Using ‘Processing’ As A Stimulus For Producing STEAM

Sir Ken Robinson has called for a paradigm shift in our educational system away from the use of standardized testing and behavior modification drugs on our youth to one of enquiry and creativity in the arts and sciences. I think a great opportunity exists today to achieve many of the goals he advocates utilizing tools from the open-source community, in particular, a computer programming language called 'Processing.' I believe Processing can be used as a stimulus for merging the worlds of art, math, science and technology to meet the challenge of changing paradigms. Processing is an open-source (FREE!) programming language developed at MIT by two graduate students (Ben Fry and Casey Reas) that is targeted for visual artists who would like to utilize digital media in their endeavors but who lack computer programming skills. It has become so popular that several circuit board manufactures have developed boards that can use Processing to obtain sensory data and/or to control motors (think 'robots') and other devices. In addition, Processing can be used to obtain data from the Kinect 3D camera (Xbox) for visual explorers to investigate the realm of 3D interactive media.