STEM students’ social agency and views on working for social change: Are STEM disciplines developing socially and civically responsible students?

Abstract

Utilizing a national sample of over 6,100 undergraduates, drawn from the Cooperative Institutional Research Program's (CIRP) Freshman Survey and College Senior Survey, this study investigates differences between STEM and non-STEM students at the end of college on the values they place on helping to create a more equitable society. Findings show that, on average, STEM students view the importance of working for social change as less important to their career goals, yet differences between Underrepresented Students of Color and their non-underrepresented counterparts emerge. The multilevel analysis revealed that majoring in a STEM discipline has a significant negative relationship with social agency outcomes, and that there are important differences in social agency outcomes among students who aspire to work in different STEM-related careers. Given the intellectual debates over the purpose of STEM education, the findings have broad implications for STEM education scholars, policymakers, and practitioners interested in promoting STEM students’ social and civic outcomes at institutions of higher education. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Res Sci Teach 52: 610–632, 2015.