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Steam Methodology, as a Resource for Learning in Higher Education

Conference Paper · March 2020

DOI: 10.21125/inted.2020.1931

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 STEAM METHODOLOGY, AS A RESOURCE FOR LEARNING IN
HIGHER EDUCATION
P. Santillán Aguirre1, V. Cadena Vaca2, R. Santos Poveda1, E. Jaramillo
Moyano1
1
Escuela Superior Politécnica de Chimborazo (ECUADOR)
2
Unidad Educativa San Felipe Neri (ECUADOR)

Abstract
The new curricular and learning profiles in higher education justify the application of the STEAM
methodology (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Mathematics). Hence, this study seeks to
analyze the theoretical perspectives that concern the creation of knowledge in the STEAM methodology
as a resource for learning in higher education and to understand the lessons learned in the
transdisciplinary pedagogical applicability of the STEAM methodology in higher education. The
methodology followed a semi-systematic review of literature from the expression of 58 electronically
published articles from 2010-2019, located in the Scopus, Science, ISI, Scielo and among other
databases, following Snyder (2019) in the mapping of theoretical aspects, identification of knowledge
gaps, combination of authors consulted and the research question. The systematization followed three
categories: STEAM methodology as a learning resource, STEAM transdisciplinary pedagogy and
STEAM complementarity in the curricular contents. Content validation, according to Levy & Ellis (2006)
was framed by the relevance of documents, innovation and quality. The findings highlight the
advantages of the systemic condition in the construction of knowledge to overcome the fragmentation
of pedagogical dynamics. It concludes with the choice that STEAM offers to exercise intelligible
movements in the development of creative content and innovative approaches to transdisciplinary
education, so its application in open classrooms is recommended.
Keywords: STEAM methodology, open curriculum, pedagogy, transdisciplinarity, higher education,
learning, discipline integration, innovation.

1 INTRODUCTION
The challenges and opportunities offered by the STEAM methodology to move towards comprehensive
pedagogical approaches that go beyond the classroom, in the innovative combination of creative
thinking within transdisciplinary perspectives are taking advantage of a massive collaborative network
environment, from the point of view of information and communication technologies (ICTs) and Internet
access, when addressing the social and educational reality in new structures of knowledge and assisted
learning. A transdisciplinary condition that is manifested in the STEAM methodology artistic movements
and the educational design integrated to Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Mathematics, in
terms of the representativeness of its transdisciplinary benefits in this 21st century, which are
increasingly recognized, according to Dell'Erba (2019). Given university policies, focused on the training
of students for the workforce in evolution, which bets on this common condition in the frequent use of
educators, with the existing model of the transdisciplinary curriculum, manifested in the integrated mode
of designs for the development of projects that fit the STEAM methodology, with integral benefits.
This, when addressing the solution of problems from creative, active and recurring research to which
Henriksen (2014) refers in the ways of outlining the perspectives that go beyond the vigilant simplicity
of learning in the condition of knowledge. However, Erwin (2017) assures that the concept as STEAM
is not new since educational programs of Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics are
oriented to revitalizing the disciplines due to the gaps found in the development of isolated content in
each one of these fields of knowledge, adding to the scarcity of qualified personnel in these areas. Thus,
began the notion of STEAM with the launch of a Russian satellite, the Sputnik in 1957. During the next
50 years, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) was created and with the
promotion of Science and Technology, the first cell phones, personal computers, artificial hearts and
more, gave impetus to schools that applied this methodology that began in 2005 with the acronym
STEM, already mentioned.

Proceedings of INTED2020 Conference ISBN: 978-84-09-17939-8

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2nd-4th March 2020, Valencia, Spain
As the scenario of the STEAM methodology is presented, in the perspective of tending to the resources
of university learning in the context of socio-educational daily life from the management of electronic
communication devices, channels and equipment that are adopted in an active reference and innovative
curriculum "maximizing the skills of the student in active learning" (Ghavifekr & Rosdy: 2015, 176), its
flexibility and adaptability interest as advantages for learning, and the access to information in the
globalized world that are characterized for certain creative student’s attributes such us: values of
responsibility, interdisciplinary cooperation, commitment and self-regulation as learning of the future, in
the representativeness of the interactive character that is manifested in the set of learning in Science,
Technology, Engineering, Art and Mathematics, that according to Segarra, Natalizio, Falkenberg,
Pulford & Holmes (2018) constitute a good complement to the conventional approaches to pedagogy
and training in these areas of knowledge.
Likewise, the teaching process with this type of STEAM methodology to develop more complex
activities, are seen by Taylor (2016) as opportunities for teachers to implement scientific research
scenarios in addition to the participatory exercise of students reinforced with the accompaniment of
evaluation systems that privilege discovery skills. Thus, Kim & Lee (2016) emphasize that physical
computing devices impact students by the instant feedback that is produced from the needs of
information and knowledge in an interactive environment. This integrated condition of different areas
related to the understanding of problematic emerging situations, as well as the idea of developing
innovative theoretical-practical skills in the field of digitalization in the construction of knowledge and
educational support, is reasoned according to Rabalais (2014) as an interesting call to university
students and their holistic training given the intelligible focus requested by employers to a more renewed,
creative, collaborative workforce, capable of making decisions relative to the risks. Given this scenario,
the aforementioned authors highlight the curricular interest in the impact of the STEAM methodology in
the face of risk, uncertainty and short-term situations, which in the case of Chemistry, improves
qualitative skills in learning environments which the situation posed by the teacher offers the exploration
and choice of diverse approaches to develop pedagogical objectives to integrate; the arts with contents
of Mathematics and Technologies, aligned with creative interests that improve academic performance
and knowledge transfer through redesign, problem solving, generation of ideas support and
comprehensive academic achievements.
In this order of ideas, Yakman (2008) affirms that the STEAM methodology contributes to the developing
educational model towards the condition of overcoming fragmented bridges in academic subjects that
have traditionally been generated in curricular development in the areas of Science, Technology,
Engineering, Arts and Mathematics. From there, the structuring of these fields to be able to plan the
integration from an epistemology of general and specific development of the disciplines as a whole, with
the holistic educational virtue necessary and ideal when exploring their common central points in relation
to pedagogy and language. The practical and functional attributes of visual modes for communication
through schematics, symbolic logic, scientific illustration and photographs, among others, are added to
allow art to be perceived as a vehicle for scientific content; an issue that attracts teaching and learning
at the University, given its creative scope of knowledge that invites the participation and congruence of
the STEAM methodology in reinforcement complements, initiatives and the impact given to the
visualization of scientific content. This is how Charlene, Sandmann & John (1999) highlight the interest
of integrated curricula for acceptance among educators, due to their effectiveness associated with
academic performance.
Given these reasoned circumstances, assimilated as strengths, the following objectives are intended in
this article: to analyze the theoretical perspectives that concern the creation of knowledge in the STEAM
methodology as a resource for learning in higher education and to understand the learning achieved in
the transdisciplinary pedagogical applicability of the STEAM methodology in higher education. The
discoveries found in this review of the literature should serve to focus the senses and meanings of
university lecturers in the assimilation of STEAM educational schemes towards innovative trends of
integration, creativity and complementarity of curricular content for the construction of knowledge and
transcendental pedagogical schemes.

2 MATERIAL AND METHODS

2.1 Methodology
The evolution and dynamics of technological scenarios for the reflection of their own pedagogical
practices in the development of higher education attempt to overcome the borders of disciplinary

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knowledge, recognizing the view that includes the integration and cooperation between knowledge and
the formation of linked contents to knowledge, justifying the deep meaning of technology transfer outside
and inside the classroom. Issue that highlights Tracey & Lindsey (2016) within the framework of
induction oriented to curriculum development and beyond that, towards transdisciplinarity, while
rediscovering how these relationships impact the 21st century learner as they prepare for their
professional career. In this sense, a variety of scientific productions have been published whose axis of
updates in the STEAM methodology, play a central role for this analysis. In response to this, the
approach of this study follows the guidelines of Snyder (2019) in its clarifications around the semi-
systematic review approach that leads to the mapping of theoretical aspects, as well as the identification
of knowledge gaps, in a combinatorial presentation of the different authors consulted. Also from this
process the research question was posed in order to know, what are the congruent perspectives of
learning achieved in the STEAM methodology in higher education from transdisciplinary pedagogy?
The effects of the eligibility of the theoretical productions analyzed were associated with the research
contributions aligned with the formulated objectives. This, by paraphrasing Ramdhani, Amin &
Ramdhani (2014), about the pattern that combines the summary, synthesis, skills in the search for the
core points of the subject for exploration, the ability to analyze and recover literature; In addition to the
specific inclusion / exclusion criteria in the production of the new knowledge, which is important in the
validation of the content, according to Levy & Ellis (2006) in the framework of the relevance of the
documents consulted, their innovation and scientific quality of the paper. In this sense, the literature
review focused on the selection of scientific articles mostly located in indexed journals from Scopus,
Science, ISI, Scielo, among others databases. The range of dates was between the years 2010-2019,
with qualitative perspectives of descriptions of the secondary information, given the exploratory and
analysis approaches.

2.2 Information Recollection

The literature review focused on the core objectives, through documentary sources in the planning
stages, simple boolean searches, article selection, systematization by categories, analysis and
argumentative writing of production, following the recommendations of Grewal, Kataria & Dhawan
(2016). To this end, the three categories involved were: STEAM methodology as a learning resource,
STEAM transdisciplinary pedagogy, STEAM complementarity in curricular contents. The reason for this
structuring for the secondary and emergent qualitative description was the ordering of the theoretical
reference reached according to the significant topics of the paper. The aforementioned argument follows
the arguments of Guirao (2015) who recommends following the analysis in accordance with the
objectives of the review, identifying relevant known aspects and controversies on the subject, focusing
the search on specific objectives, and identifying theoretical approaches, designs, validity, among
others. The possible limitations, in addition to the idiomatic bias, could indicate the emerging condition
of the search in which contradictions arose that lead to the necessary identification of the possible
causes of such heterogeneities.

3 ANALYSIS AND RESULTS

Next, Table 1 was prepared based on the information collected around the category: STEAM
methodology as a learning resource and the Tax Subcategories, depending on the topics of interest of
the paper.
Table 1. Category: STEAM methodology as a learning resource.

Aspect Treated in the article

Magazine
Journal Cogent Education
EURASIA Journal of Mathematics,
Science and Technology Educación
Journal Microbiology & Biology
Education
International Journal of Engineering
Pedagogy. IJEP
International Journal of Humanities and
Social Science Invention
consulted
Computational thinking skills
Integration of science, technology
and art
Advanced visualizations in science
learning
Common challenge in pedagogical
strategies
Adaptability to specific objectives
Contributory Subcategories
Creativity, Attitudes towards technology
Problem solving in concept development and
music learning
Interdisciplinary collaboration between
students
Complementarity in engineering learning
Effectiveness of the teaching and learning
method

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Journal of Education and Training
Student-engineer training Interactive teacher-student method
Studies
Creativity and motivation Strengthen the artistic and creative condition
The STEAM Journal
STEAM education Natural creativity
International Journal of STEM Uncertainty of its educational
Changes in teaching and learning
Education applicability
Eurasia Journal of Mathematics,
STEAM applicability Innovation with practical implications
Science and Technology Education
Indian Journal of Science and
Physical computing devices Instant information feedback
Technology
Interdisciplinary cooperation, commitment and
Journal Art Education Attributes of the students
self-regulation
European Journal of Information
Problematic emerging situations Comprehensive condition of learning
Systems

The integral situation presented in Table 1, accounts for the contribution of the STEAM methodology as
a learning resource, assessed according to the aspects consulted in the indicated magazines, which
allowed describing the uniqueness of the attributes generated by its use and applicability in the higher
education as Kim & Kim (2017) point out in relation to the changes attributed to the increase in
international competition and technology management; this attracts collaboration scenarios for problem
solving. In the applicability of STEAM in the context of teaching and learning that in the case of the
musical area, highlights the condition of consultation as a continuous process of team development and
external experts, where students recognize the meaning for the need of this contact to find the
development of concepts, through the exchange of opinions with other areas of knowledge in the
perspective of integration of Science, Technology and Art, which according to Kim & Chae (op. cit.);
Kang (2019) base the possible schemes of putting the skills into practice with the introduction of new
ideas.
In this same order of ideas, Table 1 groups the representational similarities assumed for advanced
visualizations in the learning of science, as Segarra, Natalizio, Falkenberg, Pulford & Holmes (2018)
warn based on STEAM initiatives in the visual arts that can be integrated with the fact of communicating
biology, by developing technical skills that are not addressed in the curriculum, however; improve the
mastery of design and interdisciplinary collaboration of students. Similarly, the situation presented by
this category is considered important: STEAM methodology as a learning resource in terms of the
meanings attributed to the follow-up of some steps to achieve success in teaching and learning given
the integration of disciplines that also reflect the potential of capacities strengthened in the development
of the future university professional, when experiencing projects integrated in the real world of the
classroom, while they have to offer authentic creative opportunities and innovation in the ways of doing
and thinking that access to knowledge, alternatives and values integrated in problem solving, in turn;
conforms the STEAM methodology, useful spaces to gain confidence as the learning processes
develop, by motivation and shared interests.
The synthesis of four fundamental steps for the follow-up of this methodology begins with the definition
of the problem in the real world that meets the expectations of the content to be developed given the
interest of the students to carry out a team process that is oriented towards obtaining a product.
According to Connor, Karmokar and Whittington (2015), a significant aspect in this step is to highlight
the common challenge in pedagogical strategies with the particular engineering approach that must
remain dominant to adjust it in the possibilities of making the learning more effective given the adoption
of these complementary approaches from the hooked disciplines to encourage students in the
participation of their own knowledge, proposed as specific alternatives to reach the desired product.
Next, it is necessary to identify the performance criteria according to what is needed to solve the case,
carried out in collaboration and based on previous and new knowledge. There, metacognitive skills such
as cognitive self-regulation are manifested, in addition to resilience and perseverance in the
performance and contribution of all hands willing to support the project.

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Ganyaupfu (2013) points out that the facilitation in the transmission of knowledge and the adaptability
to specific objectives at the level of learning output correspond to the effectiveness of the teaching and
learning method when examining the best academic and quality performance that is reflected on
students’ achievement; for which the teacher needs to be familiar with the different teaching
methodologies that recognize the magnitude of the complexity of the concepts to be covered, within the
problem to be studied in the university setting. The aforementioned author identifies the teacher-
centered method where students only hold unbuilt information at the level of commitment, with less
practical approaches and greater focus on theory and memorization where real-life problems cannot be
learned, based on applied knowledge and, consequently, student understanding can be lost. However,
the student-centered approach to the concept of learning by discovery focuses the research and
analitical interest on critical thinking that generate new dynamic and motivating behaviors of the student
to improve their own performance.
Likewise, the interactive teacher-student method is identified as a specific aspect, where strategies are
shared in the information presented by both, constituting effective teaching that improves academic
performance. In fact, this significance, observed in Table 1, gives rise to the demand of creativity on
what is being treated to be able to design from behind; that is, projecting the realization of the product,
the possible restrictions of materials, time, and equipment resources. All this gives rise to the next step
in the STEAM methodology that consists on the training of student-engineers (Kang, op. Cit.) By
sensitizing them in terms of proposals, designs, expectations and adjustments in the configuration of
the constructive solutions and the responsibility also transferred to the university since it implies, not
only to understand it from itself, but in the eyes of others. In this regard, Ozkan & Topsakal (op. Cit.)
Explain that the variability of objectives attainable in this way increases the number of students who
prefer professions in these disciplines at the university level. Similarly, it allows students to find creative
solutions to problems in their own socio-cultural context of life, which increases the basic knowledge of
students in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics.
Therefore, the exercises, operational constructions and thoughts integrated towards the best solution
through engineering designs advance in the practices of changes and transformative schemes of
teaching and learning practices through the STEAM methodology. Creative skills and motivation, which
are distinguished in Table 1, as contributory subcategories, encourage students to learn and meet
innovative and ingenious activities in multidisciplinary problem solving, an issue that STEAM supports
by identifying it as a basic paradigm that enhances the artistic and creative condition in the disciplines
that form it. (Henriksen, op. Cit.). Likewise, Herro, Quigley, Andrews & Delacruz (2017) point out that
despite the significant aspect of the movements promoted by the STEAM methodology, trained
educators are still required for the deployment of skills in collaboration with researchers who need the
effectiveness of the approaches of instruction, in addition to the evaluation in the resolution of problems,
both individually and in teams of educational projects, with the use of educational materials in the
effectiveness of time devoted to teaching and learning with practical implications, to achieve compliance
of the goals set with competencies. STEAM steps are summarized in the following figure 1.

Definition of the problem in the real world

STEAM steps applied to

(particular focus on engineering)

teaching and learning

Performance criteria for case resolution

(metacognitive skills)

Sensitization and training of student-engineers

(proposal designers)

Change in teaching - learning practices

(Integration of areas)

Figure 1. Steps in the STEAM methodology.

Source: Adaptation of Connor, Karmokar & Whittington (2015).

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Figure 1 shows some steps in the application of the STEAM methodology for teaching and learning,
which begins with the definition of the problem in the real world from particular and specific approaches
that need to be addressed through project design that turns the student into an engineer. In the words
of Henriksen (2017) it is interesting the meaning and significance given in the value of the STEAM
methodology, beyond integration, since it is the potential thought of engineering design, as a challenge
of interdisciplinary integration of flexible structures in the design, by incorporating the interwoven team
to the objectives and activities planned in the curriculum, creative opportunities emerge based on
projects, which rescue the potential of each individual, by identifying the guide in good solutions oriented
and systematized to understand the facts in the analysis intuitive, combining the artistic situation and
the scientific reference.
By agreeing with the aforementioned, creativity, interdisciplinarity, motivation and emphasis used in the
real world of problem situations open to the redesign of thinking are identified, given the multiplicity of
alternatives, ways of thinking and making them conjugate as a common foundation in decision-making
based on empathy, the definition of the events that can hit the target towards the problem statement
through the creation of ideas and in the context of a prototype of the project that deploys as a practice
of meaning and functional meaning from the design of the STEAM methodology.
The second step of the STEAM methodology presented in Figure 1, highlights the performance criteria
for the resolution of the case; that is to say, it highlights the metacognitive abilities in the doing of the
educational practice. Hence, the reasoning of Park, Byun, Sim, Han and Baek (2016) assumes that
teachers have in their perceptions and practices in the educational areas of science, technology,
engineering, arts and mathematics, show a positive vision in the STEAM methodology to overcome the
educational challenges they face in reality, when carrying out the content choices given the follow-up of
the mentioned steps, due to the lack of administrative and financial support, especially from the
government, in the curricular reconstruction that subscribes to the proposed reform system.
Similarly, Figure 1 shows the necessary step in addressing the awareness and training of university
students, in other words, the possibilities for new designs to convert representative schemes of their
contributions in terms of becoming designers are open of proposals, given the possibility of giving at the
core necessary for the treatment, administration of alternatives and joint schemes that seek to solve the
problems. The argumentative reinforcement to the aforementioned scenario is related to Fattal's (2017)
statements by highlighting the applicability of the events that are associated with a STEAM conversation,
while acquiring a new urgency in the university classroom, before starting the disciplinary courses, due
to its potential to help the synergistic resolution of problems immersed in the real world that are
assimilated in curriculum development, specifically in the visual and performing arts that invite creativity
involved in social practice.
These scenic considerations, at the same time allow the student to be involved with critical
environmental contents, technological learning and human interactions that create new intentional
expectations in the ways of addressing the available resources, the reflections and the mental redesign
of the socio-environmental representations in the cooperative reason of Science, Mathematics,
Engineering and Technology; to cooperatively address problems among all through proactive thinking
that bets on the confluence of new learning, sensitized to the training of student-engineers as designers
of proposals.
Likewise, Figure 1 rests on the force that impacts this STEAM methodology, given the recurrent need
for changes in teaching and learning practices, through the integration of knowledge areas. The
complementarity on these facts is seen by Holmlund, Lesseig & Slavit (2018) in the face of the interest
of results that this STEAM methodology has presented, but at the same time, the uncertainty of its
educational applicability in curricular terms in relation to the evidence of professional learning due to the
various roles that involve teachers, educational administrators and professional development providers.
This, in correspondence with the sensitivity demanded by this type of interdisciplinary and
transdisciplinary, instructive and participatory connection practice in the same context where problems
occur to be addressed through the use of technologies as an educational potential where they are to be
provided and ensure access to the Internet to be able to deal with the integrated situation successfully.
Next, Table 2 is presented regarding the category: STEAM transdisciplinary pedagogy and its
contributory subcategories.

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 Table 2. Category: STEAM transdisciplinary pedagogy.

Aspect Treated in the article

Magazine Contributory Subcategories
consulted
Problem solving in visual and
The STEAM Journal Social practice
performing arts
Use math and computational Computational, bioinformatics and
Scientific Culture
thinking neuroinformatics engineering
Asia-Pacific Journal of Science and
Changing attitudes in class Integral formation
Technology (APST
Procedia-Social and Behavioral ICT, telecommunications and Educational competence in the information
Sciences. Elsevier computers age
La Pensée Journal collaborative networking Teaching and learning digital environments
Journal of Physical Education, Bridging gaps in the development of isolated
STEAM conceptualization
Recreation & Dance content
Transdisciplinarity in STEAM
Arts Education Policy Review. ERIC Transdisciplinary curriculum model
methodology
International Journal of Education & the
Transdisciplinary Arts Design Collaborative forms of creative thinking
Arts
Policy Trajectories and Initiatives in
Innovative Pedagogical Approach Transdisciplinary Perspectives
STEM Education
Journal of Curriculum Studies Transdisciplinary curriculum Design Integration

The transdisciplinarity in STEAM methodology in higher education, seen in the significance of the
subcategories presented in Table 2, is manifested in going beyond the classroom by including the social
fact in conditions of dialogues to assimilate intelligible dynamics in the development of projects that can
be expanded between disciplines, knowledge and interinstitutionality. In this same sense, Guyotte,
Sochacka, Costantino, Kellam, Kellam and Walther (2015) add that the transdisciplinary condition allows
for overcoming the notion of the solitary artist, while the reflexive process suggests lowering the tension
levels that are generated between the product and the process by embracing the dialogue with the
foundation of creative thinking. Situation endorsed by Psycharis (2018) through the model for
computational pedagogy STEAM, where it connects the epistemology of Engineering Education,
Computational Science Education (CSE) and the integration of the arts.
Therefore, the analysis and assimilation of the elements in the design of computer engineering systems
are linked to the changes required in student behaviors given the priority of promoting new events
relevant to comprehensive training at the University, within the applicability of research tools that
according to Watthananon (2018) improve the potential of learning with the intention of helping in the
scope of achievements and changes in attitudes in class. Issue that complements Hong (2016) from the
reinforcement of capacities that apply to the development and distribution of content, around the
promotion of interactive and exploratory activities by students, by institutionalizing the designs that are
built as knowledge effects. Therefore, the reasoning of Fernández, Miralles and Rainer (2014) as
regards to the implementation of digital teaching and learning environments is brought up, which must
be supported with ICT tools and transdisciplinary design of methodologies from the collaborative work
it imparts the academic administration of courses in higher education, in order to facilitate
communication processes, flexibility in the design of models, principles and appropriate technological
scenarios.
Likewise, Wilson and Hawkins (2012) explain that the confluence in the dialogue of knowledge of various
students and areas of knowledge that explore the often hidden underlying concepts, own assumptions
and metaphors, which merge into experiences, thoughts and ways of approaching the scenarios of their
interest with greater confidence and insight. Situation that complement Travis and de la Garza (2018)
when focusing collaborative research in arts and humanities from the global perspective that exhibits
core contributions to configure spaces in the voices of academics that emerge within new speeches and
reflective projects of a scientific and artistic nature, in the personal and professional growth of his career.
In similar reflections, Marshall (2015) presents the integration of art into teaching and learning in order
to align educational initiatives that prioritize conceptual and procedural skills in transdisciplinarity
through the lens of systems theory and new sciences as potential pedagogical fusion and flow of
systemic thinking. Next, table 3 in relation to the STEAM Complementarity Category in the curricular
contents.

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 Table 3. Category: STEAM complementarity in curricular contents.

Aspect Treated in the article

Magazine
Scientific Culture
Journal of Physical Education,
Recreation & Dance
Procedia-Social and Behavioral
Sciences. Elsevier
Journal of Pre-College Engineering
Education Research (J-PEER)
International Journal of STEM
Education
Eurasia Journal of Mathematics,
Science and Technology Education
Journal Cogent Education
Creativity Research Journal
Journal Education Computing Research Self evaluation
Journal Studies in Art Education
Cambridge Journal of Education
Journal of Museum Education
consulted
Use math and computational
thinking
STEAM conceptualization
Immersion in the information society
Critical and creative thinking
Educator Skills
Metacognitive skills
Creativity
Creativity
Learning through the curriculum
Collaborative learning
Collaborative learning
Contributory Subcategories
Computational, bioinformatics and
neuroinformatics engineering
Bridging gaps in the development of isolated
content
Telecommunications and computers
Scientific interest and motivation
Effectiveness of instructional approaches
Curriculum reconstruction, reform system
Levels of thought abstraction
Complex knowledge construction
Capacities and skills in technological
practices
Integration of educational initiatives
Use of information and communication
technologies
Combine disciplines

The situation that is associated with the interpretation of the subcategories that reveal the significant
features attributed by the various authors consulted in the exercise of the systematization and grouping
represented in Table 3, allows for an understanding of the importance that is implied to the STEAM
methodology as a field of development of computational, bioinformatics and neuroinformatics
engineering, given the innovative priority of communication systems in higher education, within the
framework of continuous changes that require the exchange and transfer of information at the national
and international level, in the same comprehensive language, from the integration of knowledge areas.
These considerations are highlighted by Buyukbaykal (2014) stating the perspective of the interaction
between individuals specifically in the recognition of their immersion in the information society and in
particular, with the use of ICT as a means of telecommunications and computers widely disseminated
in social life in the framework of creating new opportunities in the university’s education field.
The above-mentioned author highlights innovative changes in the communication of people in an
interactive way, where the Internet represents an intensive incentive of common social use that adapt
to the academic world due to its relevance, which allows for permanent education due to the expansion
of the technology towards learning, becoming more and more significant in higher education. For this
reason, these types of institutions should increase the level of investment in this field, summoned
towards educational competitiveness and to activate the fostering of the information age, network
knowledge and to be able to increase the capacity of learning for the restructuring and combination of
adjustments of the STEAM methodology when valuing the globalized world. (Buyukbaykal, op. Cit.).
Therefore, STEAM's own history of applicability merges the classroom with the disciplines: Science,
Technology, Engineering and Mathematics to benefit the students' learning environment. An issue that
complements Wang, Moore, Roehrig and Park (2001) since, in this way, understanding, scientific
interest and motivation are deepened by identifying different alternatives for solving problems based on
connections in concepts, theories, application exercises and creative designs that open the intelligible
focus of reality by promoting critical and creative thinking with the connotation that gives rise to what
was stated by Maderick, Zhang & Hartley (2015) in subjective and objective self-assessments, even of
the teachers themselves when they realize from their own practices, their training limitations, lack of
technological practices and awareness, updating and training requirements within the framework of the
relevant use of technology applied to education. However, from the recurring details assimilated in the
subcategory: creativity, according to what was mentioned by Bati, Yetişir, Çalişkan, Güneş, and Saçan
(2018), coinciding with Catterall (2017); Henriksen (ob. Cit.) and Henriksen (2017), attract STEAM
complementarity to assimilate curricular contents with high levels of abstraction and tools to organize

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and analyze data logically, their visualization in models and simulations, in addition to generating results
as a product of algorithmic thinking. Situation that complement Jho, Song and Hong (2016) when
describing the dimensions that educators have to share in STEAM applicability with mental openness
and self-innovation as joint interaction, reciprocal relationships and continuous exchanges of roles
associated with mutual commitment, responsibility and communication.

4 DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS

The theoretical contributory synthesis of the different authors studied in this literature review, considered
the objective of analyzing the theoretical perspectives that concern the creation of knowledge in the
STEAM methodology as a resource for learning in higher education, which identified the significant
spaces for overcoming interdisciplinary obstacles that create tensions for the effectiveness of
collaborative, comprehensive, systemic and transdisciplinary learning that must be manifested in the
pedagogical fact that the university faculties generate knowledge based on creativity to have freedom
of intelligible movements in the development of cognitive aspects, contents and innovative approaches
of inclusive education, as reported by the research of Colucci-Gray, Burnard, Cooke, Davies, Gray and
Trowsdale (2018), which can be applied to Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics.
Likewise, this literature review considered the orientation through the objective set to understand the
lessons learned in the transdisciplinary pedagogical applicability of the STEAM methodology in higher
education. This scenario, interpreted within the framework of theoretical contributions, implies the
strength of new pedagogical trends that identify the dialogue, necessary to address cognitive contents
and specialties, as concrete alternatives of common proposals that incorporate social participation and
knowledge. Critical thinking in the conceptualization of effective approaches to curricular reconstruction
at levels of higher, abstract thoughts that overcome the fragmented conditions of reality.
In this order of ideas, new pedagogical, curricular and technological dimensions that open the possibility
of the emerging nature of the events of the social reality are necessary in order to overcome these
epistemological barriers and disciplinary dilemmas that fragment learning in higher education, according
to the research of Kromydas (2017) in the events intercepted in the educational know-how based on the
STEAM methodology as a resource for learning in this new era of change that assumes interest based
on self-knowledge, the construction in collaborative networks of education and the reaffirmation of the
open curriculum (Erwin, op. cit.) beyond the University classroom. Hence, the prospects for future
research in this field are linked in an underlying way in the effects of a true revolution in higher education,
in recognizing broad, innovative and open levels of learning that are transcendent in their holistic and
inclusive scope.

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