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EVOLUTION OF SCIENCE
EDUCATION
Submittedby,

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LANDMARKS INTHEDEVELOPMENT OFSCIENCE EDUCATION
A GLOBALVIEW
Roger Bacon was the first to lay emphasis on the value of
experiments and inductive enquiry; it was Francis Bacon who
brought them to the notice of the world. He advocated sense
training as part of education and a real start in science teaching
was mad through the inductive method.
Galileo Galilei, William Harvey and Audreas Vesailus also have
contributed significantly for the growth of science education.
Comeniusemphasized the importanceof objectsand pictures in
teaching.
The establishment of the Royal Society in 1664 is a landmark in
the history of science education.
During the 17th century various scientific academies were
established.
The industrial revolution that started in the 18th century
brought science closer and closer to the common man.
The University of London was opened in 1827, where natural
science was taught T.A.Guxely, John TyndallandFaraday are the
three eminent scientists who urged for the spread of science
education during this period.

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Science gained a place in the school curriculum by its
introductionforthe first time at Rugbyschoolof Englandin1849.
Botany, Geology, Physics and Chemistry were started in that
school.
The most outstanding contribution to the teaching of science
towards the close of the 19th century was that of H.E Amstrong.
The Heuristic method of teaching was advocated by him
In 1916 the British Government appointed a committee under
the chairmanshipof Sir.J.J.Thomsonto enquire into the position
of natural science in the educational system and its report
‘ThomsonReport ‘ was publishedunderthetitle ‘Naturalscience
in education’
The 20th Century is the age of rapid propagation of science
education all over the world.
LANDMARKSIN THE DEVELOPMENT OF SCIENCE EDUCATIONAL INDIA
Science education in India has been greatly accelerated after
independence. The important landmarks in the development of
science education are the following:
Report of the secondary education commission (1953)
Science is the basic component of education and culture; so it
shouldbe made an integralpart of school education.Thepresent
society is the science-based society. The present century has
mad tremendous advancement in scientific and technical
knowledge as a result of explosion of knowledge. In such a

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situation one of the main functionsof educationis to keep pace
with this advancement of knowledge. Another feature of
modern society is the rapid social change. In the situation of
change, the school must alwaysbe alert if it is to keep abreast of
significant changes. An education system which does not
renovate itself continuously becomes out-dated and puts
hindranceto progress. To keep pace with modernizationthe IEC
is of the “opinion that greater emphasis must be placed on
vocational subjects, science education and research”
All India seminars on teaching science (1956)
The seminar held at Tara Devi in 1956 made serious discussions
on almost all the aspects concerning the teaching of science in
chools.It hadsuggested a uniqueanduniformssystem of science
teaching. Arousing and maintaining interest in nature and the
physical and social environments; arousing love for nature and
the habit of conserving nature and its resources.
i) Developingthe habitof observation,exploration,classification
and systematic way of thinking.
ii) Developing child’s power of manipulation and creative and
inventive faculties.
iii) Developing neat and orderly habits.
iv) Inculcation of habits of healthful living.
In addition to the above the following aims and objective are
suitable of inclusion at the middle school level:

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i) Provision of information concerning nature and science which
may serve as the basis for a general science course at the higher
secondary level.
ii) Developing the ability to reach generalizations and to apply
them for solving everyday problems.
iii) Understanding the impact of science upon our way of living.
iv) Developing interest in scientific hobbies.
v) Inspiring children by stories about scientists and their
discoveries and inventions.
National scientific policy resolution (1958)
It envisaged the cultivation of science and scientific research in
all its aspects. Its recommendation in as follows
1. The key to national prosperity, apart from the spirit of the
people, lies, in the modern age, in the effective combination of
three factors, technology,rawmaterialsandcapital,ofwhich the
first is perhaps the most important, since the creation and
adoptionof new scientific techniques can, in fact, make up for a
deficiency in natural resources, and reduce the demands on
capital.But technologycan only grow out of the study of science
and its applications.
2. The dominating feature of the contemporary world is the
intense cultivationof science on a large scale anditsvapplication
to meets a country’s requirements. is this, which, for the first
time in man’shistory, hasgiven to the common man in countries

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advanced in science, a standard of living and social and cultural
amenities, which were once confined to a very small privileged
minority of the population. Science has led to the growth and
diffusion of culture to an extend never possible before.
3.It is only through the scientific approach and method and the
use of scientific knowledgethat reasonablematerialandcultural
amenities and services can be provided for every of the
community, andit is out of recognition of thispossibilitythat the
idea of a welfare state has grown.
4. The wealth and prosperity of nation depend on the effective
utilization of its human and material resources through
industrialization.Theuse of humanmaterial for industrialization
demandsits educationin science and training in technical skills.
5. Science and technology can make up for deficiencies in raw
materialsby providingsubstitutes, or, indeed, by providingskills
which can be exported in return for raw materials.
6. Science has developed at an ever-increasing pace since the
beginningof the century, so that the gap between the advanced
and backward countries has widened more and more. It is only
by adoptingthe most vigorous measures and by puttingforward
our utmost effort into the development of science that we can
bridge the gap.
7. The Government of India have accordingly decided that the
aims of their scientific policy will be-

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1. to foster, promote, and sustain, by all appropriate means, the
cultivation of science, and scientific research in all its aspects
pure, applied, and educational;
2. to ensure an adequatesupply, withinthe country, of research
scientists of the highest quality, and to recognize their work as
an important component of the strength of the nation;
3. to encourage, and initiate, with all possible speed,
programmes for the training of scientific and technical
personnel,
4. to ensure that the creative talent of men and women is
encouraged and finds full scope in scientific activity;
5. to encourage individual initiative for the acquisition and
dissemination of knowledge, and for the discovery of new
knowledge, in an atmosphere of academic freedom; and in
general, to secure for the people of the country all the benefits
that can accrue from the acquisitionandapplicationof scientific
knowledge.
Indian parliamentary and scientific committee was set up in
1961 under the chairmanship of Shri.Lal Bahadur Shastri. The
committee took up the study of ‘ Science education in school’,
with a viewto findout the relationbetweenpoliciesanddecision
of the centre and the states, and the courses offered in the
schools.

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National council of educational research and training (NCERT)
(1961) has a separate department of science education which
carries the following function
The Department of Education in Science and Mathematics
(DESM) is a think-tank for Science, Mathematics and
Environmental Education at the school stage and is responsible
for carrying out research, development,training, evaluationand
extension activities in these areas. The Department conducts
experiments with teaching-learning strategies involving new
methods and technologies, and develops instructional material
aswellasmaterialfortrainingof teachersandteacher-educators
in Science and Mathematics for the School Community. The
DESM faculty comprises experts in Physics, Chemistry, Biology,
Mathematics and Environmental Education. The department
undertakes curriculum development in Science and
Mathematics for all school stages starting from the upper
primary to the higher secondary stage. The elements of
environmental education and other aspects relevant to school
education are interwoven throughout the entire school
curriculum.
Another significant area of the Departement’s work is
dissemination of information in Science, Mathematics and
Environmental Education through the Instructional Materials
Centre of this Department and through the organization of
various activities such as Seminars, Science Exhibitions, Science
Park and publication of the journal “ school science”

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In order to strengthen Science and Mathematics education in
schools, other major activities of the DESM include teacher
orientation programmes, development and dissemination of
popular science materials and innovative laboratory practices
besides organization of out-of-school activities in Science and
Mathematics. The Department also organizes the Jawaharlal
Nehru National Exhibition for Science and Environmental
Education for Children, which is an annual event that marks the
culmination of a series of science exhibitions, organized at
district, zonal andstate levels. The DESMalso provides academic
guidance and financial support for State Level Exhibitions.
UNESCO planning mission (1963) the USSR experts of the
UNESCO planning mission visited Indian on technical assistance
projects. Three reports were prepared by them. These reports
gave the total picture of position of science and mathematics
education in India and suggested ways to improve it.
Indian education commission (1964-66) recommended
compulsory science as part of general education and stressed
thatmethodsof teachingscience shouldbe modernizedandthat
science teaching should be linked with agriculture and
technology.
National policy on education (1986) has given much stress
on science education and has recommended that science
education should be designed to enable the learner to acquire
problem solving and decision making skills as well as the ability
to correlate science with health, agriculture, industry and other

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aspects of daily life. It has also been stressed that concerted
effort be make to extend science educationto allthose who had
to remain outside the pale of formal education.
Navodaya vidyalays - were conceived in 1986 by Rajiv Gandhi.
Thescheme aimsat setting upwellequippedwellstaffed schools
in rural areas, almost one in every district to provide better
quality science education to the talented children.
University grants commission - The University Grants
Commission (UGC) of India is a statutory organization set up by
Union government in 1956, for the coordination,determination
and maintenance of standards of university education.
Inter university centers - One of the most innovative steps
taken by the UGC for promoting excellence was the setting up of
interuniversitycenterswith most modern experimentalfacilities
or providing national facilities such as accelerators and nuclear
reactors to students and teachers from various universities.
Institute of technology - Institute of technology is a designation
employed in a wide range of learning institutions awarding
different types of degrees and operating often at variablelevels
of the educational system. It may be an institution of higher
education and advanced engineering and scientific research or
professional vocational education, specializing in science,
engineering, and technology or different sorts of technical
subjects. It may also refer to a secondary education school
focused in vocational training. There are 16 autonomousIndian
Institutes of Technology in addition to 30 National Institutes of

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Technology which are Government Institutions. In addition to
these there are many other Universities which offer higher
technical courses. The Authority over technical education in
India is the AICTE.
REFERENCE
1. www.varsitytutors
2. www.encyclopedia.com
3. www.link.springer.com
4. www.kean.edu.com
5. Science teaching in schools-R.C Das
6. Science Education Today-V.K. Nanda

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MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS
1. The first person credited with being employed as a science
teacher in a British Public School was -------?
a) William sharp
b) Thomas Henry
c) John Tyndall
d) None of the above
2. Which academy in Britain promoted teaching of pure
science in 1867?
a) University commission
b) British guardianship programme
c) BAAS
d) AEGIS
3. Who take the major influence in the teaching of physical
science?
a) Thomas Henry
b) William Sharp
c) John Tyndall
d) Johs Sharp
4. In which year was made compulsory to include science as
an independent subject in the school curriculum?
a) 1954
b) 1956
c) 1958
d) 1959

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5. In which yearUSSR experts of the UNESCO planningmission
visited in India?
a) 1964
b) 1960
c) 1961
d) 1963
6. In which years Indian Education Commission was setup?
a) 1964
b) 1965
c) 1963
d) 1959
7. Who was the first chairman of Indian Education
commission?
a) Dr. Kothari
b) Dr. Immran
c) Ashok kumar
d) Chandrashekar
8. In which year Isharbhai patel committee established?
a) 1978
b) 1977
c) 1968
d) 1975
9. Who was the first chairman of Isharbhai patel committee?
a) Shri Iswarbhai J. patel
b) Dr. Kothari
c) Ashok kumar
d) Chandrasekhar

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10. Another name for Indian education committee?
a) Dr. Kothari Commision
b) Iswarbhai committee
c) Jhon committee
d) Non of the above

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