"Now in the 21st century, the boundaries separating engineering, mathematics, chemistry, physics, and medicine have become blurred, and as happened during the Renaissance, scientists are following their curiosities even when they run beyond the formal limits of their training".
Peter Agre

STEAM - What is it all about

S.T.E.A.M. is an acronym for Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics.

STEAM is similar to traditional Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) programs, but it is part of a widely adopted movement to place art and creativity at the center of STEM. 

Changing the acronym to STEAM shifts the focus to arts education existing in conjunction to - or completely blended with  the STEM studies.

This encourages creativity and design, drives more engagement and interest in STEM, while also enhancing cognitive abilities required for science and technology-focused subjects.

There is still a lack of awareness on the importance of revising the STEM into STEAM in Europe, proven by the fact that even the EU WOMEN 2020 Agenda, mentions "Women in STEM for Smart Growth: Promoting Education, Innovation and Female Employment in STEM Sectors for European Growth". Art still don`t seem to be included and therefore more awareness-raising and education on the field would be necessary in order to fill the knowledge and understanding gap on the STEAM.

When looking at the traditional STEM approach, there are many initiatives to drive STEM participation in Europe, including changes to education curricula, various programs to encourage digital and technical skills in students, and a push for more collaboration between universities and industry. Despite this, engagement levels remain low and employers struggle to locate appropriate STEM applicants. 

Experts suggest that the combination of the superior STEM education combined with Arts education (STEAM) should provide us with the education system that offers us the best chance for regaining the innovation leadership essential to the new economy. Therefore, the competitors for that leadership, such as China, US and many other countries in Asia, include vigorous Arts curriculum as a national priority in their public school systems. 

HOW DO WE WORK ON BOOSTING STEAM LEADERSHIP SKILLS

Our programming approach is based on the following needs assessment points:

• Many individuals in STEAM areas are subject-matter experts but have had relatively little exposure to leading other individuals or teams.
  
• Leadership is often not a natural skill for these individuals, nor is it something they are drawn to, yet they are often promoted to supervisory positions because of their subject-matter expertise and thus need to learn about leadership.
  
• Employing a STEAM model of learning allows us to reach these individuals and work with them in a way that will increase both initial and sustained learning.
  

 
We believe that both personal leadership as well as organizational leadership are the focus of STEAM Leadership work. 

Our formula is to present the material in a way that is palatable to individuals in these areas while also delivering content that is pertinent, applicable, and necessary for them.   We have discovered a winning solution in terms of both process and content that leads to sustainable results in terms of personal and organizational leadership.

Our STEAM Framework

ICTIDC uses STEAM is a framework for teaching and learning which emphasizes concepts and skills in science, technology, engineering, arts, and math to equip learners of all ages with tangible, marketable skills. 

"THE LEARNER IN ME" STEAM Leadership Model of ICTIDC

ICTIDC has adopted “The Leader in Me” individual and organizational transformational model. This model has proven to help produce higher levels of academic achievement, fewer discipline problems, and increased engagement among learners, teachers, and their communities.

The "Leader in Me" provides students with self-confidence and the tools needed to thrive in the 21st century. Learners are developing skills which include leadership, accountability, responsibility, adaptability, initiative, communications, creativity, problem solving, and teamwork. 

Our STEAM approach : "CREATE, EXPLORE, DESIGN AND IMAGINE"

In our STEAM Leadership Academy, we prepare tomorrow’s leaders through the application of social sciences (economics, politics, psychology, sociology, and law) to solve social challenges and to create positive solutions to increase global interdependence. Our learners experience creating, exploring, designing and imagining as they engage in experiments, lessons, and hands-on learning .

Our individualized approach: "EACH CLIENT IS UNIQUE"

Although customizable, we have found it beneficial to start out with a leadership effectiveness assessment and whenever we introduce a new topic, provide a short assessment. 

One-on-one coaching is highly beneficial with this group as a supplement  to short training sessions.

Our intended outcomes are:

• A higher level of Self-Awareness
• A higher level of Relational-Awareness
  
• Understanding of the importance of leadership:
  
•     • personal leadership
  
•     • organizational leadership
  

The development of Leadership Plans are based on your organization's goals.