In 2021, the Central Council for Education defined A in STEAM as a broad range (Liberal Arts) in its report on the construction of “Reiwa Japanese-style school education.”In “Considerations of STEAM Education as Arts-Integrated Learning (1)” I pointed out the following. This definition of STEAM as Arts differs from the new framework of 21st century education centered in EU and the United States, which emphasizes creativity, physicality, and enjoyment of the arts, and does not have the same characteristics as arts-integrated learning. This definition is different from the trend of STEAM education in EU and the U.S. and its problems.
What kind of discussions led to such an important decision? This paper examines the discussion regarding A in STEAM in the minutes of the Central Council for Education leading up to the report, and clarifies the process by which the definition was established. This paper provides suggestions for the organization of curriculum for STEAM education, and is positioned as a complementary resource to “Considerations of STEAM education as art-integrated learning (1)”.
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