About this Research Topic

Background

We often hear about STEM and how important it is, how it prepares us for lucrative careers that are relatively stable. Occasionally STEM is augmented with the arts to become “STEAM”, but this really isn’t fully explored. We don’t usually discuss how art and the humanities impact us both in our personal lives, but also in our professional lives. Do we understand the history of why or how a particular technology or item came to be? Do we realize how much those items are impacted by changes in our society and in the way humans live? Understanding these issues is critically important, in order to ensure that technology becomes a blessing and not a curse, something that enhances life and happiness rather than something that causes misery. An interest in art and the humanities, therefore, should be something that is valued in potential STEM students and cultivated throughout their education.
Humanities are often seen as a separate subject, those courses that have to be taken to “check off the boxes” and are not always taken seriously by students, educators, or professionals in the field. The editors have heard groans from some faculty and staff when they are asked if they have integrated humanities into their coursework and classroom. The ensuing discussion generally results in discussions of how to do that in a purely technical course, and there may be concerns over lack of time. It has been done and done well. However, we don’t have enough discussion or evidence of successful integration in the classroom! This is our opportunity to bring this information to our colleagues and others interested in the best practices of this integration in all of its various forms, whether formal or informal.
In order to share best practices in and out of the classroom, and encourage students to grow in whatever way best suits them and their interests, researchers and practitioners are encouraged to contribute work that showcases novel research and techniques in the incorporation of humanities into STEM courses, workshops, pre-college programs, and camps – in and out of the classroom. This call for manuscripts encourages authors to investigate creative pedagogies as well as conventional and unconventional approaches in and out of the classroom, generally intended to incorporate humanities into a variety of activities with the intent of encouraging students to succeed in all aspects of STEM. Such activities may promote STEM success regardless of the student’s proclivity or beliefs about themselves as a potential STEM professional. A broad spectrum of research themes will be welcomed. They may include (but are not limited to):
• Incorporating humanities into STEM courses and the resulting impact on the course.
• Impact on students, by gender, home location, and status such as the first generation.
• Practices in formal and informal settings on students.
• Faculty impact in the incorporation of humanities into their formal and/or informal materials
• Similarities and differences of the incorporation of humanities into courses, workshops, or camps
• New methodologies for incorporation of humanities into formal and informal learning environments.

Keywords: engineering technology, engineering, humanities, STEAM, STEM Education, arts, Impact on Student learning, integration into STEM

Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.

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