How the Discovery Channel Television Show Mythbusters Accurately Depicts Science and Engineering Culture

Abstract

High school science teachers, of course, want to motivate their students to consider studying science and engineering (S&E) in college. However, many high school students are not familiar with what science and engineering actually entail. They may know science as little more than "systematic discovery" and engineering as nothing but "math-intensive design." Without appreciation for the rich culture of science and engineering, students will be unlikely to choose such a field of study. The Discovery Channel television show Mythbusters helps remedy the lack of understanding many people, especially young people, have about S&E. Mythbusters presents a highly accurate vignette of the culture of science and engineering. Episodes of the show were analyzed for instances in which the culture of science and engineering was accurately depicted. Many resources, including several publications of the National Research Council, informed the media analysis. To encourage more high school students to pursue S&E in college, they need to be exposed to the culture of SampE. Mythbusters provides a window into the often unseen realm of science and engineering, allowing its viewers, who are disproportionately represented among the young adult age bracket, to see what it means to conduct science and engineering on a routine basis. High school science instructors should look to Mythbusters to provide insight into the culture of S&E that textbooks often have difficulty conveying to students. © 2010 Springer Science+Business Media, LLC.