Concepts of science and education: contributions from the history of science to the formation of teachers

Abstract

In the field of science teaching, over the last decades, theoretical reflections and practical activities have been developed in order to incorporate the approach of History, Philosophy, and Sociology of Sciences in curricula, teaching methodologies, learning materials, and teacher training programs. These discussions, which are more usually found in undergraduate degrees, hardly appear in the formation of pedagogues, who are responsible for the education in Elementary School. This paper intends to contribute to fill this gap. It is a participant research realized in the optional course of History of Science, offered in 2017 by the School of Education at the University of São Paulo for pedagogy students, also open to other undergraduates. This research aims to highlight the construction of more complex and dynamic conceptions of science and education that developed throughout the classes, resulting from the choice of reading certain authors. Educators themselves acknowledged the contributions arising from the debates and didactic resources with the purpose of a broader and deeper understanding of science and its historical nature, of the relations with the society and the meaning of science as culture. In this process, they devised associations with teaching and fundamentals of education, both in the theoretical framework and in practical activities. Their training therefore benefitted students with critical judgment which directly impacted their teaching practices.

History of science; Teacher training; Education