loving art, science and creative kids
10/29/2016 1:08:22 PM
Walking on Air, by Marilynne Eichinger
Acrylic on Canvas / 25.5” by 49.5” / $ 650 / Painting made after visiting Bath, England.
The following article was written by my son, Ryan Rosenberg ,for the Los Gatos Education Foundation. It is an appropriate follow-up to my blog about STEAM education. Thank you for the many comments and suggestions you made to that particular writing.
Study finds arts, music can be the "secret" to a successful tech career
Successful tech entrepreneurs seem to have a surprising “secret” to their accomplishments - studying art, music, and hands-on creative activities (such as wood or metal working). A study published in the journal Economic Development Quarterly (1) found that participation in artistic activities boosts the chance of entrepreneurial success in technical fields. Researchers followed a group of Michigan State University honors college graduates from 1990 to 1994 who majored in science, technology, engineering or mathematics (STEM).
Graduates who were successful entrepreneurs — those who went on to found companies or produce patents — were significantly more likely to have had participation in art, music and hands-on creative activities than those who did not. And it's not just entrepreneurs who benefit from the arts; a strong link was found with STEM graduates overall. In fact the STEM practitioners in this study were 62% more likely to have had classes in visual arts than the general population, 59% more likely to have been taught music, 39% more likely to have had dance instruction, and 38% more likely to have taken acting lessons.
So how does their music, arts, and hands-on creative experience help these engineers and scientists in the real world? It seems artistic thinking is crucial to their work. The study asked participants to identify the types of tools they used for problem solving and found, “as one would expect of science and engineering professionals, the vast majority reported using logic while doing their work…[but] an overwhelming majority also reported using ‘artistic’ styles of thinking: 95.3% reported using exploratory play as a method of problem solving; 80% reported using either intuition, imagination, or both; and about 80% reported using analogies. In other words, these successful STEM professionals use ‘artistic’ types of thinking at work just as often as they use stereotypical ‘scientific’ modes of thinking.”
In summary, researchers determined that “participation in various arts and crafts positively correlates with the production of patentable inventions and the founding of new companies, and can differentiate the entrepreneurs from less innovative individuals, even among a group of highly successful individuals such as Honors College STEM professionals.”
Reference:
Arts and Crafts: Critical to Economic Innovation
LaMore et al., Economic Development Quarterly, August 2013, 27 (3), p. 221
Guest Author - Ryan Rosenberg for the Los Gatos Education Foundation, 9/26/2016
My artwork is always for sale. Contact me at [email protected].
10/21/2016 3:52:41 PM
Grand Prize - Passion Flower by Marilynne Eichinger
How did you find your passion?
This morning my NIA (non-impact Aerobics) teacher mentioned that 30 years ago at the height of the high impact aerobics craze she went to a conference where she participated in an exercise class with approximately 500 participants. It wasn’t long before half the class left because, rather than stressing boom-boom, jump and twist movements, it stressed grace and centering practices that come from engaging in modern dance and practicing martial arts. My teacher was ecstatic since with a smaller crowd there was more room to stretch and move about. She said that by the end of the class she had tears in her eyes. The zen-like program spoke to her. She had found her passion, her life’s ambition, and a career that still engages her after 30 years.
Her story made me consider how I discovered the focus that directed my life. It was not long before I realized it was accidental. When I speak of passion, I mean that can’t stop myself from pursuing an interest. I love and embrace activities that keep my mind challenged and engaged in the community. At the core of my being a few dramatic events changed the course of my life. Eventually, they led to embracing science education wholeheartedly as a career.
The pivotal point, however, started at home. I have always been influenced by my children and now grandchildren. They are the reason I became interested in educational psychology in the first place. They are why I started a museum in my basement and why I became involved in art. You might ask, “Painting? What does that have to do with education.?” I painted because I believe a well-rounded person is versed in the arts, humanities, and science. I also needed to relax from busy jobs as museum director and mother. Art provides an avenue to practice creativity but it is also meditative. Painting slows my mind which struggles with a ‘to do” list that seems to go on and on. It is impossible to put a dab of paint on a canvas or draw a line and think of something else. Art also set an example for my children by demonstrating that hobbies are as important for developing a sense of who you are as work.
In retirement I continue to pour an equal about of energy into painting, writing and speaking about how people learn. I am hopeful that the books I write will touch someone’s soul as much as those I have read have influenced me. This week I was notified of a review to be published by the San Francisco Book Review. It is presented here because the reviewer’s insight touched me. He grasped my passion and expressed it well. I especial like the last line and know that a great many of my readers are in similar positions to change the world.
Lives of Museum Junkies: The Story of America's Hands-On Education Movement
By Marilynne Eichinger
Publisher-Inkwater Press, $19.95, 396 pages, Available on Amazon, Powells Books, Barnes and Nobel and local bookstores.
Picture a museum in your mind. Did you imagine exhibits, roped-off bits and bobs from history meant to inspire, amaze, and educate, but always out of reach? Even today, this idea of the museum as the look-but-don't-touch institution persists. But there is another way. For decades, hands-on education has sought to break down the barriers between exhibits and visitors, allowing interested minds of all ages the opportunity to interact with exhibits, to learn firsthand by experiencing scientific principles in action. And Lives of Museum Junkies chronicles the long journey behind bringing science and museums to your fingertips.
Marilynne Eichinger uses her story -- the story of how the Impression 5 Science Center in Lansing, Michigan, was brought to life -- as the framework upon which to mount an encouraging, inspiring tale of dedicated people forging their own path and establishing something new and exciting for their community. This is the story of hard-working, generous, driven people starting from scratch and building something unique, valuable, and hands-on. From marketing and sharing one's brand to expanding an idea on a national and international scale, the stories of Eichinger's work at Impression 5 and the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry encompass all aspects of community building, starting a business, and shifting people's perceptions of just what can be accomplished when creativity meets commitment. Readers also get to meet other key voices and entrepreneurs Eichinger has worked with, people who have inspired her and who have helped blaze new trails for hands-on learning. These profiles bolster Eichinger's mission to lend credibility to the hands-on museum movement and show the many different paths one can take toward achieving success in ambitious charitable works.
Although the many benefits of this truly useful style of education are touted here, Eichinger refuses to paint a rosy picture of the process. The author never shies away from sharing the missteps, obstacles, and hard lessons encountered along the way, including a truly shocking revelation that typifies the gender politics at the time and the long legacy of gender bias in this country that still impacts us today. By pulling science and learning out from behind the glass and velvet ropes of traditional museums, Eichinger helped spark a revolution in understanding how we learn and how to engage (and re-engage) young minds in fundamental concepts of science. Lives of Museum Junkies is part tribute, part handbook, and part inspirational guide, reminding us once again that a small, dedicated group of people can change the world... because they're the only ones who ever have. - Reviewed by Glenn Dallas for the San Francisco Book Review
Artwork is always for sale - Contact me at [email protected]
Grand Prize - Passion Flower / acrylic on canvas / 24” by 28” / $ 499
10/7/2016 2:33:08 PM
To learn more about what goes on behind the scenes at museums read the newly released Lives of Museum Junkies available through Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Powells Books, Inkwater Press and many other local bookstores.
Dates to remember :
October 11 - Broadway Books, NE Broadway, Portland - talk and signing
October 15 - Impression 5 - Lansing, Michigan - morning book signing
November 3 - Marylhurst University, Rm 200, BP John Admin. - 7 pm - Book Launch Party
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Autumn Breeze
Fall is a time of beauty that makes me consider the changing seasons, vibrant colors, and slow moving rivers in need of replenishing. It is science. It is art. It is comforting and it can be wild when rain and wind batter the land.
Filled with STEAM
Many parents have heard of STEM initiatives bandied about in education circles. Schools are now abuzz with programs that provide science, technology, engineering and math options to meet perceived needs for a technologically able workforce. This expanded curriculum has opened the way for more hands-on teaching. It is a good start.
STEM activities, however, fall short of addressing the needs of all students since they do not always engage those with a more humanitarian or artistic bent. To address this lack the formula is starting to change. By putting art (and design) into the acronym, STEAM was born.
The movement, championed by the Rhode Island School of Design among others, has also been fostered through festivals such as Burning Man where art and technology join in a burst of sensory stimulation. STEAM offers a way to reach those who claim disinterest or fear of science and math. Organizations like the National Science Foundation (NSF) are now collaborating with foundations for the Arts and Humanities by giving grants to multi-disciplinary proposals. Our government recognizes that people are needed to solve problems in dealing with pollution, global warming, energy, bio-genetics and advanced technologies. By appealing to the emotions through the arts they can lure those who are hesitant and reach new audiences.
I have many friends who claim they are only interested in the arts and humanities. “I have no head for numbers,” they say. Or, I don’t understand science and never read technical articles.” Yet, these same people may enjoy science fiction, are interested in history. They attend laser light shows, put shoes on their children with heels that flash when they walk, and change cell phones regularly to own the latest technology. By appealing to their stated interests and working to entice them with fun approaches to learning, those who are hesitant can be drawn into wanting to understand the science and mathematics. Why bother with all this subterfuge you might ask?
It is because voters need to grapple with fracking, global warming, and genetically modified food if a democracy is to be maintained. Ignorance will allow technocrats, politicians, and economists to control our lives rather than the other way around. I see confusion regularly in people trying grapple with statistics thrown at them from many sources. Numbers can be skewed and misunderstood if you do not have a basic understanding of statistics.
Science and art are intrinsically bound. The scientifically literate see nature through one lens while artists explore it through another. They meet in the middle. The understanding sound waves and hearing led to surround sound and improved speakers. Electronics enabled digital production methods to be integrated when producing concerts and films. Studies of gases led to neon artistry in signs. Chemistry aides chefs develop seasoning blends and mixtures to tantalize our pallets. Steve Jobs understood that candy colored sleek casings would shake consumers up and make his computers more popular than others. The interaction of biology and art on the public’s understanding of science is being explored by the Haseltine Foundation for Medical Science and the Arts and the New York Academy of Science.
Sesame Street also has joined the trend to use the arts promote STEM curriculums. “Elmo the Musical” is an interactive, fun-filled adventure created by Elmo and the child at home. With lots of singing and dancing, Elmo uses his imagination and math skills, such as enumeration, relational concepts, addition/subtraction, and geometric shapes to solve problems.” Other segments are being planned to combine the visual and performing arts with STEM.
I read of an anatomy professor who presents her beginning medical students with a CD of songs that help them memorize the various body systems The Nurses Medication song heard on YouTube aids nurses learn the names and uses of various commonly used of medications. For those with kinesthetic intelligence, Living AnatomME, was developed by two medical students in conjunction with the Director of Anatomyat Mt. Sinai School of Medicine in New York to teach musculoskeletal anatomy through yoga and Pilates.
The Cushman school in Florida is one of many embracing STEAM. Following is a sample of the type of curriculum they are offering. It is a good introduction to state of the art thinking.
“The implementation of our STEAM program allows students the opportunity to learn through real-life applications in the critical areas of Science, Technology, Engineering, the Arts and Math. Students become engaged in hands-on projects where problem solving, collaboration, and the results of their efforts make the lessons more relevant than a textbook alone ever could. By creating real things that “matter,” STEAM, at its essence, is like the apprenticeship of a bygone era.
Our new Innovation Center offers cutting-edge equipment in a free flowing workspace designed to encourage flexibility of thought and creative solutions applicable to today’s competitive marketplace. This active participation in society’s productivity helps students develop an entrepreneurial mindset and effectively prepares them to be leaders in the respective STEAM fields.
Our STEAM programming includes:
• Artists-in-Residence program
• Architectural Design class using Revit
• Video Game Design using Alice software
• Music Composition using Propellerhead Reason (version 4) and Pro Tools 9
• Engineering and Robotics Clubs
• Lego and Vex Robotics
• Music Festival Series that brings professional bands to campus for concerts
• TD Bank - Financial Literacy
• Common Threads - Teaching children how to cook wholesome, healthy meals through a professional led, curriculum-based program
I am thrilled to see this type of effort going into education. It is similar to the message Science Centers have embraced for over the past 40 years. And it is a bandwagon worth you and your family joining.
Resources:
http://stemtosteam.org - What is STEAM
http://www.pbs.org/parents/education/music-arts/boost-memory-and-learning-with-music/ - boosting memory through music
http://www.cushmanschool.org/our-program/steam-initiative/ - Sample of a STEAM curriculum within a grade school.
http://www.nyas.org/Publications/Ebriefings/Detail.aspx?cid=1a6933bd-bdd8-422f-b5f8-815972a905aa Biolog and Art, Two Worlds or One?
https://www.deepdyve.com/lp/wiley/living-anatome-teaching-and-learning-musculoskeletal-anatomy-through-xdok4g4KYB - Living Anatomy CD
Art work is always for sale. Contact me at [email protected]
Autumn Breeze - acrylic painting / 28” by 22” / $ 399.
10/1/2016 2:09:15 PM
Are These Birds Dinosaurs?
image from westcoastemiko.weebly.com
The Love of Learning- A Tampa Treat
Last week I was in Tampa, Florida reliving my life as a museum junkie. Though I was ostensibly there to sell my book, I was reunited with the passion for educating children I had when first starting a museum in my basement. Meeting past friends and enthusiastic staff at the beginning of their careers was invigorating. Once more I was comforted by the fact that there are good people ready to move our country forward towards better days. Museum professionals are caring, tolerant and curious, all attributes I admire.
A special treat was meeting Jack Horner, the paleontologist who inspired Jurassic Park. a special treat. He was a delightful man who claimed that his dyslexia caused him to flunk out of college 7 times. It didn't stop him from his pursuit of dinosaurs. During his chat he called today’s birds dinosaurs. Apparently there is evidence from over twenty dinosaur species showing they had bird like skin and feathers. Did you know that the Brontosaurus we studied as children had the skeleton of one creature and the head of another unearthed in a nearby dig?
Paleontologists in the mid 1800’s decided that the body was that of Apatosaurus and the head belonged to Camarasaurus. For years our favorite gentle vegetarian no longer existed in scientific circles. However, that situation changed recently. In 2015, just like Arnold Schwarzenegger, he returned. Paleontologists now think that Brontosaurus is different enough from the Apatosaur to be recognized on its own merits. Confused?
Discussions with colleagues ranged from issues around diversity to the latest brain research. We considered drones, driverless cars and STEAM initiatives that add arts to science, technology, engineering, and math. Practical matters such as fundraising, architecture, outreach programs and exhibitions were also on the agenda. I learned that museums built over 20 years ago like OMSI are facing major facility problems. Just like in an old home, wall paint was peeling, roofs leaking, and carpets stained. Exhibitors struggled to keep out of order signs off of displays.
Money, money, money . . . what is to be done in a country that puts its resources into armaments rather than learning. Despite the fact that 92 million people visit science centers every year there is are inadequate resources going to support these institutions. In second and third would countries the situation differs. China is building 250 well-equipped science museums in order to promote science literacy throughout the country. Even Saudi Arabia has gotten on the bandwagon by building four, open to men on certain days of the week and women on others.
Most staff agreed that hands-on learning opportunities are not available to children as they were a generation ago. Noticing that kids are not permitted to play and problem-solve without hovering adults nearby was a theme of many conversations. Moving in the 'free-school' atmosphere of a science center provides some relief. Yet the experience could be improved with a larger variety of informal materials available to encourage more original thinking. Tinkering spaces are springing up to allow for more creative expression.
It is difficult to serve the variety of learning styles and specialized needs of visitors. But it is good to know that staff continues to try to understand their differences and understand how they learn. Perhaps the day will come when as a nation we realize that there is nothing more important than educating children if they are to understand how to live in a technological environment that is sustainable and inviting. Maybe we will also agree that adults need to stay abreast of change if they are going to maintain a robust democracy that is fair to all.
references:
http://www.unmuseum.org/dinobront.htm - what happened to the Brontosaurus.
http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/the-brontosaurus-is-back1/ The brontosaurus returns.
Art is aways for sale. Contact me at [email protected]
The Gossips shown above is an acrylic painting, 12” by 36”, $ 350.
To learn more about what goes on behind the scenes at museums read the newly released Lives of Museum Junkies available through Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Powells Books, Inkwater Press and many other local bookstores.
Dates to remember : Book reading/signing
October 11 - Broadway Books, NE Broadway, Portland
October 15 - Impression 5 -Lansing, Michigan - all day
November 3 - Marylhurst University, Old Library - 7 pm - Book Launch Party
