Zoe Wundeneberg’s article in The Bendigo Advertiser on April 10 is a good argument for the value of arts in STEM, however, it is not a new debate.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Many educational institutions now see the value and relevance of the arts in science and technology learning. The Bendigo Tech School has adopted STEAM as the basis of its education programs, and Peter Hutton’s Templestowe College has taken the debate a step further with the with the addition of entrepreneurship to create ESTEAM.
Part of the problem is that the STEM imperative is supposed to lead to innovation and innovation is widely misunderstood. Simply put, innovation is the successful commercialisation of invention as a product of research and development.
The entrepreneurship and enterprise activity that goes into successful product development is not only a wide capture of commercial and communication capabilities, but also includes a range of soft skills such as visual design and branding. These skills are essential to create products which appeal to the different needs and wants of consumers. Without arts capabilities, you have a stockpile of useful inventions that will never be produced or find a market.
We agree with Wundeneberg’s comment - it is the arts that understand, shape and give purpose to STEM. Ethical considerations are also of paramount consideration, with the topical Cambridge Analytica scandal a prescient reminder of innovation abuse. The arts are essential to any holistic technology program. Whilst some people see STEM and STEAM as interchangeable terms, it’s time that we acknowledged they are inextricably linked. It’s time to say goodbye to STEM.
Graeme Wiggins, Director Bendigo Tech School
Ask the question
Bendigo Council is now canvassing what changes it can make to waste collection as part of a waste collection survey. The decisions seem to be justified by surveys that ask whether the public wants a service without stating what the cost will be. Where was the question: "How much would you be happy to pay annually for hard waste collection?".
I call it "increasing rates by stealth". For my family the introduction of green waste bins was an unwanted 5% increase on our rates taking the overall increase to around 7-7.5%, (so much for a 2.5% rate cap). The cost to rate payers is now more than the private opt-in green waste recycling service costed - it should be much much cheaper with efficiencies of scale, and reduced costs in managing the regular landfill - are our green waste fees subsidising other services, or is the council just really really bad at managing their operations?
And now hard waste is on the table, and we're bracing for another 7-7.5% rate increase. When will the council have an honest conversation with their ratepayers about whether they would prefer more services or lower rates?
Tim Kohlman, Strathfieldsaye
Bendigo delivers
This is my first and last letter to an Editor. I have been moved to write due to the constant carping and negative press given to Cogbee, aka the City of Greater Bendigo by your correspondents and some reporters. With strategic plans developed in matters of town planning, environmental development, art and culture, social cohesion and even street tree planting, Cogbee has moved to the front place in municipal forthought. It has delivered on the ground and will soon accomplish its objective to make Bendigo the most livable regional city in the nation. kol ha kavod. Onkel Howard. aka H Nathan