ESERA SIGs

ESERA SIG 9  Histories of Science Education

Within the science education/didactics of science community, there have been sustained claims about its status as an autonomous field of knowledge; literature discussing the epistemological nature of science education has resorted to different kinds of historical studies of the efforts and achievements in the field. The mission of this SIG is to recover such endeavours and deepen in the historical study of science education as a discipline -its pioneers, institutions, publications, communities, languages, etc. In contrast to traditional approaches to the study of history, this SIG adheres to the premise that knowledge is socially and culturally constructed. The name “histories”, spelt in the plural, draws attention to the recognition that it is necessary to overcome views that equate historical studies with individual accounts uttered from a privileged point of view. 

This SIG focuses on investigating the cultural dimensions of how science education emerged and evolved. It is therefore open to a range of theoretical and methodological perspectives drawing from different academic traditions: epistemological, historiographical, sociological, philosophical, cognitive, and discursive. It seeks to generate a diversity of elements for the construction of “memories” and “histories” of our field both at a global and at local levels.

While investigating the cultural histories, we envisage recognising the diversity of traditions (and even names) in the field and, at the same time, promoting historical research competence in a wide group of science educators interested in the topic. The main purpose of historical research in and on our field should be, in our view, to problematise the way in which different corpuses of knowledge, identified with specific cultural groups, have been addressed throughout science education research and practice.

We are committed to producing, discussing and disseminating a series of research findings about histories of science education through the regular channels of ESERA and in other forums. In doing so, we also want to acknowledge ESERA’s recent efforts such as (i) the (re)construction of situated historical narratives of SE, (ii) the recovery of members’ memories and histories of ESERA and (iii) the organisation of memorial symposia in honour of leading figures in SE.

Coordinators
Mariona Espinet (Catalonia, Spain)
Ralph Levinson (UK)
Isabel Martins (Brazil)
Agustín Adúriz-Bravo (Argentina).