Beyond the Acronym: Interconnections of STEAM, the Humanities, and Digital Citizenship

Abstract

This study examines interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary interconnections within STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Mathematics), the humanities, and their collective impacts on civilizations over time. This study includes a comprehensive overview of STEAM education and its integration with historical context and explores relationships beyond the acronym of STEAM itself, with an emphasis on STEAM advancements, the humanities, and digital citizenship for contemporary learners. The role of humanities in relation to STEAM is considered for delving into the historical background of robotics, the technological evolution from simple machines to complex tools for machine learning, engineering innovations during Industrial Revolutions, the Renaissance for creativity, and the Maker Movement for makerspaces in fostering innovation. The researchers consider how scientific, technological, engineering, and mathematical advancements have shaped societal development, as well as the historical roles of artistic expression on cultures. An analysis of interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary connections among STEAM disciplines within historical contexts creates a holistic educational view of societal evolution. The researchers also reflect on the contemporary implications of historical STEAM developments, advocating for the integration of historical context into STEAM curricula – and STEAM curricula into the humanities – for cultivating critical thinking, creative thinking, and a deeper understanding of civilization's interconnectedness.