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Luminous Science Beginnings

The Luminous Science project started through an exploration by Lila Finch. Coming from an art (BA in Art) and science (BA/MS in Chemistry) background, she was curious about developing new representations that could simultaneously support science investigations and artistic expression. She began the project by building a prototype hydroponic garden with embedded sensors and a 9-ft sculptural representation of the garden. Lila also taught high school art and chemistry and envisioned that projects like Luminous Science could support new kinds of teaching and learning in art and science, two traditionally separate disciplines.

Luminous Science Goals

Traditionally siloed disciplines limit accepted practices and values. For example, representational practices in science education often limit students to producing a small number of canonical representations (e.g. bar graphs) and in art education there is a tendency to teach traditional genres of art (e.g. portraits). Most art classes do not have students make art about data and in science class using art skills to display or understand data is not valued.

With Luminous Science we envision the designing of new representations by students that integrate and value art, science, and computing practices, knowledge, and skills. Moreover, we aim to create science and art education experiences that are truly transdisciplinary in nature, where identities, practices, and values are interwoven and equally valued. The Luminous Science experience provides a context in which to learn computing skills and practices in support of artistic and scientific goals. We think of art, not as a way to improve learning but that it is learning, that is, not in service of the science but instead expanding what is possible within the disciplinary spaces. We imagined learning experiences where many sense-making and representational practices are simultaneously supported.

Research on Luminous Science

Finch, L., Shapiro, R.B. & Carstens, F. (2018) Teachers' values in co-design of an art-science-computation unit. In Proceedings of the 2018 International Conference of the Learning Sciences, London, UK.

Luminous Science Curriculum Team:

Lila Finch, M.S., Ph.D Student in Technology, Media, & Society
Lila Finch holds a MS in Chemistry from the California Institute of Technology and a BA in Chemistry and Art from Lewis & Clark College. She taught high school science and art in San Jose for four years before attending graduate school. As a Ph.D student in the ATLAS Institute at the University of Colorado Boulder, she is interested in exploring how transdisciplinary educational experiences can support expanded visions for learning art, computing, and science in classrooms, and particularly how teachers can be supported in this endeavor.
Celeste Moreno, M.S. Student in Creative Technologies and Design
Celeste Moreno has a background in scientific visualization, which she received a B.A. in from Iowa State University,  and informal education. She has worked with educators at all levels from preschool to medical school on integrating educational technology into their curriculum. As a Master's student in the ATLAS Institute at the University of Colorado Boulder she is currently exploring how technology and computer science can be thoughtfully combined with other disciplines such as education and art to create engaging learning experiences.
Ben Shapiro, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Computer Science, ATLAS Institute
​​Professor Shapiro directs the Laboratory for Playful Computation. His research investigates how designing and building computational systems (e.g., computer music systems) can empower young people to learn through pursuing personal interests. This is done through the creation of new technologies for learning and investigating how people, including students and teachers, use them to learn together.
The Teachers
This curriculum would not have been possible without contributions from several teachers who co-designed and then implemented the Luminous Science project in their classrooms. Many of the resources and lesson plans are developed from their co-created materials. We are greatly appreciative of their help and support in constructing this curriculum.
This project is supported by gifts from Oracle.
The Laboratory for Playful Computation is part of the ATLAS Institute at the University of Colorado Boulder.