The Elective Course Effect: How Non-Major Requirements Can Shape STEM Identity

August 31, 2026August 25, 2026Dr. Rachelle Dené Poth Leave a comment

Guest post by Tessa Dodson. Opinions expressed are those of the writer.

Walk through almost any school, and you’ll hear similar suggestions that students interested in STEM should take as many math, science, and technology courses as possible. While this advice is well-intentioned, it overlooks an important truth.

Students don’t develop a strong STEM identity solely by taking more STEM classes. They develop it by becoming confident thinkers, effective communicators, creative problem-solvers, and lifelong learners. Many of those qualities are cultivated through nonmajor requirements, especially courses in languages, social sciences, and humanities.

Why Electives Matter More Than You Think

When students enroll in electives, they often encounter learning experiences that differ from their core STEM coursework. Language classes strengthen communication and cultural understanding, and arts courses encourage creativity, observation, and design. History and philosophy ask students to evaluate evidence, construct arguments, and understand context.

Meaningful elective experiences often carry over into STEM learning. Instead of treating the arts and STEM as competing priorities, schools that use interdisciplinary learning can help students develop broader and more holistic skills.

Think of a student working on an engineering design project. Technical calculations are important, but so are presenting ideas to classmates, working through disagreements within a team and adapting solutions based on feedback. These are precisely the types of skills students develop through thoughtfully designed courses.

1. Building Better Problem Solvers

Many STEM challenges have no single correct answer. Scientists evaluate competing evidence, and engineers balance trade-offs. Medical researchers consider ethical implications alongside scientific data. Modern workplaces require individuals who can analyze information and make informed decisions, and 88% of employers look for candidates with evidence of problem-solving on their resume.

Students become stronger problem solvers when they learn to approach complex questions from multiple perspectives. Humanities courses frequently ask students to interpret ambiguous information, defend positions with evidence, and recognize nuance. Arts courses encourage experimentation, revision, and innovation. Language learning develops adaptability and pattern recognition while requiring students to navigate unfamiliar situations. Many colleges prefer that incoming students have at least two years of study in a world language.

Problem-solving habits and skills transfer naturally into STEM disciplines. When schools intentionally preserve nonmajor requirements, they create more opportunities for students to practice flexible thinking before they encounter technical challenges.

2. Improving Communication Skills

One misconception about STEM careers is that success depends primarily on technical expertise. In reality, today’s scientists, engineers, and technology professionals spend considerable time communicating. They explain findings to clients, present proposals to leadership teams, collaborate across departments, mentor colleagues, and translate technical concepts for nontechnical audiences.

However, students rarely develop these skills through technical coursework alone. Humanities courses can strengthen organization and evidence-based reasoning. Foreign language courses improve listening, perspective-taking, and communication. These professional capabilities complement technical knowledge and make it more impactful. According to 37 executives from the chemical and pharmaceutical industries, collaboration and communication are among the most valuable nontechnical skills for scientists.

3. Boosting Creativity That Drives Innovation

Innovation rarely comes from repeating established or old practices. Instead, breakthrough ideas emerge when individuals connect concepts across different disciplines. Some of history’s most influential innovators drew inspiration from art, literature, philosophy, or music alongside scientific inquiry.

Today’s technology companies value employees who combine analytical thinking with creativity. Arts education plays an important role in promoting this mindset. Whether students are composing music, designing visual media, or performing theater, they learn to receive feedback, experiment with new ideas, and embrace revision as part of the creative process. Those same habits support engineering design cycles, software development, scientific experimentation, and product innovation.

Personal Growth Extends Beyond Career Preparation

Education serves a purpose that is beyond preparing students for a particular profession. It also helps young people develop into curious, empathetic, and resilient individuals who can adapt to changing circumstances throughout their lives.

Literature courses invite students to consider perspectives different from their own. Philosophy asks students to consider ethical questions that rarely have simple answers. The arts foster self-expression, perseverance, and confidence through creative exploration.

By providing these experiences, you can contribute to students’ personal growth, helping them become more reflective, emotionally aware, and open to new ideas. They also strengthen qualities like resilience, adaptability, and intellectual curiosity, which are just as valuable in a STEM career as technical expertise.

By providing opportunities for students to explore interests beyond their primary field of study, you reinforce the idea that education is about growing into capable, well-rounded people, not simply preparing to become future employees.

More Students Will See Themselves in STEM

Some students discover their interest in STEM only after connecting technical concepts with their personal passions. For example, a student who enjoys storytelling may become interested in data visualization. A musician may discover acoustical engineering, or a visual artist may pursue user experience design.

When you encourage students to explore subjects beyond their intended major, you create opportunities for students to combine their passions rather than choose between them. As students begin to see how different subjects intersect, they are more likely to view STEM as a field where their unique talents and perspectives are valued.

This broader, more inclusive approach is especially important for students who may not identify with traditional STEM careers. By demonstrating that there are many ways to contribute to STEM, you can help more students develop the capabilities and confidence that are essential to building a strong STEM identity.

What Educational Leaders Can Do

Consider how your school’s policies support interdisciplinary learning. Start by examining whether scheduling practices unintentionally discourage students from taking electives outside their intended majors. When every period is devoted to technical coursework, students may lose valuable opportunities for broader, well-rounded development.

Next, you can encourage collaboration across departments. Invite STEM and humanities teachers to co-design interdisciplinary projects that address authentic problems. Students might combine environmental science with persuasive writing, computer science with graphic design, or engineering with ethics.

You can also celebrate diverse pathways into STEM. Highlight alums and professionals whose careers show the importance of interdisciplinary experiences. Share examples of computer scientists who value philosophy or healthcare professionals whose language skills improve patient care. These stories can help students understand that success in STEM does not require limiting themselves to technical coursework.

Rethinking Success

The pressure to optimize courses for college admissions or career readiness can unintentionally limit students’ educational experiences. Valuable learning also takes place in classes outside a student’s major.

When schools value nonmajor requirements, they focus on developing adaptable thinkers rather than just technically skilled graduates. This broad approach helps students communicate effectively, think creatively, collaborate well, and become resilient learners. They gain confidence in academic mastery and in their ability to address real-world problems.

About Tessa

Tessa Dodson is the Senior Writer of Classrooms.com, where she researches and covers educational policy, professional development, teacher support systems, and integration challenges that K-12 and higher education institutions may face. She aims to research and provide actionable insights for students, educators, school administrators, and other leaders.

About Rachelle’s work

I help schools and other organizations (law firms, healthcare professionals, business owners) implement AI responsibly through policy guidance, professional learning, and classroom-ready strategies grounded in both instructional practice and legal insight.

My sessions focus on helping teams:

• understand what AI can and cannot do

• recognize responsible-use considerations

• build confidence using emerging tools

•align implementation with organizational priorities

If your school, district, or organization is beginning conversations or looking to dive in and learn more about AI policy, professional learning, or responsible implementation, I’d welcome the opportunity to support your next steps through leadership workshops, keynote sessions, or strategic planning partnerships.

Preparing people is what makes AI implementation successful. Contact me via bit.ly/thrivineduPD for my training and speaking services.

About Rachelle

Dr. Rachelle Dené Poth is a Spanish and STEAM: What’s Next in Emerging Technology Teacher. Dr. Rachelle Dené Poth is an edtech consultant, presenter, attorney, author, and teacher of Spanish and STEAM: Emerging Technology. Rachelle has a Juris Doctor degree from Duquesne University School of Law and a Doctorate in Instructional Technology. Rachelle’s focus was on the need for professional development for educators, specific to Artificial Intelligence. Rachelle specializes in Artificial Intelligence, AI and the Law, AI and Healthcare, Cybersecurity, and STEM. She has more than 8 years of experience teaching and presenting on AI in her classroom, as well as working with educators worldwide.

Rachelle is currently serving as the Grant Coach for an initiative through ISTE+ASCD and Pinterest. Rachelle works with a Task Force from 12 districts in the United States and assists with policy revision, professional development, and the design of digital wellness resources for students, educators, and families.

Rachelle provides professional development related to AI policy and implementation to school districts, universities, and organizations. She also presents and provides keynotes on AI at state, national, and international events and in schools. Rachelle also provides AI training for other industries, including business, healthcare, and legal fields.
Rachelle is an ISTE-certified educator and recipient of the ISTE Making IT Happen Award and several Presidential Awards for volunteer service to education. Rachelle received the EdTech Trendsetter Award from EdTech Digest in 2024 and 2026.

She is the author of ten books, including “What the Tech? An Educator’s Guide to AI, AR/VR, the Metaverse and More! and “How to Teach AI: Weaving Strategies and Activities Into Any Content Area.” She has written curricula and courses on AI for all levels.

She is also a blogger for Defined Learning, EdTech K12, Edutopia, Getting Smart, and Tech & Learning. She is the host of the ThriveinEDU podcast, ISTE’s Learning Unleashed podcast, and The Lift by Amazon on BAM Radio Network. Contact Rachelle for your event!

AI in Education vs. AI Education, Part III

August 11, 2026August 6, 2026Dr. Rachelle Dené Poth Leave a comment

The First 5 Steps on the Roadmap for Moving Forward

In Part I, I explored the difference between AI in education and AI education and why both are essential if we want to prepare students for a rapidly changing world.

In Part II, I focused on the gap between policy and practice and introduced six areas that schools and districts should address as they move from conversation to implementation:

Establish clear, shared expectations
Invest in educator readiness
Teach AI literacy intentionally
Align AI use with digital wellness
Engage stakeholders
Review, measure, and adjust

Now, we have to consider how schools actually begin this work. In this part of the series, I will share the first five steps of the roadmap moving forward.

There is no single plan that will fit every school or district. Community needs, resources, policies, student populations, and levels of readiness will vary across school systems within states and across the country.

Given the pace at which AI is advancing, schools should not wait until they have every answer to every question asked. They just need a starting point, a shared process, and a willingness to learn and adjust along the way. And to be successful, they need to be involved in thoughtful and consistent conversations.

Having the Right People at the Table

AI implementation should not be the responsibility of one person, department, or leadership team. I have said this many times when presenting at conferences and working with school districts. AI implementation requires multiple perspectives.

In the past year, schools that have formed an AI Task Force and included members from different backgrounds and roles in education have had the most success.

School and district task forces should include:

classroom educators from varying grade levels and content areas
students
families
school and district leaders
curriculum and instructional technology staff
special education and student-support representatives
data privacy, cybersecurity, or legal personnel
community or workforce partners

Having members from each group leads to a more thorough evaluation and a deeper understanding of AI from different perspectives.

Educators understand classroom realities. Students understand how AI is being used. Families can ask questions, express concerns, and support needs.

On the tech side, technology and legal professionals can help address privacy, security, contracts, age requirements, and compliance with relevant laws. School leaders can connect the work to curriculum, professional learning, communication, and long-term planning.

Connecting these voices creates a stronger foundation for decisions and helps prevent policies from being created in isolation. And it does not require a large task force to be impactful. The goal is to make sure the people affected by the decisions have a meaningful role in shaping them.

Here are the steps that I recommend for schools. During my workshops, speaking events, and writing, I try to help build out policies and systems that will have an impact. I also expand on each of these and create interactive experiences to help educators and students, develop skills and become more knowledgeable about AI and responsible use of it.

Step 1: Understand What Is Already Happening

Before schools write new policies or purchase new tools, they need to understand their current status.

Students and educators may already be using AI in a variety of ways, including:

brainstorming
lesson planning
generating questions
summarizing information
creating drafts
translating text
producing images
providing feedback
researching ideas
completing assignments

Some uses may be appropriate and productive, while others may raise concerns about privacy, accuracy, bias, academic integrity, or overreliance. My work with AI and the law addresses these concerns.

Schools cannot create effective expectations without first understanding what is happening. Over the past year, sitting with student focus groups, moderating panels, and visiting classrooms have all helped me to gain additional insights into what schools look like in an AI era.

Schools need to know where confusion exists, what educators need, what students already understand, and where gaps in guidance may be creating risk. The information gathered should guide the next steps.

Step 2: Define Shared Principles

Before writing detailed rules, schools should identify the principles that will guide AI use. These principles provide a common foundation across classrooms and grade levels, even when specific expectations vary. Common and shared language around AI is essential.

Possible shared principles might include:

Human judgment remains essential.
Learning remains the priority.
AI should support thinking rather than replace it.
AI use should be acknowledged when appropriate.
AI-generated content should be evaluated for accuracy, bias, and relevance.
Technology use should align with student well-being and instructional purpose.
Access and expectations should be equitable.

These principles can help educators make decisions when a new tool, classroom scenario, or student question arises. And they are especially important because schools cannot anticipate every possible use of AI. A policy can provide boundaries and shared principles that help people make responsible decisions within those boundaries.

Step 3: Create Clear Expectations for Use

One of the most common challenges educators face is determining when AI use should be allowed. The appropriate role of AI depends on the learning goal, the age of the student, the type of assignment, the information being shared, and the amount of independent thinking required. Schools may benefit from creating an AI-use continuum. For example:

AI Use Is Not Permitted

Students are expected to complete the task independently because the goal is to assess their individual knowledge, thinking, or skill.

AI Use Requires Educator Approval

Students may use AI only after discussing the intended purpose with the educator.

AI Use Is Permitted With Disclosure

Students may use AI for specific parts of the process but must explain how it was used.

AI Use Is Encouraged for a Defined Purpose

AI is intentionally used for brainstorming, comparison, feedback, revision, simulation, or another identified learning goal.

AI Use Is Embedded in the Assignment

Students are expected to interact with AI, evaluate its output, identify limitations, and reflect on its role in their work.

This type of continuum gives educators more flexibility and helps students understand that responsible use depends on context. The expectation should always connect to the purpose of the learning experience.

Step 4: Prepare Educators Through Practical Professional Learning

Educator readiness is one of the most important parts of implementation and it was the focus of my doctoral research two years ago.

Teachers should not be handed a policy and expected to figure out the rest on their own. They need time to explore, ask questions, test tools, and express concerns. Educators need opportunities to examine questions such as:

What is the learning goal?
How might AI support the learning?
How might it interfere with the learning?
What should students be expected to do independently?
What privacy or safety concerns exist?
Would another approach be more effective?

Having conversations and addressing questions like these will help educators build confidence and consistency.

Step 5: Teach AI Literacy Across the Curriculum

AI education should not only be addressed in a computer science class. AI literacy should be developed across subjects and grade levels. Some examples are:

In language arts, students might compare a human-written passage with an AI-generated one and analyze voice, evidence, and credibility.
In social studies, they might examine how bias appears in responses about historical events.
In science, students might verify an AI-generated explanation against trusted scientific sources.
In math classes, students might evaluate whether an AI-generated solution is correct and explain where the reasoning succeeds or fails.
In world language classes, students might compare AI translations and identify where meaning, tone, or cultural context is lost.

With activities like these, we can teach students how to question, evaluate, and make decisions about the use of AI and its accuracy.

These first five steps provide a practical starting point for schools and districts working to move from uncertainty to intentional action. By bringing the right people together, understanding current AI use, defining shared principles, creating clear expectations and common language, preparing educators, and building AI literacy across the curriculum, schools will establish a stronger foundation for responsible implementation. But the work does not end here.

In Part IV, I will continue the roadmap by exploring how schools can connect AI use with digital wellness, communicate clearly with students and families, and create an ongoing process for reviewing, measuring, and adjusting their approach.

Subscribe to my ThriveinEDU newsletter to stay informed.

If Your Organization Is Beginning This Work

My sessions focus on helping teams:

• understand what AI can and cannot do

• recognize responsible-use considerations

• build confidence using emerging tools

• align implementation with organizational priorities

Preparing people is what makes AI implementation successful. Contact me via bit.ly/thrivineduPD or email Rdene915@gmail.com, for my training and speaking services.