The Network to support Science, Engineering, Arts and Design (NSEAD) will support transformative research and pedagogy that are only possible through the combined expertise of diverse knowledge domains and disciplines. For example, as physicists and engineers developed new imaging techniques, visual artists experimented with the new expressive potentials they enabled, often influencing development of the technologies. Visual artists and musicians have created and continue to create computer languages and algorithms while pushing technologies for composing and recording in fields of software engineering, artificial intelligence, graphics and visualization. Students who are involved in the arts have higher math, verbal, and composite SAT scores than students who are not involved in the arts. (Vaughn and Winner, 2000). There is a growing movement by higher education academic institutions in the United States to integrate the Arts and STEM disciplines to educate the whole student while leveraging creative cognitive skills for solving complex problems in science and technology disciplines. And finally, diverse ecosystem of academic programs in pre-K to gray formal and informal STEM learning; scientific research conferences; exhibitions, and cultural institution programs continues to emerge as new information technologies, creativity support and social networking tools become pervasive in our society. This project envisions a network that addresses fundamental challenges including the need to align academic pedagogies with 21st century thinking skills; to promote diversity of perspectives, approaches, and people in the creative information technology economy; and to benchmark best practices that create critical thinkers and leaders for the ever-changing technology-driven job market. The development of such a network will provide a platform to disseminate and generate public dialogue about the intellectual, cultural, and economic potential of intersections of science, technology and creativity.
NSEAD will be a platform to support the burgeoning research community of Computer Scientists, Engineers, Artists and Designers engaged in integrative research and pedagogy across these disciplines. NSEAD will provide a bridge for academic institutions, non-profit organizations, industry liaisons, and resource providers to collaborate, share best practices in research and pedagogy, and build stronger affinities. It will serve as a junction for elements such as: 1) research community development; 2) collaboration and project matchmaking opportunities; 3) skills expertise referrals; 4) inter-institutional collaborations; 5) forums to share best practices in pre-K to gray STEM learning and creative enrichment; and 6) strategies for network leadership and resource sustainability.
Network for Sciences, Engineering, Arts, and Design (SEAD) Innovations emerging from the intersection of the sciences, engineering, arts, and design are transforming our economy, culture, and learning contexts. This transformation is emerging through products, methods, and questions that are fundamentally hybrid, such as software developed for human play, hardware designed for aesthetic elegance, and scientific and cultural information requiring new means of interpretation and expression to enable greater understanding of complex dynamics. Innovation stemming from interdisciplinary creativity is a major contributor to the development of new, sustainable economies and harmonious, cooperating societies. The network for Sciences, Engineering, Arts, and Design (SEAD) facilitates research, dialogue, and communication among those collaborating across disciplines and domains, and serves as a junction for research community development; collaboration and partnering; large-scale inter-instructional collaborations; forums to share best practices in lifelong learning in formal and informal settings; and philanthropic opportunities for public and private funding organizations. The SEAD community of practice is a truly networked knowledge community that overlaps and connects with other communities of practice; it is evolving over time and is not defined through a disciplinary corpus, but rather is outcomes-focused. SEAD's vision is to become the leading advocate for collaboration among the sciences, engineering, arts and design, fostering innovation and learning that impact community sustainability and economic growth. Goal areas include culture and economic development, research and creative work, learning and education, and collaboration and partnering. Working Group for Research and Creative Work A Working Group for Research and Creative Work set out to discover roadblocks and opportunities related to engaging others across SEAD disciplines. We asked the international community what obstacles and opportunities they encounter and what related actions they would suggest. Our report, "Steps to an Ecology of Networked Knowledge and Innovation: Enabling new forms of collaboration among sciences, engineering, arts, and design" includes contributions by individuals and groups from 24 different countries. White Papers participation was equally gender balanced, with no special effort on the part of the leadership. A synthesis of the 260 "suggested actions" we received takes the form of a 13-cluster "roadmap" of use to individuals, groups, and organizations seeking to successfully partner across disciplines and domains. Many of the action clusters pertain to the interests of multiple stakeholders, requiring the interplay of public and private actors and organizations. See http://seadnetwork.wordpress.com/draft-overview-of-a-report-on-the-sead-white-papers/ Working Group for Learning The SEAD Learning Group implemented a pilot study to examine how K-12 teachers and education experts can collaborate with those from higher education and the "Maker/DIY" community to promote STEM engagement and learning through knowledge and technology transfer. The study addressed strategies promoted in the 2012 National Research Council Framework for Science Education, the 2103 Next Generation Science Standards, and the 2010 Common Core Standards Initiative. We partnered with the National Museum of Women in the Arts for support and delivery of workshops. The project includes a professional development program for K-12 teachers. The study project "ABC Picks Up STEAM" engaged a diverse population of students, from advanced and mid-range to underserved and academically-challenged. Results from an evaluation show these students were engaged and excited to learn, due to the materials and methods presented. The impact of the study, which was built on prior research and on networked partnerships, was significant. Students and their teachers commented that, as a result of this project, students learned to think visually to solve problems in scientific contexts and to apply these skills in many other areas of their lives. The teachers involved in the study also enthusiastically reported inspiration from the project, including possibilities such as integrating visual thinking across the curriculum and introducing each science unit with concept-related art images. They were also impressed with the importance of using science, engineering, arts, and design intersections to promote important problem-solving and collaborative skills. Through the activities of the Learning and Education Group, we have improved STEM education and educator development, leading to increased public engagement with science and technology. In turn, this contributes to the development of a diverse, globally competitive STEM workforce. To encourage openness and inclusivity within the network, SEAD has connected community groups, DIY and Maker communities outside formal education, and informal learning groups in museums. SEAD informs the nation and the world about the impact of transdisciplinary research on national STEM education priorities; promotes diversity of perspectives, approaches and people in the creative innovation economy; and forges partnerships between international, federal, state and local arts, research, and industry groups. SEAD has experienced strong commitment from the aggregation of diverse collaborators and partners who are excited about discovering new territory suggested by the actions of the network.
