本研究採理論分析方式，針對科學教育理念變遷實況加以分析，發現西方科學教育理念自十九世紀以來出現博雅教育理念、通識教育理念、兒童如科學家理念、科學素養理念、科學技學與社會理念及科學全民化理念，我國科學教育理念則依次出現中體西用理念、物質建設理念及科學素養理念。至於影響科學教育理念的因素，大體上有五項： l教育：指對教育之觀點及教育領域之制度、作法。 2學生：指對學生特性的瞭解與尊重。 3科學：指對科學本質的瞭解與定位。 4社會：指社會情境之政治、經濟等重大變化。 5文化：指不同文化體系或思潮的觀點與實務。 若我們對於這些影響科學教育理念的因素能更深入的瞭解，我們不僅可以知悉科學教育理念變遷之可能性，而且可以反省並建立更恰當之科學教育理念。

Adopting the method of theoretical analysis, the author of this essay analyzed the historical changes of the idea of science education both in the West and China. It was found, on the one hand, that the idea of science education in the West since the ninteenth-century has manifested sequentially the ideas of liberal education, general education, children as would-be scientists, scientific literacy, STS (Science, Technology, Society); and on the other hand, that the idea of science of education in China since the mid-19th century was guided by the ideas of science as utilitarian means and scientific literacy. On the whole the author argued that the following factors have been con-tributing to the development of the idea of science education: 1). the concept of education in general. 2). the structure of educational systems. 3). the understanding of student's social role and psychological characteristics. 4). the understanding of the role science plays and the nature of science. 5). political and ecnomic changes. 6). cultural background and the changes of thought tides. It was suggested at the end that the understanding of the historical changes of the idea of science education was a step towards setting up an ad-equate idea of science education.