THE CONTRIBUTION OF THE HISTORY OF SCIENCE TO SCIENCE TEACHING - A STUDY ON THE REPRODUCTION OF LIVING BEINGS

We believe that the incorporation of the History of Science in education can provide students with a better understanding of the mechanisms of production and reconstruction of knowledge and contribute to preparing scientifically educated citizens and allow them to be able to make decisions about social issues based on personal understanding of scientific and technological processes about the world they live in. According to some authors the initial training of teachers of Biology / Geology, has not significantly valued the using of the History of Science as a teaching tool. This study has as main objectives to identify the level of knowledge of the sample students as far as the reproduction of living beings is concerned; to contribute to a better understanding of the scientific contents based on the History of Science and to develop materials and teaching strategies based on historical examples. The methodology used was Research - Action. The sample consisted of 18 students who attended the 11th form in a school in the municipality of Vila Real - Portugal in the academic year of 2011/12. A questionnaire was used to collect data. The data collected in the questionnaire (pre-test and post-test) were treated by qualitative content analysis and compared with those obtained in another class - pilot class. The data showed that there was a significant level of acquisition and understanding of knowledge concerning the reproduction of living beings when the History of Science was used. The knowledge of the History of Science allows us to understand the processes through which scientific ideas have been built and developed and have culminated in the current state of science. These new perspectives present new challenges to science teachers and require new approaches to their training, if we really want it to be effective and to result in better learning by students. We therefore consider it necessary to create opportunities for future teachers to reflect on the possible uses of the History of Science in order to implement it in their teaching practice.