Have you ever wondered what science teaching was like one-hundred years ago? What did teachers emphasize in their lessons? What did educators believe science could contribute to the education of students? How is teaching today related to the past? What can we learn about contemporary teaching by reaching into the past.
Science Demonstrations
The historical perspective is important from the stand point of trying to understand contemporary trends and changes in science teaching. A great many events, developments and reports have contributed to shaping the goals and nature of the science curriculum, K-12 during the Twentieth Century. In this section we will go back in time, and explore briefly some of these forces that have affected science education. Dividing the history of science education into time units is an arbitrary process, therefore, for convenience I have identified the following phases:
Phase I: The Beginnings of Modern Science Education---1900 - 1930
Phase II: Progressive Education and Science Education---1930 - 1950
Phase III: The Golden Age of Science Education---1950 - 1977
Phase IV. Textbook Controversies and Back-to-the-Basics, 1977-1983