TITLE:
Historical Perspectives of Science and Technology Education: A Case of Leonardo da Vinci
AUTHORS:
Anastasia Ferentinou, Constantina Stefanidou, Constantine Skordoulis, Denis Vavougios
KEYWORDS:
History of Technology, Simple Machines, Nature of Science Teaching, Nature of Technology Teaching
JOURNAL NAME:
Advances in Historical Studies,
Vol.13 No.4,
December
16,
2024
ABSTRACT: This study highlights the importance of integrating the history of technology into science education to improve primary student teachers’ (undergraduate students of the Department of Pedagogy and Primary Education of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens) understanding of key concepts in science and technology, such as mechanical advantage, criteria for distinguishing types of levers, their applications in everyday life, and the conceptualization of force vectors. Additionally, the research aimed to enhance primary student teachers’ understanding of the Nature of Science (NOS) and the Nature of Technology (NOT), emphasizing that science and technology are distinct yet interrelated and identifying what constitutes technology. To ensure credibility, peer debriefing and thoroughly documented research conditions were employed. Statistical analyses, including Chi-square and Fisher’s exact test, were used to evaluate the significance of the results, addressing each research question in detail. The findings revealed a significant improvement in primary student teachers’ comprehension following the intervention compared to the control group, underscoring the effectiveness of the instructional approach. The study also suggests further exploration of simple machines and the incorporation of more extensive mathematical components in future research.