The article, based on the extensive experience of teaching the course by employees of the Department of History of Science and Technology, and then History of Russia at UrFU, traces the process of changing the methodology of teaching this course. Particular attention is paid to the pandemic period, when an attempt was made to significantly change the forms of work with students. The article uses data from a survey of engineering students (half of them were surveyed), conducted based on the results of the past academic year 2022/2023. Conclusions and proposals are made for further improvement of the educational and methodological process.