to address and connect content through creative, innovative approaches for deeper, meaningful learning. Threading the art of music within STEM affords discovery-learning opportunities that facilitate both critical thinking and social, emotional learning skills development in students. This study provides perspective in terms of developing curricular offerings for students that blend physical and cognitive science with the art of sound. The researcher provides authentic curricular exemplars regarding the synergy of music in STEM and concludes by offering recommendations for designing and implementing expressive curricular programmatic offerings for students from early childhood settings through higher education.

This study examines interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary interconnections within STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Mathematics), the humanities, and their collective impacts on civilizations over time. This study includes a comprehensive overview of STEAM education and its integration with historical context and explores relationships beyond the acronym of STEAM itself, with an emphasis on STEAM advancements, the humanities, and digital citizenship for contemporary learners. The role of humanities in relation to STEAM is considered for delving into the historical background of robotics, the technological evolution from simple machines to complex tools for machine learning, engineering innovations during Industrial Revolutions, the Renaissance for creativity, and the Maker Movement for makerspaces in fostering innovation. The researchers consider how scientific, technological, engineering, and mathematical advancements have shaped societal development, as well as the historical roles of artistic expression on cultures. An analysis of interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary connections among STEAM disciplines within historical contexts creates a holistic educational view of societal evolution. The researchers also reflect on the contemporary implications of historical STEAM developments, advocating for the integration of historical context into STEAM curricula -- and STEAM curricula into the humanities -- for cultivating critical thinking, creative thinking, and a deeper understanding of civilization's interconnectedness.

Public school board members are charged with the responsibility and accountability to provide governance-level advocacy for equity and excellence in public education. This qualitative study examined the perceptions of school board members in three K--8 school districts in the midwestern part of the United States regarding the 50+ year Race-Based Academic Achievement Disparity (RBAAD) in public education. Virtual one-on-one interviews, a virtual focus group, and member checks were used to gather data. Utilizing servant and moral leadership as the theoretical frameworks, the findings revealed that school board members are empowered with governance-level authority and the responsibility to address the RBAAD phenomenon, school board members encounter obstacles that challenge their ability to mitigate the RBAAD phenomenon, and school board members contend that opportunities exist to promote mitigation of the RBAAD. Implications for future research and practice are addressed.

The theoretical model presented in this study explores the transformational potential of a digital Community of Practice (dCoP) within higher education, focusing on Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Mathematics (STEAM) education. A dCoP serves as a virtual space for educators to exchange knowledge, foster interdisciplinary collaboration, and construct meaning through discourse. Through the use of digital artifacts, a dCoP provides tangible exemplars for intersecting abstract concepts to real-world applications, thus strengthening educational experiences and outcomes. This study emphasizes the cognitive, social, and emotional skills developed through STEAM education, projecting future career growth for learners in these areas. Establishing a dCoP for teachers in higher education facilitates the transfer of interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary skills to students, supporting STEAM learning and future career opportunities. Additionally, this study employs portraiture and autoethnography methodology for storytelling and cybernetic learning. The incorporation of a cybernetic mindset, presented through a theoretical Cybernetic Three-Realm Model, enriches a dCoP by addressing (1) a Canvas for Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL), (2) an Artist's Palette for Authentic Artifacts, and (3) The Paints of Modalities for Learning. This theoretical construct affords a tangible framework for fostering STEAM skills and nurturing leadership development for pervasive learning within higher education dCoPs.