Abstract
In this final text in our series on the sociology of scientific knowledge (and physical knowledge in particular), we suggest that the emphasis in science studies on understanding scientific practice should permeate school science education. We argue that even in classical teaching, despite its focus on physical knowledge, some kind of description of scientific practice is implicit.
The problem is that this is mostly unconscious, and that these descriptions are not entirely realistic - at least not in line with what the sociology of science tells us about collective scientific practice. However, not all forms of sociology of science are helpful in this regard.
We use debates about science education in the US to illustrate this point. In the final section of the paper, we give some examples of how space can be made in the curriculum for sociological reflection on scientific practice.