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Do Biology Majors Really Differ from Non-STEM Majors?


ABSTRACT: Recent calls to action urge sweeping reform in science education, advocating for improved learning for all students-including those majoring in fields beyond the sciences. However, little work has been done to characterize the differences-if any exist-between students planning a career in science and those studying other disciplines. We describe an attempt to clarify, in broad terms, how non-STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) majors differ from life sciences majors, and how they are similar. Using survey responses and institutional data, we find that non-STEM majors are not unilaterally science averse; non-STEM majors are more likely than biology majors to hold misconceptions about the nature of science, yet they are not completely ignorant of how science works; non-STEM majors are less likely than biology majors to see science as personally relevant; and non-STEM majors populations are likely to be more diverse-with respect to incoming knowledge, perceptions, backgrounds, and skills-than a biology majors population. We encourage science educators to consider these characteristics when designing curricula for future scientists or simply for a well-informed citizenry.

SUBMITTER: Cotner S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5589428 | biostudies-literature | 2017

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Do Biology Majors <i>Really</i> Differ from Non-STEM Majors?

Cotner Sehoya S   Thompson Seth S   Wright Robin R  

CBE life sciences education 20170101 3


Recent calls to action urge sweeping reform in science education, advocating for improved learning for <i>all</i> students-including those majoring in fields beyond the sciences. However, little work has been done to characterize the differences-if any exist-between students planning a career in science and those studying other disciplines. We describe an attempt to clarify, in broad terms, how non-STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) majors differ from life sciences majors,  ...[more]

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