Steam curriculum: Arts Education As An Integral Part Of Interdisciplinary Learning

The Pyramid Model 
 
Using a pyramid style diagram, Yakman (2008) created a model for STEAM 
curriculum that is founded on investigations of historical practices of specific fields of 
education and educational psychologists’ theories. Her definition of STEAM is, “Science 
and Technology, interpreted through Engineering and the Arts, all based in a language of 
Mathematics” (Yakman, 2008, p. 18). The motivation for this model was to eradicate a 
hierarchical system in which some disciplines dominate and others become 
overshadowed or eliminated (Yakman, 2008, p. 11). The pyramid has four levels that 
begin with content-specific material that transition to a holistic approach at the top level 
(p. 17). She described the relationships among the disciplines as important because we 
cannot have one discipline without the other (Yakman, 2008, p. 17).
Yakman’s research led to findings that a STEAM framework brings about 
functional literacy in which students become capable of thinking across spectrums and 

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RUNNING HEAD: STEAM CURRICULUM PLAN 
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making connections between multiple disciplines (2012, p. 1075). She claimed that, 
“This also assists them to better understand people and things rooted in other disciplines, 
perspectives and cultures so they can communicate and work with one another while still 
maintaining their own identities” (Yakman, 2012, p. 1075). Moreover, Yakman stated 
that students could achieve more depth of knowledge when knowledge is transferred 
from one discipline to another, which in turn is applicable to the real world (2012, p. 
1076). She suggested that, “Teams of teachers can work together to provide in depth 
coverage of their areas of expertise while reinforcing what students are learning in other 
specific areas” (Yakman, 2012, p. 1078). Her findings also discovered a relationship 
between the STEAM framework and the theories of cognitive and educational 
psychologists such as constructivism, Vygotsky’s theory of proximal development, 
Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences, Marzano’s Strategies, and Bloom’s Taxonomy
(Yakman, 2012, p. 1079-1080).