A study on pre-service physics teachers' conceptualization on elementary quantum mechanics

TL;DR

This study investigates how pre-service physics teachers understand elementary quantum mechanics, identifying learning obstacles and progress through a targeted didactical intervention emphasizing classical-quantum similarities and differences.

Contribution

It applies Ausubel and Vergnaud's theories to analyze meaningful learning patterns in pre-service teachers during quantum mechanics instruction.

Findings

Identification of learning obstacles in quantum concepts

Mapping of meaningful learning patterns in teacher understanding

Evidence of conceptual progress after intervention

Abstract

In this work, we present the results of a research in which we aimed to evidence obstacles and advances in pre-service teachers' conceptualization on a subject involving elementary Quantum Mechanics. We based our analysis on the theories due to David Ausubel and G\`erard Vergnaud to study Meaningful Learning patterns, both in predicative and operator form of knowledge, of six students involved in a didactical intervention composed of six classes, in which we emphasized both similarities and differences between Classical and Quantum Physics. With this intervention, we intended to teach the concepts of Physical Systems, Dynamical Variables, State of a Physical System and Time Evolution. We guided our data analysis by the methodology of content analysis and it turned possible to map Meaningful Learning patterns involving the four concepts to which were associated a set of essential features in the predicative stage and a set of theorems-in-action in the operatory stage relating the aim-concepts in problem-solbing or conceptual mapping.