This paper elaborates on the life and publications of Joseph Priestley, the eighteenth-century polymath. The paper outlines his particular place in the European Enlightenment; it stresses the importance of philosophy and worldview in his scientific work on pneumatic chemistry, the composition of air, and his discovery of the process of…

Thomas Kuhn has had an impact in all academic fields. In science education, Kuhnian themes are especially noticeable in conceptual change research, constructivist theorizing, and multicultural education debates. Unfortunately the influence is frequently compromised by researchers having a limited understanding of Kuhn's original ideas, little…

Lists references that focus on the empirical research related to the nature of science as an educational goal along with a few influential philosophical works. The list proves useful to educators and scholars in other fields interested in the nature of science and how understanding can be realized as a goal of science instruction. (Author/SAH)

Part of a larger work on the history, philosophy, and utilization of pendulum motion studies, addresses the fate of Christiaan Huygens' 1673 proposal to use the length of a seconds pendulum as a universal, natural, and objective standard of length. (SAH)

The National Science Education Standards in the United States advocate liberal, contextual, and cultural goals for science education including the significant historical and cultural aspects of science; however, scant treatment is given to the pendulum. Suggests a more routine incorporation of the history and philosophy of science into preservice…

Notes that contemporary curriculum documents in science education advocate liberal or wide goals, including helping students to understand something of the historical and cultural significance of science. Concludes that courses in the history and philosophy of science are necessary. Contains 54 references. (DDR)

Describes a course, "History and Philosophy of Science for Science Teachers," at the University of New South Wales which focuses on the seventeenth-century scientific revolution and the nineteenth-century Darwinian revolution. The object is to provide background knowledge and promote an interest in the subject. (SM)

Traces the use of, and arguments for, the history and philosophy of science in school science courses. Specific attention is paid to the British National Curriculum proposals and to the recommendations of the U.S. Project 2061 curriculum guidelines. Some objections to the inclusion of historical material in science courses are outlined. (Contains…