Dame Elizabeth Rata: Episode 10 - Science 1877 - 1899

In the video below Episode 10 is about how science began in New Zealand schools and explains how the subject quickly produced so many first-class scientists. Much of the credit for its inclusion in the syllabus and its quality goes to the inspectors. Many were scientists themselves. They understood how modern science enabled young people to be taught about the workings of the universe. It was the latest understanding – "Science is a line of study which has for its object the imparting of the fundamental laws which regulate the phenomena of the world in which we live".

That so many young New Zealanders were trained to think in this naturalistic way contributed to the population's intelligence growth in the 20th century. Science education began as Object lessons. By 1879 the terms Science, Elementary Science, and Nature Study were appearing. Nature study remained the main approach for younger children but pupils in the higher Standards were taught physics, chemistry and biology – to know that modern science is more than observation – it's using ideas to explain how and why something happens. I also explain how and why Domestic Science was so important to public health with an example of girls learning to purify water.


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Professor Elizabeth Rata is a sociologist of education in the School of Critical Studies, Faculty of Education and Social Work at the University of Auckland where she is Director of the Knowledge in Education Research Unit (KERU).