Studying humanities basically entails studying human experience
Question 4
Studying humanities basically entails studying human experience. Studying humanities thus not only makes me learn and reflect on other people’s cultures and society but also enables me to learn about myself. I believe humanities will help me think critically, creatively, and gain insight into various topics. Humanities promote creativity as it sharpens one’s interpretation of things (Skidmore para 2). For instance, having learned about artistic expression, when I look at a painting, I would not only perceive it as a mere painting. Instead, I will be able to appreciate the little details in the paintings and how they contribute to making it outstanding and meaningful. Besides understanding things, studying humanities will help me better understand people, hence improving my social skills. Finally, studying humanities will help me become international. By studying and understanding foreign cultures and languages, I will be able to relate to individuals from other backgrounds.
Question 6
In the era heavily penetrated with advocacy for STEM- science, technology, engineering, and mathematics; liberal arts degrees are increasingly being considered insignificant. However, as research shows, humanities play a crucial role in academic achievement. According to research conducted by Faulconer, Wood, and Griffith (2020), students who engage in humanities education as part of attaining a well-rounded curriculum are more engaged in academics as a whole. The study demonstrated that such students were found to read better, write better, think more critically and creatively, drop out less, and are highly likely to continue with a higher level of education than their counterparts. While STEM education aims to increase the supply of high-tech labor force in the economy, educators and students must recognize that STEM education is incomplete without humanities. Every child needs a well-rounded quality education to assist them in making an informed decision that will help resolve the 21st century’s problems and beyond. Humanities achieve this as it teaches interpretation, communication, collaboration, and reasoning skills (Kelley and Knowles 11). The humanities- through the culture, literature, philosophy, and history is fundamentally important for STEM education as it offers students with knowledge on how to navigate human experience. For instance, a truly innovative scientist must consider how their innovations will impact the world and its inhabitants.