Undergraduate science students' views on the relationship between Science, Technology and Society

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Abstract
This study examines undergraduate science students’ views of the nature of the relationship between science, technology and society. Two hundred students responded to items on the VOSTS‐CDN 2 instrument. Based on these responses, questions were designed and, using semi‐structured interviews, posed to 30 students. The interviews focused on the issues: the nature of science and the role of science in our society. The VOSTS results indicate that the science students’ views are remarkably similar to those of high school graduates. The interview results show that scientific facts‐‐their creation, verification or existence‐‐are the central concern when dealing with the nature of science. When discussing the role of science in society, mission‐oriented science clashed with pure research. Implications for STS teacher education are briefly discussed.