Advantages of studying history and philosophy of science for pre-service physics teachers

Abstract

The purpose of this exploratory case study was to investigate the views of four undergraduate physics pre-teacher students about the nature of Science (NOS). The students completed an History and Philosophy (HPS) course during the first semester of 2017 at Federal Institute of Education, Science and Technology Sul-rio-grandense (Pelotas - Brazil). Data on their views as well as the maintenance of their views, were collected through two surveys. The first survey was distributed after completion of the course. The second survey was distributed six months later. Students responses demonstrated that undertaking HPS studies was correlated with a positive influence on the development of adequate views of NOS. Students' responses on the follow-up survey demonstrated that positive views on the NOS were retained for six months. The undergraduate physics teacher program from Federal Institute of Education, Science and Technology Sul-rio-grandense, advocates curricular and pedagogical efforts to help science teachers develop deeper understandings of the NOS. Results of this study have important implications for teacher education as well as for the implementation of current Brazilian's education reform.