EUROTEXTBOOKSCIENCE · The Rise and Fall of Textbook Science: Technoscientific and Pedagogical Expertise in the Making of Physics in Europe (1802-1902)

The Rise and fall of textbook science: technoscientific and pedagogical expertise in the making of physics in Europe (1802-1902)

This project has sought to produce a new history of the making of physics as a discipline in Europe, built upon a multidisciplinary and cross-national analysis of the status of the physics textbook in education and research. The project spanned the period between the pioneering establishment of secondary education in France (1802), and the simultaneous implementation of major educational reforms in France, Britain and Spain (1902), with repercussions lasting to the present day. Current knowledge suggests that textbooks had a major role in the establishment of science education, and the making of disciplines such as physics. However, their status and characteristics changed over time, in tune with dramatic changes in pedagogical and research practices. The project has studied the status of physics textbooks through an approach which is innovative because of its attention to internationality, its focus on pedagogy, its sensitivity for the material culture of science and education and its interdisciplinary methods. The project has produced one book, four journal special issues, two historiographical and methodological chapters for prestigious reference publications, five book chapters and seven papers in refereed journals. These publications have been authored mainly by the Marie Curie fellow, and in certain cases by the fellow in collaboration with a few other researchers. Most publications are in English and a few of them, in two other European languages (Spanish and Catalan). The fellow has organised three conference symposia, a research school, and an annual seminar series. He has given 10 seminar papers by invitation and has participated in 6 international conferences. The original project expanded in several ways. First, it introduced new methodological approaches, in particular the study of visual representations in science, which took shape with the organisation by the fellow of the first European research school on this topic, and the preparation of two journal special issues on this subject. Second, it exploited the opportunity of expanding the range of national case studies, in particular American and Latin American ones. In this context, the fellow performed research at the Library of Congress in Washington D.C. and developed a network of research connections with historians of science in Bogota (Colombia) and Mexico City (Mexico). Some of the more relevant results of the project are: (1) the publication of a book, awarded with the Marc-Auguste Pictet Prize of the Société de Physique et Histoire Naturelle de Genève (see http://www.pickeringchatto.com/physics online for further details); (2) the publication of a chapter on textbooks for the Oxford Handbook of the History of Physics (expected October 2013); (3) the publication of an entry ('History of science') for the Springer Encyclopaedia of Science Education (expected 2013); (4) the publication of two special issues on cross-national and comparative history of science education in the journals History of Science and Science and Education, respectively; (5) the organisation of the first European research school devoted to the study of visual representations in science (see http://schct.iec.cat/school_11/spring11_index.htm online for further details); 6. the development of the international research cluster cross-national, comparative and transnational history of science, technology and medicine (see http://www.uoa.gr/step/?q=node/85 online for further details); (7) the coordination of the research group Science and Technology in the European Periphery (STEP), its reorganisation in research clusters, and its expansion through research networks in Latin America and to a certain extent, Asia (see http://www.uoa.gr/step/ online for further details); (8) the development of a new professional e-list (H-PhysicalSciences); (9) the launching of a new European research school, devoted to history of science and science education; (10) the development of a regional area in history of science, technology and medicine (Arban - CBV Area in History of Science, Technology and Medicine (Spain) (see http://blocs.iec.cat/arban/en/ online for further details) as pilot case of further potential networking between European regions and academic communities in this professional field. Towards the end of the project, the fellow obtained the accreditation of assistant professor by the Spanish National Agency of Accreditation (ANECA). He prepared several applications for permanent jobs, and he was finalist in the competition for a history of science post offered by the Spanish Research Council (CSIC) and in the competition for a post in science education research offered by the Mexican Research Council (CINVESTAV).

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