Background: In the previous decades many research papers and educational documents have emphasized the importance of the application of history of science in the science education of students. Consequently, chemistry teachers are expected to be familiar with the historical development of science and capable of incorporating historical contents in…

The aim of this paper was to investigate chemistry teachers' attitudes towards certain characteristics of the nature of science and history and philosophy of science, and the influence of those views on their teaching practice. The sample comprised 272 chemistry teachers. A questionnaire was used for data collection. Most teachers recognised some…

Teaching false theories goes against the general pedagogical and philosophical belief that we must only teach and learn what is true. In general, the goal of pedagogy is taken to be epistemic: to gain knowledge and avoid ignorance. In this article, I argue that for realists and antirealists alike, epistemological and pedagogical goals have to come…

Physics textbooks often present items of disciplinary knowledge in a sequential order of topics of the theory under instruction. Such presentation is usually univocal, that is, isolated from alternative claims and contributions regarding the subject matter in the pertinent scientific discourse. We argue that comparing and contrasting the…

Teaching nature of science (NOS) is beginning to find its place in science education in China. This exploratory study interviewed twenty-four Chinese science teacher educators about their conceptions of teaching NOS to pre-service science teachers. Although five dimensions emerged, this paper mainly focuses on reporting the findings relevant to…

A truly interdisciplinary course was successfully developed and taught that presented an overview of the historical sciences with an emphasis on the nature of scientific inquiry and its relationship to other ways of knowing. The course included contributions from faculty in physics, biology, geology, philosophy, and English. (Contains 2 figures.)

A group study method proved helpful in improving senior-level students' performance on unit tests through collaborative learning. Students of a History of Textiles course voluntarily attended study sessions to review course content and prepare for unit tests. The students who attended the group reviews scored better on tests than those who did…

Classic experiments and novel ideas in the history of science are often mentioned in passing in contemporary college-level science curricula. This study indicates that the detailed and creative recapitulation of a few well-chosen and famous, if well-known, results and ideas has the potential to increase students' understanding and appreciation of…

Presents results of a survey of the teaching about nuclear history at U.S. colleges and universities. Reports the existence of a well-established and extensive literature, a focus on nuclear weapons or warfare, and a concentration on nuclear citizenship, therapy, or eschatology for courses outside of history departments. Discusses individual…

Argues for an increased emphasis on teaching the history of science in secondary school science courses. A greater understanding of the nature of the scientific enterprise in the past should make students more aware of the interrelationships of science and society. (JR)

Discusses the use of Kranzberg's Laws in a history of technology course at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. Lists the Laws and describes how certain reference materials are used in the course. (TW)

This study provides qualitative analysis of data that answers the following research question: how do college science faculty teach science and NOS and incorporate aspects of NOS and the history of science into their undergraduate courses? The study concentrates on four cases and more specifically on three introductory science classes and on four…

Describes a course taught at the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University in which the process of technological change along with cultural and societal responses to these changes are explored. Includes a thematic course outline and the list of course requirements. (TW)

This course, one of 16 sequential courses comprising phase one of a part-time Bachelor of Arts degree program in Australian Studies, deals with the ways in which knowledge is historically classified into distinct fields. The example used is the 19th century demarcation between science and psuedo-science. The course is designed for independent…

This teacher's guide was developed for the second of four courses in Valencia Community College's Interdisciplinary Studies Program, a 2-year core general education curriculum which chronologically examines the major developments in the evolution of human knowledge. The guide provides an introductory overview of the semester's topic (i.e., the…