Lyricos Learning LLC, the Houston-based education company, is seeing great success with its virtual learning platform, STEAM on Demand®. With lessons adapted from those proven to be engaging and successful in its in-person IDEA Lab Kids sessions, STEAM on Demand videos equip students and teachers with the guidance they need to complete exciting STEAM activities in the classroom. Now, STEAM on Demand has partnered with the University of St. Thomas’s MAX Studios to professionally produce the next season of instructional videos to offer even more STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art and mathematics) lessons to classrooms nationwide.

“We are in our second season of filming videos for STEAM on Demand, and we’re now working with the University of St. Thomas,” said Devina Bhojwani, president of Lyricos Learning. “Since they support the STEM-plus-art space, they have graciously opened their studio, called MAX Studios, to us. The demand that we’re seeing with schools and districts continues to rise, and this partnership has given us an opportunity to increase our output of high-quality videos.”

Bhojwani explained that the two teams were first connected about a year ago when Lyricos Learning sponsored a marketing course for the University of St. Thomas students, but the teams quickly realized that their values aligned, and Arthur Ortiz, chief strategic partnerships and community engagement officer at the University of St. Thomas, invited the team to visit the studio in person and explore what type of partnership may be possible.

“We have very strong programs at the institution, but I’ve also always been the type of person that’s interested in science. I wanted to be an astronaut when I grew up,” said Ortiz. “These days, it seems that math and science are very challenging for some people. I like the hands-on aspect of STEAM on Demand because I think that’s what’s going to get us re-introduced to STEAM. I love it because that’s what it’s all about — experimentation and measurable results.”

Bridget Richardson, executive producer at MAX Studios, shared that, when she learned of the opportunity, she was excited to be working with an education concept, but after seeing some of the existing STEAM on Demand videos, she was sold.

“When I saw the videos, I was impressed. I thought, ‘Wow! This is so clean. It has bright colors, so it’s built in an interesting way, but it’s not distracting,’” she explained. “I could see how, in a classroom setting, this would be great for learning. From our perspective at MAX Studios, we were excited to learn their setup and understand how they use their cameras and equipment. We were excited to welcome them into the studio and be that place of camaraderie and education.”

As the videos are being produced, students from the University of St. Thomas have played a key role in creating the content, and there have even been discussions about some students serving as actors in the instructional videos to create an even more diverse, inclusive experience for the end user.

Ortiz and Richardson agreed that, while leaders at the studio are proud to be involved, this partnership has also created valuable opportunities for the students that, when had in the early stages of their adulthood, can have a lasting impact as they move forward in their lives and careers.

“STEAM is essential because it’s all-inclusive and holistic,” added Richardson. “It helps people understand the beauty, awe and grandeur of the Earth around us. We only play a small part by offering space, but as it all comes together, we’re able to restore students’ connection to STEAM.”

An Impactful Resource for Teachers and Students Everywhere

All of the video lessons offered by STEAM on Demand are based on lessons that have already been proven at in-person IDEA Lab Kids sessions. With over 3,000 hours of curriculum available for in-person instruction, STEAM on Demand is just getting started.

“We have not converted all of those lessons to video. We’ve just started building a fraction of it, so that’s the pool we go back to each filming season when we look to create more content,” explained Bhojwani. “Any school with a subscription will have access to all of this new content as it gets added on as well as other enhancements we’ve added including assessments, quizzes, crossword puzzles and other resources to enhance the experience beyond the hands-on aspect of the project.”

Bhojwani explained that STEAM continues to be an emphasis for parents and an area of interest among younger students, but many school districts do not provide STEAM instruction to students in the lower grades. STEAM on Demand offers an accessible model that empowers educators to provide a STEAM experience to students of all ages regardless of the students’ prior experience and educator’s existing level of knowledge.

“The beauty of the product is that it doesn’t require any pre-training,” she said. “Anyone could walk into a classroom right now, play a video and follow along with that video. It includes all of the concepts in it, and what we love is that the students are excited about it, but we also hear from educators and paraprofessionals who are learning about concepts like DNA or acids and bases right alongside their classes. We’re reigniting that excitement Arthur spoke about, and that’s so fulfilling.”

For more information, please visit https://franchise.idealabkids.com.