As STEM students come to populate undergraduate courses in the liberal arts to fulfill university distribution requirements, they outnumber their humanities counterparts. A history professor and archivist working at a university that predominantly produces STEM majors have partnered to teach these students by utilizing the special collections related to engineering, innovation, and discovery in classroom work and assignments. This Critical Participation article presents the model of the ‘archive as laboratory’ to facilitate critical inquiry, introduce archival literacy to scientists and engineers, and expand students’ concept of information sources. Students gain an understanding that research questions can be addressed through multiple kinds of evidence that the archives is uniquely situated to provide. The immersive learning experience is enhanced by coursework that incorporates foundational theories and approaches from Science & Technology Studies. The lab model engages the archive as a hands-on workspace and a place where students can practice research skills. Engaging the archive as a laboratory fosters inquiry and critical thinking, and connects histories of innovation, problem identification, and design practice to students’ own majors and their future careers. It is relevant when a problem requires original solutions not found in existing manuals, textbooks, or online platforms.

随着STEM学生逐渐进入人文学科本科课程以满足大学分配的要求，他们的人数超过了人文学科。在一所大学主要从事STEM专业课程的历史教授和档案管理员，已经通过利用与工程，创新以及课堂作业和作业发现相关的特别藏书，合作教这些学生。这篇重要的参与文章介绍了“作为实验室的档案”的模型，以促进批判性探究，向科学家和工程师介绍档案知识，并扩展学生的信息资源概念。学生们了解到可以通过多种证据证明可以解决研究问题，这些证据是档案馆独特地提供的。通过结合科学与技术研究的基础理论和方法的课程学习，可以增强沉浸式学习体验。实验室模型将档案馆作为动手工作区和学生可以练习研究技能的场所。将档案作为实验室工作可以培养探究性和批判性思维，并将创新，问题识别和设计实践的历史与学生自己的专业和未来的职业联系起来。当问题需要在现有手册，教科书或在线平台中找不到的原始解决方案时，它就很重要。将档案作为实验室工作可以培养探究性和批判性思维，并将创新，问题识别和设计实践的历史与学生自己的专业和未来的职业联系起来。当问题需要在现有手册，教科书或在线平台中找不到的原始解决方案时，它就很重要。将档案作为实验室工作可以培养探究性和批判性思维，并将创新，问题识别和设计实践的历史与学生自己的专业和未来的职业联系起来。当问题需要在现有手册，教科书或在线平台中找不到的原始解决方案时，它就很重要。