As an end or as a means to an end: positioning empathy in STEM education

Abstract Background The public often perceives STEM disciplines as objective and neutral from human and societal factors. However, recent movements in STEM education have increasingly challenged this value-free assumption, advocating for the integration of empathy into STEM education reform. How STEM education leaders view the role of empathy profoundly influences STEM education policy and curriculum design, yet our knowledge of this remains very limited globally. We interviewed 26 STEM educatio