I am posting prior to reading the article and all of the posts here in the thread. I am going to fall into the group that beleives this is not a verses situation. In fact, the more novel approach is to apply for STEM funding as a STEAM program. (A=Arts) The creative and inventive processes are similar across disciplines but have different end products. I am not gaining much traction for a summer professional development institute on STEAM which is an integration of both STEM and the Arts. I don't yet have enough resources to adequately develop and promote this project but I see value in starting to promote it. I am hoping to run a week long institute for middle and high school teachers using the 3D game design engine developed by
Microsoft Research,
Kodu. The programming side is a GUI with parallel processes available plus set tool set for creating the 3D environment in which the "game" is situated. While not focused on electrical and mechanical systems, energy disipation effects, gravity are key to designing some games and
computational thinking is a critical element to understanding how to design engaging games.
So STEM emphasis is not bad, does not need to diminish liberal arts, and in some situations they are indeed integrated or interdisciplinary in nature.