ABSTRACT
In order to appraise the value of HPS to science teaching, it is useful to be aware of the history and diversity of school science curricula, and of the major debates that have occurred in efforts to improve classroom instruction. This and the following two chapters will outline the development of school science with a view to understanding present claims for contextual or liberal pedagogy and curricula. The fact of diversity and change prompts questions about the justification of different curricular orientations, and about the degree to which change is driven by educational versus other considerations. 1
