Os instrumentos científicos e os manuais no ensino industrial na cidade do Porto (Portugal) na segunda metade do século XIX

Abstract

With the creation of industrial education in Portugal in 1852, a new era began in the formation of a specialized workforce. As a predominantly practical teaching, it entailed the acquisition of scientific instruments in France, England and Germany to equip the auxiliary educational establishments, and a large number of handbooks in French, chosen by the teachers of the respective chairs. There is a great interest in scientific and editorial production developed in France, but the French editors of the nineteenth century also profusely translated foreign works, resulting in a wide scientific dissemination through more economical monographs and easy acquisition. Through a cross-sectional analysis we tried with this study to achieve a global view of the theme. We scout the importance of this type of manuals and the existence of an international network in which Portugal would eventually become part of it, especially from the last quarter of nine hundred. However, understanding the development of interest in the Natural Sciences and its antecedents was the first step towards building a map of ideas that would be the guiding thread of our research. The analysis of these contents in a transversal way allows us to know more deeply the educational practices, as well as possible influences on the didactic methods adopted in school of Porto.