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History of science, individual development and science teaching

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Abstract

The existence of similarities between the ideas of modern students and those of early scientists have led to suggestions about how the history of science can be used to help students undergo similar transitions to those experienced by early generations of scientists. In this paper attention is focused not only on these similarities but also on some crucial differences between the processes and concepts or conceptual frameworks of these two groups of people. In the light of these similarities and differences some of the implications for producing and using historical material in the science classroom are discussed.

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Specializations: Physics education, concept development, history and philosophy of science and science teaching.

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Gauld, C. History of science, individual development and science teaching. Research in Science Education 21, 133–140 (1991). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02360466

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