1991 Volume 32 Issue 2 Pages 9-18
The Society of German Scientists and Doctors (Die Gesellschaft Deutscher Naturforscher und Ärzte) proposed natural science as general education (Allgemeinen Bildung) for students taking “Abitur” (The students in nine-year Gymnasium, Realgymnasium and Oberrealschule) at Meran, Austria in 1905. We may conclude that the proposal played a very important role in the formation process of modern secondary science education in Germany because it is based on the following arguments. (1) Natural science, just like Greek and history, is essential to the students taking “Abitur” as general education. (2) There was a need to develop science education in order to demonstrate the importance of natural science in the general education in the secondary school. (3) There was a need for pupils themselves to observe and experiment in order to be educated scientifically in the natural science. (4) Physics should be taught not by mathematics teachers, but by physics teachers who can perform experiments. This proposal succeeded to A. Höfler’s and other person's theories on the humanistic objects of natural science. This movement developed into the reformation of science education in the reform secondary school, women’s secondary school, six-year vocational school and in the teacher training college.
