Mathematics Learning Through Arts, Technology and Robotics : Multi-and Transdiscpilinary Steam Approaches

Abstract

In mathematics education, there is a growing need to design activities, which focus on the creative process, instead of emphasizing the result, which is a product of following a certain plan. Art as a context for mathematical problem solving can be a fruitful starting point, as art is usually thought to include creative thinking and finding one’s own way (Burnard et al., 2016). Creative activities may support students to recognize that doing ”real” mathematics is creative thinking; and creative thinking in mathematics means, that you do your own mathematics. Problem solving activities can underline the process aspect of mathematics and if the problem is open-ended and the problem solving require collaboration, then different students’ strengths in different areas can be adding up on the group level (English et al., 2008). The development of collaborative problem-solving skills and supporting students to discover unexpected connections between different aspects of various phenomena are not only effective tools, but also ambitious goals of today’s education (Fenyvesi, 2016a). Traditional models of accumulating knowledge through direct teaching are being replaced by networked models of learning. This supports both teachers and students in appreciating various kinds of creativities and in transforming their whole world – including the school – into a “possibility space” of learning (Burnard et al., 2017; Jacinto et al., 2016).