[Intro] Collaborative Formations at the Intersection of Pedagogy, Engagement, and Research

Abstract

Science and Technology Studies (STS) pedagogies constitute a dynamic form of STS practice that occurs in formal and informal spaces, and in a variety of disciplinary and interdisciplinary programs with different goals and objectives. This thematic collection of articles in Engaging Science, Technology, and Society (ESTS) turns an analytical gaze on the spaces, practices, artifacts, and interactions through which STS pedagogies are enacted. Specifically, it foregrounds pedagogical engagements that have emerged through “collaborative formations” such as STS labs, clinics, workshops, community-based projects, co-teaching and other multi-temporal, geographic, and/or organizational configurations. We delve into fundamental questions about what might constitute “STS pedagogies” more broadly and how STS teaching and learning might be understood in various ways. The articles included in the collection challenge the conventional separation between research and pedagogy, suggesting that STS pedagogical scholarship can disrupt hierarchical structures that prioritize research over teaching. We start by discussing what we understand as “STS pedagogies,” what STS pedagogical scholarship might look like, and how it relates to “collaborative formations.” We then describe the infrastructure established to facilitate thinking across the collaborative formations and the multi-year process to produce the manuscripts and their accompanying data artifacts. We hold that focusing on STS pedagogical practices can open new avenues of inquiry within the field of STS, enabling critical interventions and actions in various contexts.