Author:

Keywords:

nature of science, museum education

Abstract:

Although understanding the nature of science and ethical aspects of scientific research is a key element in the secondary curriculum, these issues are seldomly adressed in Flemish science museums. Due to its unique position as a (living) archive of research and investigation, university collections provide opportunities to help students to explore the historical development of science, the characteristics of the scientific process and the subtle interactions of science and society. At the Ghent university Museum we explored how to adress the nature and ethics of science in the context of a recent exhibition called Post Mortem. The exhibition focused on Vesalius, dead bodies, mummies, autopsies and forensic pathology by confronting works of art with collection items of Ghent University. In interactive guided tours through the exhibition, students were asked to talk about and evaluate statements with regard to the ethics of dead bodies or the nature of science. In this presentation, we will discuss the impact of our approach on students’ thinking and explore the role university museums can play with regard to the education of ethics and the nature of science.