STEM Undergraduates and Archival Instruction: A Case Study at NYU Polytechnic School of Engineering

Abstract

STEM undergraduates are an underserved population in archival outreach and instruction. This case study, conducted at New York University's Polytechnic School of Engineering using the Poly Archives and Special Collections at Bern Dibner Library, aims to demonstrate the benefits of integrating archival research into the undergraduate STEM curriculum. Archivist and faculty collaboration during a semester-long course not only resulted in student gains in archival intelligence, but also allowed students to practice critical thinking, reasoning about uncertainty, and working collaboratively in teams, all competencies recognized as integral to engineering design and the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology's guidelines for developing engineers for the twenty-first century.

Critical Pedagogies and Critical Information Literacy in STEM librarianship: A Literature Review

“…The special status of STEM information is both a cause and effect of conventional, non-critical ways of teaching it. Librarians have particular expertise in information infrastructures (Fosmire, 2017;Johnson, 2017;Warren & Duckett, 2010) and special collections such as archives and maps (Anderberg, 2015;Grimm & Vostral, 2019;Tranfield, 2019). Our expertise makes us capable of and responsible for helping students see the hidden values in these infrastructures and objects and how they "influence how and where science happens, what students learn in the university, and who benefits most" (Tranfield, 2019, p. 211).…”

“…The ACRL Standards and the subsequent Framework for information literacy for higher education were the most frequently cited, with seven articles citing one of them as motivating documents (Bohémier, 2019;Brown & Bresnahan, 2022;Fosmire, 2017;Association of College and Research Libraries, 2016;Mercer & Weaver, 2023;Palumbo, 2018;Perry, 2018;Warren & Duckett, 2010). (Other frameworks mentioned were the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology student outcomes and the National Society of Professional Engineers' Code of ethics (Anderberg, 2015;Fosmire, 2017) the American Association of School Librarians' Standards for the 21st century learner (Fosmire, 2017;Torrise, 2010); the Society of American Archivists definition of archival literacy and ACRL Guidelines for primary source literacy (Anderberg, 2015;Grimm & Vostral, 2019).) Many authors interpreted the learning goals outlined in these documents as necessitating critical methods.…”

Educating Our Patrons: Teaching with Primary Sources in Educational Outreach in Medical Archives

“…A 2008 survey conducted by the Society of American Archivists indicated that English and history were the subjects most requested for archival orientation sessions, while science was requested infrequently. 22 However, archivists have successfully developed online digital resources for K-12 students, as well as curriculum-based courses that use primary sources, including undergraduate and graduate science courses such as mathematics, engineering, and geography. Some programs involve using primary sources to teach about current scientific discoveries.…”

Pinkett's Charges: Recruiting, Retaining, and Mentoring Archivists of Color in the Twenty-First Century

“…59 For example, the New York University Polytechnic School of Engineering found considerable success introducing archives to undergraduates pursuing Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) studies. 60 Second, 6 interviewees worked in campus libraries as undergraduates; all recalled their experiences with approbation. Commented P7, who needed a flexible on-campus job, "It was the social connection, it was the money, it was all the things that were affiliated with that."…”