Addressing misconceptions in university physics: A review and experiences from quantum physics educators

Students often enter physics classrooms with deeply ingrained misconceptions stemming from everyday experiences. These misconceptions challenge educators, as students often resist information that conflicts with their preconceptions. The first aim of this manuscript is to summarize the existing lite...

Ausführliche Beschreibung

Gespeichert in:
Bibliographische Detailangaben
1. Verfasser: Majidy, Shayan
Format: Artikel
Sprache:eng
Schlagworte:
Online-Zugang:Volltext bestellen
Tags: Tag hinzufügen
Keine Tags, Fügen Sie den ersten Tag hinzu!
container_end_page
container_issue
container_start_page
container_title
container_volume
creator Majidy, Shayan
description Students often enter physics classrooms with deeply ingrained misconceptions stemming from everyday experiences. These misconceptions challenge educators, as students often resist information that conflicts with their preconceptions. The first aim of this manuscript is to summarize the existing literature on misconceptions in university physics, reviewing misconceptions' sources, diagnoses, and remediation strategies. Most of this literature has concentrated on classical physics. However, quantum physics poses unique challenges because its concepts are removed from everyday experiences. This signals the need to ask how well existing strategies for addressing misconceptions apply to quantum physics. This is underscored by the recent surge of people from diverse backgrounds entering quantum physics because of the growing significance of quantum technologies. To help answer this question, we conducted in-depth interviews with quantum physics instructors at the University of Waterloo who have collectively taught over 100 quantum physics courses. These interviews explored common misconceptions in quantum physics, their origins, and effective instructional techniques to address them. We highlight specific misconceptions, such as misunderstanding of entanglement and spin, and successful teaching strategies, including ``misconception-trap quizzes.'' We integrate insights from the literature review with our interview data to provide an overview of current best practices in addressing physics misconceptions. Furthermore, we identify key research questions that warrant further exploration, such as the efficacy of multi-tier tests in quantum physics and developing a cohesive quantum curriculum. This paper aims to inform educators and curriculum developers, offering practical recommendations and setting a research agenda to improve conceptual understanding in classical and quantum physics.
doi_str_mv 10.48550/arxiv.2405.20923
format Article
fullrecord <record><control><sourceid>arxiv_GOX</sourceid><recordid>TN_cdi_arxiv_primary_2405_20923</recordid><sourceformat>XML</sourceformat><sourcesystem>PC</sourcesystem><sourcerecordid>2405_20923</sourcerecordid><originalsourceid>FETCH-arxiv_primary_2405_209233</originalsourceid><addsrcrecordid>eNqFzj0OgkAQhuFtLIx6ACvnAuLKT6J2xGg8gD3ZwCCTuLs4Awi3V4nWVl_zfsmj1HKrg3iXJHpjuKcuCGOdBKHeh9FUVWlRMIqQu4Elyb3LsW7IOwFy0DrqkIWaAepqEMrlACkwdoRPMK4A7GtkwvdJoGRv4dEa17T2lwMWbW4azzJXk9LcBRffnanV-XQ9XtajKauZrOEh-9iy0Rb9L16RVEcC</addsrcrecordid><sourcetype>Open Access Repository</sourcetype><iscdi>true</iscdi><recordtype>article</recordtype></control><display><type>article</type><title>Addressing misconceptions in university physics: A review and experiences from quantum physics educators</title><source>arXiv.org</source><creator>Majidy, Shayan</creator><creatorcontrib>Majidy, Shayan</creatorcontrib><description>Students often enter physics classrooms with deeply ingrained misconceptions stemming from everyday experiences. These misconceptions challenge educators, as students often resist information that conflicts with their preconceptions. The first aim of this manuscript is to summarize the existing literature on misconceptions in university physics, reviewing misconceptions' sources, diagnoses, and remediation strategies. Most of this literature has concentrated on classical physics. However, quantum physics poses unique challenges because its concepts are removed from everyday experiences. This signals the need to ask how well existing strategies for addressing misconceptions apply to quantum physics. This is underscored by the recent surge of people from diverse backgrounds entering quantum physics because of the growing significance of quantum technologies. To help answer this question, we conducted in-depth interviews with quantum physics instructors at the University of Waterloo who have collectively taught over 100 quantum physics courses. These interviews explored common misconceptions in quantum physics, their origins, and effective instructional techniques to address them. We highlight specific misconceptions, such as misunderstanding of entanglement and spin, and successful teaching strategies, including ``misconception-trap quizzes.'' We integrate insights from the literature review with our interview data to provide an overview of current best practices in addressing physics misconceptions. Furthermore, we identify key research questions that warrant further exploration, such as the efficacy of multi-tier tests in quantum physics and developing a cohesive quantum curriculum. This paper aims to inform educators and curriculum developers, offering practical recommendations and setting a research agenda to improve conceptual understanding in classical and quantum physics.</description><identifier>DOI: 10.48550/arxiv.2405.20923</identifier><language>eng</language><subject>Physics - Physics Education</subject><creationdate>2024-05</creationdate><rights>http://arxiv.org/licenses/nonexclusive-distrib/1.0</rights><oa>free_for_read</oa><woscitedreferencessubscribed>false</woscitedreferencessubscribed></display><links><openurl>$$Topenurl_article</openurl><openurlfulltext>$$Topenurlfull_article</openurlfulltext><thumbnail>$$Tsyndetics_thumb_exl</thumbnail><link.rule.ids>228,230,780,885</link.rule.ids><linktorsrc>$$Uhttps://arxiv.org/abs/2405.20923$$EView_record_in_Cornell_University$$FView_record_in_$$GCornell_University$$Hfree_for_read</linktorsrc><backlink>$$Uhttps://doi.org/10.48550/arXiv.2405.20923$$DView paper in arXiv$$Hfree_for_read</backlink></links><search><creatorcontrib>Majidy, Shayan</creatorcontrib><title>Addressing misconceptions in university physics: A review and experiences from quantum physics educators</title><description>Students often enter physics classrooms with deeply ingrained misconceptions stemming from everyday experiences. These misconceptions challenge educators, as students often resist information that conflicts with their preconceptions. The first aim of this manuscript is to summarize the existing literature on misconceptions in university physics, reviewing misconceptions' sources, diagnoses, and remediation strategies. Most of this literature has concentrated on classical physics. However, quantum physics poses unique challenges because its concepts are removed from everyday experiences. This signals the need to ask how well existing strategies for addressing misconceptions apply to quantum physics. This is underscored by the recent surge of people from diverse backgrounds entering quantum physics because of the growing significance of quantum technologies. To help answer this question, we conducted in-depth interviews with quantum physics instructors at the University of Waterloo who have collectively taught over 100 quantum physics courses. These interviews explored common misconceptions in quantum physics, their origins, and effective instructional techniques to address them. We highlight specific misconceptions, such as misunderstanding of entanglement and spin, and successful teaching strategies, including ``misconception-trap quizzes.'' We integrate insights from the literature review with our interview data to provide an overview of current best practices in addressing physics misconceptions. Furthermore, we identify key research questions that warrant further exploration, such as the efficacy of multi-tier tests in quantum physics and developing a cohesive quantum curriculum. This paper aims to inform educators and curriculum developers, offering practical recommendations and setting a research agenda to improve conceptual understanding in classical and quantum physics.</description><subject>Physics - Physics Education</subject><fulltext>true</fulltext><rsrctype>article</rsrctype><creationdate>2024</creationdate><recordtype>article</recordtype><sourceid>GOX</sourceid><recordid>eNqFzj0OgkAQhuFtLIx6ACvnAuLKT6J2xGg8gD3ZwCCTuLs4Awi3V4nWVl_zfsmj1HKrg3iXJHpjuKcuCGOdBKHeh9FUVWlRMIqQu4Elyb3LsW7IOwFy0DrqkIWaAepqEMrlACkwdoRPMK4A7GtkwvdJoGRv4dEa17T2lwMWbW4azzJXk9LcBRffnanV-XQ9XtajKauZrOEh-9iy0Rb9L16RVEcC</recordid><startdate>20240531</startdate><enddate>20240531</enddate><creator>Majidy, Shayan</creator><scope>GOX</scope></search><sort><creationdate>20240531</creationdate><title>Addressing misconceptions in university physics: A review and experiences from quantum physics educators</title><author>Majidy, Shayan</author></sort><facets><frbrtype>5</frbrtype><frbrgroupid>cdi_FETCH-arxiv_primary_2405_209233</frbrgroupid><rsrctype>articles</rsrctype><prefilter>articles</prefilter><language>eng</language><creationdate>2024</creationdate><topic>Physics - Physics Education</topic><toplevel>online_resources</toplevel><creatorcontrib>Majidy, Shayan</creatorcontrib><collection>arXiv.org</collection></facets><delivery><delcategory>Remote Search Resource</delcategory><fulltext>fulltext_linktorsrc</fulltext></delivery><addata><au>Majidy, Shayan</au><format>journal</format><genre>article</genre><ristype>JOUR</ristype><atitle>Addressing misconceptions in university physics: A review and experiences from quantum physics educators</atitle><date>2024-05-31</date><risdate>2024</risdate><abstract>Students often enter physics classrooms with deeply ingrained misconceptions stemming from everyday experiences. These misconceptions challenge educators, as students often resist information that conflicts with their preconceptions. The first aim of this manuscript is to summarize the existing literature on misconceptions in university physics, reviewing misconceptions' sources, diagnoses, and remediation strategies. Most of this literature has concentrated on classical physics. However, quantum physics poses unique challenges because its concepts are removed from everyday experiences. This signals the need to ask how well existing strategies for addressing misconceptions apply to quantum physics. This is underscored by the recent surge of people from diverse backgrounds entering quantum physics because of the growing significance of quantum technologies. To help answer this question, we conducted in-depth interviews with quantum physics instructors at the University of Waterloo who have collectively taught over 100 quantum physics courses. These interviews explored common misconceptions in quantum physics, their origins, and effective instructional techniques to address them. We highlight specific misconceptions, such as misunderstanding of entanglement and spin, and successful teaching strategies, including ``misconception-trap quizzes.'' We integrate insights from the literature review with our interview data to provide an overview of current best practices in addressing physics misconceptions. Furthermore, we identify key research questions that warrant further exploration, such as the efficacy of multi-tier tests in quantum physics and developing a cohesive quantum curriculum. This paper aims to inform educators and curriculum developers, offering practical recommendations and setting a research agenda to improve conceptual understanding in classical and quantum physics.</abstract><doi>10.48550/arxiv.2405.20923</doi><oa>free_for_read</oa></addata></record>
fulltext fulltext_linktorsrc
identifier DOI: 10.48550/arxiv.2405.20923
ispartof
issn
language eng
recordid cdi_arxiv_primary_2405_20923
source arXiv.org
subjects Physics - Physics Education
title Addressing misconceptions in university physics: A review and experiences from quantum physics educators
url https://sfx.bib-bvb.de/sfx_tum?ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&ctx_enc=info:ofi/enc:UTF-8&ctx_tim=2024-12-23T00%3A53%3A21IST&url_ver=Z39.88-2004&url_ctx_fmt=infofi/fmt:kev:mtx:ctx&rfr_id=info:sid/primo.exlibrisgroup.com:primo3-Article-arxiv_GOX&rft_val_fmt=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:journal&rft.genre=article&rft.atitle=Addressing%20misconceptions%20in%20university%20physics:%20A%20review%20and%20experiences%20from%20quantum%20physics%20educators&rft.au=Majidy,%20Shayan&rft.date=2024-05-31&rft_id=info:doi/10.48550/arxiv.2405.20923&rft_dat=%3Carxiv_GOX%3E2405_20923%3C/arxiv_GOX%3E%3Curl%3E%3C/url%3E&disable_directlink=true&sfx.directlink=off&sfx.report_link=0&rft_id=info:oai/&rft_id=info:pmid/&rfr_iscdi=true