DE EDUCADORAS A DIVULGADORAS. EL SABER CIENTÍFICO EN LAS REVISTAS DE ESCUELAS NORMALES DE PRECEPTORAS DE CHILE (1915-1923)

This article studies the role of women’s preceptor schools as editors, writers and disseminators of scientific knowledge. It analyzes, specifically, the first two editorial projects managed in the normal preceptor schools in Chile (1915–1923), a period that coincides with the application of the 1913 reform carried out in these schools. This work proposes that these editorial projects respond to and dialogue with two key aspects of this reform: the increase in the scientific training of teachers and the demand for a social and extensive role for these schools. From this, it is shown that natural history, hygiene, but also chemistry and physics, were the favorite disciplines for these school mistress in the period; in turn, that they played the role of mediators of knowledge; finally, that this teachers conceived the editorial work as a tool to form a community of practice; that is, a social group whose purpose was to share learning based on common reflection and develop knowledge.