Challenge-Based Learning & STEAM Curriculum

STEAM education is being integrated into elementary schools as a way to engage more students in creativity, hands-on learning, and problem-based learning also referred to as Challenge-Based-Learning (CBL). This article focuses on elementary educators’ curriculum design for STEAM and presenting students with open-ended questions phrased as a challenge as a way to raise student interest and achievement (DeJarnette, 2018; Hunter-Doniger, 2018). When students received challenges to solve, they felt more open to sharing their ideas since there was more than one potential right answer (DeJarnette, 2018; Drake, 2012). When implementing CBL, teachers act as facilitators using a constructivist approach as students work in small groups to design, test, and iterate prototypes of their solutions (DeJarnette, 2018; Driscoll, 2005). This article highlights the impact of CBL on student engagement in a STEAM Lab or Makerspace.