Mental Models of STS Issues: A Comparison of Engineering and Humanities Students

为了满足对有技术知识的公众和受过技术训练的对社会情况敏感的人的需要，掌握关于将要接受进一步教育的人已经拥有的价值和知识的资料将是有益的。几乎没有任何经验数据表明，本科生在参加旨在培养这些素养的课程（如STS课程）时所具备的价值观和相关知识。因此，这些课程是由专家和教师综合而成的，充其量只是对学生所处起点的肤浅概括。本研究项目解决了对STS问题理解的经验数据的需求，人文和工程本科生都需要这些数据来学习这些课程。通过采访工程和人文学科的本科生以及STS研究的专家，研究人员将收集数据，开始阐明STS课程学生的需求。这些发现对于更清楚地了解如何以更全面的方式研究这些问题，减少未经检验的假设的负担也很有价值。研究结果会分发给那些可以在STS和工程课程中使用的人，以及更广泛的受众。调查人员非常有资格；制度资源非常好；这些问题很重要；结果将适当地传播。这个项目立功卓著，推荐获奖。

In addressing the need for a technologically literate public and for technically trained people sensitive to the social context, it would be useful to have information about the values and knowledge already had by people who are to be further educated. There is scarcely any empirical data about the values and relevant knowledge with which undergraduates enter courses, such as STS courses, intended to foster these kinds of literacy. The courses, therefore, derive from a synthesis formed by specialists and instructors and, at best, superficial generalizations about the starting points at which students find themselves. This research project addresses the need for empirical data about the understanding of STS issues with which both humanities and engineering undergraduates come into these courses. By interviewing undergraduates from engineering and the humanities and also specialists in STS studies, the researchers will gather data to begin to shed light on the needs of students in STS courses. The findings will also be valuable for gaining a clearer understanding of how to go about studying these issues in a more comprehensive way, less burdened by untested assumptions. The findings will be disseminated to those who can make use of them in STS and engineering courses, and to wider audiences as well. The investigators are very well qualified; the institutional resources are very good; the issues are important; results will be appropriately disseminated. The project is meritorious and recommended for award.