Unpicking STEAM in early years

This episode is sponsored by Funding Loop:

Funding Loop automates the process for nurseries of collecting funding forms from parents and typing that information into council portals. Funding Loop is used by over 2000 nurseries including over 80% of the top 25 nursery chains in the UK including Busy Bees.

To find out more visit: https://www.fundingloop.co.uk/home

Incorporating STEAM into the provision of quality early childhood education is vitally important for today's 21st century children. Many educators worry that they may not have the skills or resources to incorporate STEAM into their early years environment. However, the podcast episode and article debunks this myth by highlighting how using simple everyday resources and skills educators already possess STEAM can be sparked in valuable and playful ways!

Read Paula's article here:

https://thevoiceofearlychildhood.com/promoting-steam-in-early-years-its-easier-than-you-think/

In this episode…

Education for sustainable development, encouraging more girls to study STEM subjects, normative gender roles, re-considering our view of technology as not just about screens and digitalisation, embedding an understanding and empathy for the world around them, connecting concepts and theories to practice, STEAM being culturally and historically relevant, making STEAM affordable and accessible for all, the role of AI in early childhood…these are just some of the things discussed in this podcast episode! Take a look at the episode break down below.

Episode break down:

00:00 – Welcome!
02:00 – So what is STEM and STEAM?
08:25 – A transdisciplinary approach to solve the world's biggest problems
10:00 – It's not just about preparing children for the future
13:00 – Representing the world children are currently living in
13:30 – Understanding the concept of money
17:00 – Children understand far more than we think!
18:50 – Being aware of STEAM day to day
21:00 – What classifies as a STEAM 'activity'?
22:00 – Technology is not just about screens!
25:00 – Play-dough making is STEAM…
28:00 – The lack of girls in STEM/STEAM
29:45 – Education for sustainable development & STEAM
36:00 – Practically engaging in STEAM
38:00 – Is our classroom up to date? Do we audit our resources?
40:30 – STEAM is culturally and historically relevant
44:10 – STEAM doesn't need to be costly
49:00 – The role of AI in early childhood
58:45 – Aistear: The early childhood framework in Ireland
01:02:40 – The lack of STEAM in frameworks

For more episodes and articles visit The Voice of Early Childhood website: https://www.thevoiceofearlychildhood.com