The effects of art design courses in higher vocational colleges based on C-STEAM

Abstract

C-STEAM education is aimed at preserving local culture, while also improving students’ interests and skills in science, technology, engineering, art, and mathematics-related fields. Other goals are to cultivate students to solve complex and practical problems through interdisciplinary thinking or integrate learning subjects with local senses in the context. In the present curriculum implemented in China, STEAM education mainly focuses on K-12 education and kindergarten education, and it is not widely implemented in colleges and universities, and most of the existing courses are carried out in general technical courses such as robotics and 3D printing, and less in design courses, since the concept of STEAM education has just begun to be advocated recently. Nevertheless, STEAM courses are still limited to special educational systems and disciplines, even though these courses have been vigorously promoted in China. Thus, this study designed an innovative higher vocational college curriculum based on the interdisciplinary principle of C-STEAM, using art design as a meta-theme framework and integrating Chinese local culture. A single-subject quasi-experimental design method was used. A total of 45 students majoring in art design in a higher vocational college were invited to participate in this study. The teaching experiment lasted for 9 weeks. Through teachers’ teaching and, demonstration and students’ independent learning of C-STEAM knowledge in the field of art and design, the concept of C-STEAM was introduced to the creation of packaging design. At the same time, a model composed of six hypotheses was constructed, using the creative self-efficacy scale, learning engagement scale, and creative performance assessment as measurement methods, to discuss students’ participation in the art and design courses of higher vocational colleges based on the concept of C-STEAM integration of creative self-efficacy, learning engagement, and creative performance over time. The results showed that students with higher creative self-efficacy had higher learning engagement (cognitive, affective, and behavioral), and students with higher learning engagement performed better in terms of creative performance. The results of this study can help researchers and educators to focus on C-STEAM courses and provide suggestions for the cultivation of art and design professionals in higher vocational colleges.

Integration of Shangshan culture into the STEAM curriculum and teaching: results of an interview-based study

“…Ancient Chinese people who lived at these sites fully demonstrated diligence and wisdom through their scientific site selection, rice cultivation, construction of houses, decoration of pottery and stone tools, and measurement of tool making. The characteristics and cultural experiences of Shangshan culture are consistent with C-STEAM education’s science-based, reality-oriented, multidisciplinary knowledge and multisensory experiences that unite students ( Qian et al, 2022 ). Therefore, integrating Shangshan culture into the STEAM course, students were instructed to design product packaging with the Shangshan culture and local specialties around the Shangshan sites as the theme.…”

“…STEAM education is not just limited to the fields of engineering and science ( Hernandez et al, 2014 ; Honoka et al, 2022 ), but is also closely related to the education of physical applications of art and design ( Fan and Ye, 2020 ; Jazariyah, 2023 ). Art and design are activities that involve solving new problems in different ways and creating new products ( He et al, 2019 ), and require cognitive abilities of creative expression and appreciation ( Qian et al, 2022 ). Solving tedious problems requires innovation and skills.…”

“…Such training can not only help students enhance their abilities to express themselves creatively and use broad knowledge to solve real-life problems ( Jia et al, 2021 ; Shibata, 2022 ), but can also shape them into well-rounded talents with a distinctive innovative spirit ( Daugherty, 2013 ; Yao and Liu, 2023 ). Many educators have emphasized that the reason for integrating STEAM education into art and design courses ( Hong et al, 2019 ; Qian et al, 2022 ) is that designing products, such as textiles, packaging, and fashion products, involves different cognitive skills such as creativity, imagination, and other complex and multifaceted activities ( Hong et al, 2019 ). Packaging design is a case in point.…”

“…Packaging design is a case in point. Its process is rigorous and complex, and requires consideration of the details of the material and design structure of packages, which is closely aligned with STEAM ( Qian et al, 2022 ). Therefore, art and design courses are highly relevant to STEAM ( Fan and Ye, 2020 ).…”

“…In the history of STEAM courses in China, studies have mostly focused on innovation in basic education, learning projects, and core literacy, while paying scant attention to higher education, especially higher vocational education ( Qian et al, 2022 ). Meanwhile, overly imitating Western STEAM courses ( Zhao and Fan, 2019 ) has resulted in inadequate humanistic thoughts ( Zhan et al, 2023 ), a lack of integration with existing courses, and unsustainable development ( Qian et al, 2022 ). Therefore, Zhan et al (2022) suggested that we should consider China’s actual conditions to promote STEAM education integrated with excellent local culture (abbreviated as C-STEAM).…”