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Programs Module 1: What is STEAM? View Details Module 2: Ways of Thinking and Doing View Details Module 3: Integrating Standards View Details Module 4: Adapting a Lesson to STEAM View Details Innovation Collaborative - STEAM Certificate View Details

The Innovation Collaborative's website represents the organization's goals and values, which include serving as a national forum to foster creativity, innovation, and lifelong learning for STEAM education and professional development. THE INNOVATION COLLABORATIVE SERVES AS A NATIONAL FORUM TO FOSTER CREATIVITY, INNOVATION, AND LIFELONG LEARNING. We identify and disseminate information about the many ways that effective integration of the arts, sciences, humanities, engineering, and the use of technology reinforce teaching and incorporate lifelong learning in both in-school (formal) and out-of-school (informal) settings. Spring Newsletter promo Spring Newsletter Join the Innovation Collaborative Click here to subscribe to the Innovation Collaborative. STEAM Summit Promo Click here to see Keynote presentations from the 2025 STEAM Summit and more. Spring Newsletter promo Spring Newsletter 1/3 READ THE SPRING NEWSLETTER COLLABORATIVE TO OFFER STEAM K-12 LESSONS

RESEARCH THOUGHT LEADERS Our Research Thought Leaders are nationally known educators and researchers who integrate creative and innovative thinking with learning in the sciences, arts, and cognition. They represent both K-12 (formal) and Out-of-School Time (informal) learning. The Innovation Collaborative’s ongoing conversations with these Thought Leaders provide the deep underpinning of our work. This partnership not only stimulates Collaborative research about learning at the intersections of these disciplines but also informs the Thought Leaders’ work. Dr. Sandra Bond Chapman Founder and Chief Director of the Center for BrainHealth and Dee Wyly Distinguished Professor of BrainHealth, University of Texas, Dallas Dr. Rob Horowitz Executive Director ArtsResearch Associate Director Center for Arts Education Research Teachers College, Columbia University Dr. Bonnie Cramond Professor of Educational Psychology, Gifted and Creative Education, at the University of Georgia, and the former Director of the Torrance Center for Creativity and Talent Development, researches the assessment and development of creativity Dr. Bob Root-Bernstein Professor Emeritus, Department of Physiology, Michigan State University Rochelle Darville Fulbright and NSTA Awardee High School Science Teacher West St. John High School, Edgard, Louisiana Dr. Jean Ryoo Director of Research, Computer Science Equity Project, University of California Los Angeles Center X

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THOUGHT LEADERS' RESEARCH Our Research Thought Leaders are a group of selected, nationally-known researchers who integrate innovation thinking in sciences, arts, humanities, cognition, and creativity with education. Regular conversations among group members will inform their own work, as well as that of the Innovation Collaborative, including the Effective Practices project. Their efforts will also stimulate further research about learning at the intersections of these disciplines.

THE RESEARCH This Innovation Collaborative, in partnership with Texas Southern University, has completed a two-year National Science Foundation-funded study of where STEAM (Sciences, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math) is in Out-of-School Time nationally in relation to serving all students and where it would be beneficial to head next. Participants 70 leading STEAM Out-of-School Time researchers and practitioners from a variety of institutions and geographical locations across the U. S. participated. Participants also joined the project from Canada and Germany. They Looked At The wide variety of Out-of-School Time learning experiences Youth aged early childhood through high school The various intersections of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) with the arts in a variety of learning settings In-person experiences that were a result of specific programming. Topics Investigated Participant surveys at the outset of the project determined the 7 leading topics. These were investigated in topic-based cohorts. The cohorts were: Belonging and Identity Enhancing Professional Learning Capacity for Informal Educators Integrating the Arts with STEM to Promote Learning and Thinking Intersections of Formal and Informal Learning STEAM Creative/Innovative Thinking STEAM for All Understanding the Importance of Well-Being and STEAM What Do You Mean by Interdisciplinary Learning? In this project, interdisciplinary learning is the process of integrating disciplines and concepts in a variety of ways. Actions could include concepts’ interacting, blending, linking, synthesizing, or transforming. Examples of interdisciplinary learning could be: In an art museum, using the iterative engineering design process to create kinetic sculptures In a science museum, integrating a study of plants with explorations of landscape architecture and irrigation engineering that could be combined with an illustrated creative writing exercise. How Will This Research Benefit Me as a Practitioner? This project’s Final Report will provide the important findings, recommended next steps, and further resources to explore from each of these cohorts

SPRING 2026 NEWSLETTER

PROJECTS What does successful STEAM (sciences, technology, engineering, arts, math) learning look like in K-12 classrooms and informal environments like museums? There is little data about what constitutes effective STEAM practice, despite current interest in learning at the intersections of these disciplines. The Innovation Collaborative seeks to rectify this information gap by inviting teachers, schools, and institutions to submit sample lessons; identifying commonalities for success; and disseminating these models of effective practice. To learn more about the K-12 effective practice projects, click here . Information on effective practices in out-of-school time setting will appear here soon.

SPRING 2026 NEWSLETTER

RESEARCH THOUGHT LEADERS CONVENING The Innovation Collaborative’s Research Thought Leaders provide the Collaborative depth in education scholarship and leadership. While the Thought Leaders meet virtually with the Collaborative both individually and collectively, they also convened in person with Collaborative members in Washington, DC on November 30-December 1, 2016. This convening was made possible by a generous National Endowment for the Arts Art Works grant, by the National Writing Project, which facilitated the grant, and by the National Museum of Women in the Arts, which provided the facilities and staff for the meeting. The Collaborative is making ongoing and extensive use of all that it learned in this convening. The Thought Leaders are continuing their input as the Collaborative’s plans move forward. Successes of this convening include: Developing a cohort of leading researchers from a variety of disciplines who can converse, plan, and share enthusiasm about interdisciplinary learning Revising the Collaborative’s rubric to even more deeply reflect the importance of the intersections of the arts, STEM, and humanities to promote creative and innovative thinking, in addition to cross-disciplinary learning Revising the Collaborative’s goals, strategies, and research methodologies to significantly strengthen its work.

HISTORY OF THE INNOVATION COLLABORATIVE The Innovation Collaborative, established in Washington, D.C., in May, 2013, is an outcome of the National Science Foundation (NSF)-funded SEAD (Science, Engineering, Arts, Design) project. This project grew out of meetings co-organized by the NSF, the National Endowment for the Arts, and the National Endowment for the Humanities. WHY A major project of the SEAD Network was the call for and analysis of white papers related to current research and creative work across the arts and sciences. The Innovation Collaborative seeks to take this research and further explore its applications (and implications) for learning in K-12 classrooms and informal learning environments. HOW Drawing on the combined expertise of leading national arts, sciences, and humanities institutions, researchers, and practitioners, the Innovation Collaborative researches STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, the Arts, and Math) in formal and informal learning settings. A focus of this research is how these intersections deliver vital creative and innovative thinking skills while teaching important content. The Collaborative also has begun its programming outreach to educators and administrators with its K-12 STEAM Teacher/Administrator Professional Development. By working continually to build shared vocabulary, goals, and strategies, the Collaborative develops rich mutual understanding and cooperation across disciplines and learning settings. WHAT Since its inception in May, 2013, the Innovation Collaborative has accomplished many goals. Among these are: Conducted three rounds of strategic planning Developed ongoing, successful and productive collaborations among a number of diverse institutions and disciplines that support Collaborative goals Developed an active Research Thought Leader group made up of nationally known researchers representing the arts and sciences, as well as neuroscience and creativity Completed its multi-year National Endowment for the Arts-funded national research project. This project identified K-12 effective practices for teacher/administrator professional development and classroom implementation that support promote creative and innovative thinking at the intersections of the sciences, arts, and humanities Completed a two-year National Science Foundation-funded project, in partnership with Texas Southern University . This project, comprised of 70 leading STEAM Out-of-School Time researchers and practitioners across the U.S., studied where STEAM is in relation to serving all populations in Out-of-School Time and where it could head next. Has procured significant funding that is helping grow its infrastructure. Has successfully conducted annual STEAM Summits where educators, administrators, and supporters across learning settings learn and interact in relation to relevant STEAM topics. Is launching its national research-based K-12 Teacher/Administrator Professional Development.