2026 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

This research paper provides evidence that engineering students value and are interested in the sociotechnical modules that were incorporated into a technical engineering class. The modules are also something they want across other technical courses. We developed sociotechnical modules to bridge the divide between technical content and its social implications, recognizing that the challenges engineers face today are inherently sociotechnical. While existing research supports the integration of sociotechnical content in technical engineering courses, several barriers hinder its effective incorporation. One concern is student resistance. Students may enter engineering courses with fixed ideas about what “counts” as engineering, and may see sociotechnical content as unnecessary or less valuable than technical topics. This makes understanding student perspectives an important part of successfully integrating social topics in technical engineering courses.

In Spring 2025, two instructors presented modules regarding energy burden, energy efficiency, and prioritizing power to students at a small, private research university and a large, public research university. To understand student perspectives on the modules, we collected post-module surveys during class and conducted individual interviews at the end of the semester.

The survey, with 105 responses, allowed us to gather quantitative data from a large group of students. For this study, we selected three 7-point Likert-scale items asking students if the module added value to the course, if the module was interesting, and if they would like to see more sociotechnical content in this course. For analysis, we calculated the mean and standard deviation for each item, as well as the percentage of responses that were positive (Likert score ≥ 5), neutral (=4), and negative (≤3). The individual interviews, conducted with 12 students who participated in the modules, offered qualitative insights into student responses. The interviews explored students’ general impressions and key takeaways of the modules, and what they thought of sociotechnical content in engineering more broadly. We transcribed the interviews and are conducting thematic analysis through inductive coding.

Preliminary analysis shows that survey and interview data complement each other. From the survey data, we found that for each module, at least 80% of students responded positively when asked if they wanted to learn more about sociotechnical content in this course. Overall, 97 students believed that the module added value to the course, and 96 students believed that the module was interesting.

Preliminary analysis of the interviews sheds light on the factors underlying these survey findings. Students found the modules to be valuable because they were relevant to their future careers, and felt that having sociotechnical content in engineering courses instead of a standalone course improved their motivation. Students found the modules interesting because the scenarios pushed them to think critically about situations that did not always have a clear-cut answer. Students also felt that it was important to have sociotechnical content in more engineering courses, hoping that the increased awareness would foster better outcomes. Overall, results indicate strong student support for sociotechnical content, providing an incentive for expanding its coverage in technical engineering courses.