Stephen Klassen was Associate Professor at The University of Winnipeg (retired as of 2015) where he taught physics and held an appointment in the Faculty of Education. His Ph.D. (University of Manitoba) is in Science Education, and his background is in experimental physics.
Dr. Klassen’s research is on the writing, analysis, and use of stories (from the history of science) in science teaching and the analysis of physics textbooks for their portrayal of the history of science. His work, in part, is published in Science & Education, Interchange, Science Education, Physics Education, and the Canadian Journal of Science, Mathematics, and Technology Education. Since 1997, he has presented papers at the International Conference on History of Science in Science Education (ICHSSE) and has contributed significantly to its organization, especially in co-chairing the Planning Committee. As of 2001, he was actively involved in the International History, Philosophy, and Science Teaching Group (IHPST) by having presented at each of its conferences, having served as Program Chair in 2003, and joining its governing Council in 2010 and the Editorial Committee of Science & Education the following year.
In 2011, Dr. Klassen was invited to join a five-country, Europe-based research team as non-EU country partner and external evaluator, sponsored by the Education, Audiovisual and Culture Executive Agency of the European Union. This project consisted of a web-based, teacher-training system utilizing historically based stories in science.