STEAM Actually comming to FRC, and im not happy

[Lil' Lavery]

Originally Posted by jman4747

The point these sources seem to be making is that arts related education should take place in programs focused on promoting STEM higher education and careers.

Your concern is that these initiatives will allow programs solely focused on the arts and not promoting STEM higher education and careers, to receive funding meant for STEM programs.

Correct?

The dilution of STEM funding into a broader spectrum is indeed a concern I have. While hopefully the initiatives funded have at least a tertiary connection to the "Technology" portion of STEM (such as funding a computer-based graphic design program over a interpretive dance program), changing from STEM to STEAM unquestionably represents a widening of the spectrum. But that's not the entirety of my concerns. As I have voiced in previous posts, I see little separation between "STEAM" and "Education" in general, and the precise scope and meaning of a STEAM-focused education is unclear to me. Where-as STEM has a concrete objective of increasing participation in particular majors and career fields, STEAM is lobbying for the hiring of other majors into STEM careers and for vague increases in "innovation" and "creativity."

This isn't to say anything in the STEAM agenda is outright incorrect or detrimental. But to me, STEM funding represents a specific subset of education, while STEAM is diluting that subset into broader education funding as a whole. I have zero issue with increasing education funding (it's actual something I care about deeply), but if we want to increase education funding as a whole, let's not do so by diluting funding already in the system.

Now obviously, the individuals involved in FIRST HQ have much more experience regarding STEM funding, both private and public. Perhaps this battle is already lost, and they can sense the political winds shifting and are sailing into what is going to be more smoother waters in the future. I hope their reasoning on this issue is robust, and not just playing into a "STEAMpunk" theme.