Abstract
This paper presents the results of a survey of students majoring in STEM fields whose education contained a significant history, philosophy and sociology (HPS) of science component. The survey was administered to students in a North American public 4-year university just prior to completing their HPS sequence. The survey assessed students’ attitudes towards HPS to gauge how those attitudes changed over the course of their college careers, and to identify the benefits and obstacles to studying HPS as a component of their STEM education. The survey reveals that students generally found unexpected value in taking HPS within their STEM curriculum. It also reveals that framing HPS courses as a means of gaining communication skills necessary to be an influential scientist seems to resonate with students. However, students also identified several factors limiting engagement with HPS content, including the length and density of required readings and assessment via essays and papers.
Highlights
Writing in the PSA Proceedings in 1974, Michael Martin lamented “a great deal has been written on the philosophy of science; perhaps even more has been written in science education
The survey suggests that HPS and non-HPS courses may be on par, or at least, STEM students are unsure of how to gauge their relative importance: students most frequently select neither agree or disagree (33%) when asked whether non-HPS courses are more important than HPS courses
There is a perception that STEM students are disinterested in HPS and believe the subject has little to offer them
Summary
European Journal for Philosophy of Science (2022) 12:19 disciplines like history and sociology – when educating scientists, at the university level. Though not primarily targeting a higher-ed audience, the journal Science Education has had a Science Studies and Science Education section since 2008 (see Duschl et al, 2008 and articles therein and since) Within these articles, it is not uncommon to find analyses of obstacles that arise when attempting to engage STEM students in courses that reflect upon science. Outside of personal anecdotes, there is little data available to suggest that STEM students are or are not resistant to classes that reflect upon science Even if they are resistant, is that resistance overcome with experience? This contribution attempts to answer the above questions empirically It presents results of a survey of fifty-two students majoring in STEM fields whose education contained a significant history, philosophy and sociology (HPS) of science component. The value that students find in HPS courses helps to justify the inclusion of HPS as part of a STEM curriculum
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