The Role of historical experiments in science teacher training: experiences and perspectives

Resum

In this paper, I am going to discuss several aspects of the approach that has been applied in the physics teacher education at the University of Oldenburg for almost 25 years.1 My aim is to show that history of science can play an important role in science education, and that both fields science education and history of science can mutually benefit from each other. In doing so, I will briefly sketch methodologically what we are doing in our group with respect to historical research. In the next step, I will discuss how historical experiments can be implemented in science teacher training and what can be achieved with such an attempt. In doing so, I will discuss in detail a compulsory course for future physics teachers and will highlight two examples. Finally, I am going to argue that also history of science as an academic discipline could benefit from a collaboration with science education.