Abstract
This paper examines an approach to the teaching of a year 12 Physics topic from within an historical setting. The Victorian Physics course requires teachers to cover each topic within some particular prescribed context, so that the everyday relevance of physics or its interrelationships with other fields of endeavour can be demonstrated. The Light and Matter topic specifies only one context: Landmark Developments. Rather than adopting a ‘names, dates and events’ approach which, for many understandable reasons, most teachers seem to follow, the author has attempted to cover the history in greater detail and more holistically.
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References
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Specializations: history of physics, nature of science, construction of knowledge, social responsibility in science.
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McColl, P. Teaching about theories of light in year 12 physics: An historical approach. Research in Science Education 23, 183–188 (1993). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02357059
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02357059