history of science

2696 Words6 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Historical background of science and technology

Everything and everyone has a history. Knowing the history of science is an important aspect of the subject that all students should learn. This paper will detail how history lessons can be integrated into the first semester of a high school biology course and why teaching science history is important. There are many reasons for teaching the history of science in the classroom which include: helping students to understand the contexts in which the concepts they are learning about are rooted, understanding the origins of what they are learning and ensuring that it is real science supported by studies and experimentation, being educated about what mistakes were made along the way and what was learned from them, and supporting evidence that shows students will become better learners and scientists by knowing about the history of science. A project conducted at the University of Minnesota was implemented as a way to find a role for history and the nature of science in the classroom. In their project, the professors found that historical case studies allow teachers to convey an understanding of the nature of science to their students. Teaching them the history of science shows students how scientific discoveries relate to society and how knowledge changes over time, which can lead them to better appreciate scientific achievements. Additionally, instructing learners about the history of science gives them a deeper understanding of their world and how they can relate to it by understanding the underlying historical concepts that help tie the sciences together. Science history also shows students how scientific discoveries of the past came to be a part of science today in a manner in which they are better able to appreciate what t... ... middle of paper ... ... These lessons should prove to be effective because of the many studies, such as Seker’s that show how students benefit from and improve as students from learning science history. I want to teach my students about the history of science because learning science history helps to unify many underlying concepts in biology which will help to benefit my students. Decades of research suggests that teaching students about science history benefits them in many ways. I want to give my students the best science education possible and I believe that by engaging in educational research I will be able to achieve my goal. Research is being performed all the time and currently, the research that supports teaching students science history suggests that these methods will be effective. I believe that there is a strong case to be made for teaching learners about science history.

Show More
Related

  • Kidwatching Essay

    1136 Words  | 3 Pages

    Giving this opportunity, I can say when it comes to being a scientist my small teacher focuses more on the bigger picture than the actual findings of assignments. For example, during the Owl Pellet observation he focused more on the overall owl pellet like how it looked, smelled, etc. but instead of wanting to analyze what was inside of it. Realizing how much his focus normally is on the bigger pictures shows how much teachers should stress how important other things such as predictions, hypothesis, etc. are when it comes to analyzing science experiments.

    Read More

  • Why I Want to Attend Rutgers University

    541 Words  | 2 Pages

    In high school I was offered a variety of classes, and I soon fell in love with English and History as well. Although I was able to quickly grasp on the lessons taught in History class, I realized I needed a lot of time to understand the material in my science classes. However, this did not discourage me; it only increased my love for the class. I would quickly try to finish all my homework so I could begin reading my science textbooks. Last summer, I decided to give both fields (history and science) a try. I worked as an intern in Reshma Saujani’s campaign. She was the former candidate for New York City Public Advocate. During the internship I learned a lot about our country’s political history as well as the details of workin...

    Read More

  • Boosting Science Engagement Through Literacy in Middle School

    1221 Words  | 3 Pages

    Spurring from a growing concern over the literacy requirements of students in a Middle school science class, Holli Eddins Forrest in “Using Literacy to Engage Adolescents in Science,” asserts that it is not literacy that causes students to “hate science,” but the way in which information is presented. In the article, Forrest aims to analyze motivation and engagement of Middle school children in a Science class, to determine the root of the problem and highlights ways in which educators can cultivate the necessary literacy skills required to keeps students motivated and engaged.

    Read More

  • Scientific Literacy Essay

    1933 Words  | 4 Pages

    The term ‘scientific literacy’ has eluded precise definition ever since it was coined in 1958. That year, in light of the astonishing swift advancements made by mid-century scientists (e.g. the splitting of the atom, space exploration), three publications appeared that made reference to scientific literacy: a report by the Rockefeller Brothers Fund, which called for a larger technically trained workforce to safeguard our economic and military strength, and a more scientifically literate public able to execute civic responsibilities intelligently; a publication from Paul Hurd and colleagues at Stanford University that exhorted curricula leaders to develop pedagogies that promoted both the cultural and practical aspects of science; and a published address by the president of Shell Chemical Corporation, who called for new curricula emphasizing the fundamentals of science, its history, and its significance for active citizenship and everyday life (see DeBoer, 2000 for review). As DeBoer (2000) noted, however, all three publications used broad brushstrokes to define scientific literacy, thus shrouding the term in ambiguity. Indeed, when asked how they interpreted “scientific literacy,” scientists and science educators had disparate notions about the role content knowledge and a broader understanding of the nature of science had in developing a scientifically literate student (DeBoer, 2000). If nothing else, this example underscores the need for clear definitions and fully articulated curricular goals. To this end, educators have spent several decades making sense of the conceptual spectrum of scientific literacy, resulting in the dissection of scientific literacy into the following sub-genres: pra...

    Read More

  • The Scientific Revolution

    1262 Words  | 3 Pages

    Throughout the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, radical and controversial ideas were created in what would become a time period of great advances. The Scientific Revolution began with a spark of inspiration that spread a wild fire of ideas through Europe and America. The new radical ideas affected everything that had been established and proven through religious views. "The scientific revolution was more radical and innovative than any of the political revolutions of the seventeenth century."1 All of the advances that were made during this revolutionary time can be attributed to the founders of the Scientific Revolution.

    Read More

  • Language And Science: The Role Of Language In Science Education

    797 Words  | 2 Pages

    By incorporating NOS in science textbooks, not only we will be addressing the problem suggested by Sutton (1998), but, also, as teachers, we will be reinforcing scientific expertise needed in to develop active citizens while attaining two roles in scientific understandings that are “knowing how” science was established and “knowing that” which is constituted of facts and scientific knowledge (Bellous &Siegel, 1991). Finally, Sutton’s chapter provides a concise framework for teachers and research scholars to view science teaching and scientific knowledge from a different perspective. Such that the science content and teaching should be viewed from the scientists’ perspective to the extent that collaboration between scientific community is needed to reach such

    Read More

  • Reflection On The 5e Model In The Classroom

    1166 Words  | 3 Pages

    5. How did your lesson plan and instruction change over time to consider your student’s language and home culture? How have you ensured that you have made science learning accessible and relevant to

    Read More

  • STEM Education Reflection Paper

    1778 Words  | 4 Pages

    This class has opened my mind to the incredible impact that STEM Education can have on our society. I do not work in an institution that has a STEM program. I work at a preschool; this makes my practice of any type of STEM program extremely limited. However, it is a private school. All my students come from households where one or both of their parents are professionals. These professionals want their children to be academically prepared for school. This means we must academically, mentally, and emotionally prepare them for their future schooling. I teach my students how to be a functioning participant in a classroom while exploring mathematics, science, art, history, literature and pre-writing. Puzzles, counting, shapes, measuring, etc. are on the daily agenda. Science is a huge part of our curriculum. Science in the

    Read More

  • Nature Of Science

    928 Words  | 2 Pages

    When integrating Nature of Science into curriculum, assumptions are made about students and instructors. These assumptions include that students are all at the same level in terms of science understanding and concepts as the rest of their classmates, and also assumes that the students learn at the same rates (NGSS: Appendix A). These assumptions are detrimental to science education when focus needs to be on the content being taught rather than teaching background of science as a standalone. Teaching NOS explicitly becomes increasingly difficult when students aren’t given access to proper science learning environments. As mentioned in the High Hopes – Few Opportunities reading, it is stated that, “California students do no typically experience high-quality science learning opportunities[.]” (Dorph et al., 2011). When students don’t have a basis for scientific concepts, it becomes increasingly difficult to teach NOS. America’s Lab Report further expands on the idea that this style of learning is not likely achievable, as “[N]o single […] experience is likely to achieve all of these learning goals.” (Schweingruber et al., 2005) where learning goals is referencing the goals of laboratory experiences that include understanding Nature of Science. Again, when a lack of understanding for general science exists, its arguably much more difficult to teach

    Read More

  • History Of Science And Technology

    1775 Words  | 4 Pages

    Science and Technology has been around from the beginning of time. It evolved from the everyday efforts of people trying to improve their way of life. Throughout history, humankind has developed and utilized tools, machines, and techniques without understanding how or why they worked or comprehending their physical or chemical composition. Before we go any further a definition has to be given for both Science and Technology because they are both different in their own right even though the two are almost indistinguishable. According to the Oxford Dictionary Technology can be defined as the knowledge or use of the mechanical arts and applied sciences, while Science can be defined as the branch of knowledge involving systematized observation and experiment. Science can be further divided into three separate categories; Pure, Applied and Natural Sciences. In addition technology is often defined as applied science, it is simply the application of scientific knowledge to achieve a specific human purpose, however, historical evidence suggests technology is a product of science.

    Read More

  • Importance Of Science Essay

    1537 Words  | 4 Pages

    They also need this relationship to be able to plan their lesson effectively. For children, understanding the nature and process of science is dependent upon their developmental level and the experiences teachers provide for them. Children can begin to understand what science is, who does science, and how scientists work through classroom activities, stories about scientists, and class discussions. Teachers should provide children with many opportunities to make observations with all their senses, to look for patterns in what they observe, and to share with others what they did and what they learnt from their

    Read More

  • Science and Students: The World of Tomorrow

    874 Words  | 2 Pages

    Right now science education plays a very significant role in the improvement of the medicinal field. Hundreds of thousands of educated doctors in the US are helping patients with anything from the flu to cancer. It is not just doctors though: science education is enlightening kids to be researchers, scientists, and more. If science was not taught, this world would be full of unanswered questions and wrong answers. Science is so amazing that if we didn’t pass down this knowledge of what we have gained, all our hard work would be for noth...

    Read More

  • Portfolio Assessment

    2763 Words  | 6 Pages

    UniServe Science. (2004). Alternative strategies for science teaching and assessment. Retrieved March 7, 2004 from http://science.uniserve.edu.au/school/support/strategy.html

    Read More

  • Science Reflection Essay

    1159 Words  | 3 Pages

    I learned that it is possible to discuss social issues looking into History of Science and vice-versa, and it matters to me because it means that scientists may not be giving enough attention to the History of Science – I was in my 5th semester of College in Brazil and this is the first time I am really looking into History of Science. More like a continuation of my two last papers than only one paper, I made a review with what I learned previously and this last section. If someone would ask me why, I would say that is because I learned that sometimes we can solve the problems of tomorrow looking right back to the past.

    Read More

  • The Effects of Scientific Development on Society

    926 Words  | 2 Pages

    Our basic objective is to examine the scientific developments through history and how they affect human life and society. To meet that objective we will first develop tools to analyze the relationship between science and the increasingly complex decisions we have to make regarding the way we apply science for human welfare.

    Read More

More about history of science

Open Document