Teaching physics through the history of science : case study of Maltese boys’ church schools

Abstract

Over the past few decades substantial research has been carried out on how using the history of science (HOS) as part of a teaching strategy can contribute to science teaching. The aim of this research was therefore to investigate whether teaching physics through history supports students' learning. This was done by considering both the students’ cognitive and affective aspects. Furthermore, the study was aimed at researching whether HOS can help students realise that science is an on-going process and at the same time gain an appreciation for the nature of science. A resource pack was designed to present the topic of ‘Pressure’ using a historical approach so as to give students the opportunity to re-live history. The resource pack was then tried in three church schools with the help of five secondary school teachers. Data was generated through observations of lessons, interviews with the teacher and focus groups with students. The role of the teacher in the integration of HOS proved to be a crucial aspect of the study. The result of the study showed that teaching through the HOS can increase motivation and can also be beneficial in students’ learning processes. However, concerns were raised about the time constraints encountered during the trial stage.