Abstract
The focus on history of science (HOS) in physics education has been advocated for a long time. However, what are the actual implications of proposals with this focus and the recent advancements in this research field? What are the possible connections between HOS and emergent topics, such as decoloniality, social justice, and post-truth? With those inquiries in mind, a systematic review of empirical research on the use of HOS in physics classes was conducted for the period from 2012 to 2022. The goal was to investigate recent researches objectives in this area, their recurring research methods, the conceptions of nature of science (NOS) employed, the underlying theoretical frameworks of instructional approaches, the main methodologies used in implementations, and the key findings of these studies. The same selection and exclusion criteria as Teixeira et al. (Science & Education 21:771–796, 2012) were applied, resulting in a raw sample of 1296 articles and a final sample of 32 articles for the review. A reinterpretation of the categorization by Seroglou and Koumaras (2001) was also conducted to assess the research objectives and outcomes. It is concluded that research on the use of HOS in physics classes remains primarily theoretical, with limited studies on concrete implementations. Qualitative methods dominate empirical research in this context. We did not find articles empirically evaluating the use of HOS in physics classes related to emergent topics in Science Education, although there are arguments in the literature supporting the use of HOS, specifically focusing on historical episodes about silenced or omitted individuals and cultures in history, as an alternative to problematize a ‘white Eurocentric science’. Regarding teaching and learning, the following conclusions can be drawn: (1) there is consensus that HOS fosters students’ interest and the development of NOS-related knowledge; (2) there is a research gap regarding the connection between HOS and procedural knowledge; and (3) HOS promotes conceptual learning, although the specific elements that facilitate this learning are not investigated in the studies.
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Notes
The Harvard Project Physics, developed during the 1960s and 1970s, was an initiative aimed at sha** American secondary school physics education nationwide. This endeavor, led by Harvard University, resulted in the creation of the Project Physics series of textbooks, which gained widespread adoption in 1970s and 1980s classrooms. The project drew upon the expertise of educators from across the country, presenting physics material with a historical lens and integrating elements of human interest to cultivate a nuanced understanding of the subject (Holton, 2003).
White empiricism can be understood as the phenomena were only white people, and particularly white men, are seen as having capacity for objectivity (Prescod-Weinstein, 2020). According to Prescod-Weinstein (2020), white empiricism operates as a mechanism through which a prestige asymmetry between black and white people is produced and retained. This leads to a domination on empirical discourses and a contradictory use of “scientific methods” by white people to sustain barriers between white and non-white people, predetermining much of the role of the last one in science activities.
In this context, the word “consensus” has a technical meaning which can vary a bit from author to author. For instance, for McComas (2020b) it means that, generally, there is a widespread agreement on the NOS elements that should be aimed in science teaching, but not necessarily is imperative that everyone involved in supporting science teaching share the same recommended aspects.
The articles that mention “alternative conceptions” are generally aligned with the idea of it as being synonymous with the so-called “mental models,” “alternative ideas,” or “misconceptions” of scientific concepts, i.e., conceptualizations of scientific content that may differ from the academically accepted understanding, which can persist even after instruction. For instance, Velentzas and Halkia (2013) draw upon previous students’ alternative conceptions about gravity identified by Palmer (2001). Similarly, Leone (2014) relies on the works of Sequeira (1991) and Köse (2008) to investigate alternative conceptions about electric circuits.
By “explicit,” Bächtold and Munier (2018) are referring to Khishfe and AbdEl-Khalick’s “explicit and reflective” approach for the teaching and learning of NOS aspects (Khishfe & AbdEl-Khalick, 2002). The “explicit” term emphasize “the notion that NOS understandings are cognitive instructional outcomes that should be intentionally targeted and planned for in the same manner that abstract understandings associated with high-level scientific theories, such as evolutionary theory and atomic theory, are intentionally targeted” (Khishfe & AbdEl-Khalick, 2002, p.555).
The ReleQuant approach is based on “web-based learning resources for general relativity and quantum physics in upper.
secondary school” (Bøe et al., 2018, p. 3). It counts with a variety of pedagogical features, including HOS elements that were applied in the quantum physics topic implemented in Bøe et al’s (2018) article.
The “implied student” is a concept that state that a study presupposes practices, attitudes, interpretations, and behaviors from students, accordingly with the study structure and the teacher’s expectations and relationships with the students (Ulriksen, 2009). It relies on the idea that studying is a process of socialization, focusing on the interface between cultural and structural elements where students are immersed and its connections to their knowledge and experiences (Bøe et al., 2018).
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The first author would like to thank CAPES for the master’s degree scholarship financial support and the third author to thank CNPq on the productivity scholarship financial support for the development of the research.
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Thomas Becker, M.H., Heidemann, L.A. & Lima, N.W. History of Science in Physics Education in the Last Decade: Which Direction We Are Heading?. Sci & Educ (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11191-024-00537-9
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11191-024-00537-9