Abstract Summary
History of science education remains a marginalized topic, if not a neglected one, or is seen as a separate discipline apart from the history of science. This is despite the fact that science teaching and learning at all levels from primary education to university constitutes a substantial portion of scientific activity. Science education, we argue, must be understood as being integral to scientific practice when we study the development of science and its place in global society. We present a variety of practices in science education across geographical regions in our session. We begin with a paper on the introduction of science education through the Bachelor of Science degree in American Catholic colleges during the nineteenth century. Moving to the University of Edinburgh during the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, the next presentation focuses on the role of scientific instruments in science education in its Natural Philosophy Department. Instruments and material cultures of science are also central to our third talk, which investigates the transformation and adaptation of research instruments for teaching purposes drawing on a number of historical examples. The final presentation discusses conflicts encountered in the transfer of teaching practices in engineering education from Germany to postcolonial India. Together, our presentations will open for discussion the different meanings of practice in science teaching, from useful education to material practices and skill development across various contexts.
