Contextual Settings, the History of Science, and Physics Education [antikvár]

INTRODUCTION It is a great honour to be given a membership in your learned society. It is especially gratify- ing for me to reconnect to my country of birth in this pleasant way. The main task of physics educators has al- ways been to prepare young people for the professions that require a good understanding of physics. Today, however, we must go fur- ther and ensure that all students leave school with a basic scientific literacy that includes a knowledge of elementary physics. Moreover, we must make our learning contexts richer and more challenging for those who will pursue physics on the University level. In order to achieve both of these goals, we must educate and train young science teachers to have a good understanding of the nature of science and what the findings of cognitive theories are about how students learn. Our picture of science and our understand- ing of how science progresses derives from the disciplines of the history and philosophy of science. Our understanding of how students learn science, on the other hand, is informed by the findings of cognitive theories. Our sci- ence (physics) teachers must become acquain- ted with the findings of these disciplines so that they can provide a sound picture of