Countering fundamental misconceptions about light: An analysis of specific teaching strategies with year 8 students

Abstract

A comparative study of prevalent student understanding about light (Fetherstonhaugh et. al. 1987) indicated how secondary and tertiary students from Western Australia, France, New Zealand, Sweden and the United States held similar misconceptions in terms of how light travels and interacts with mirrors and lenses and how we are able to see objects. A secondary aim, following on from this comparative study, was to use the central misconceptions about light in the design and implementation of specific teaching strategies which might better address some of those misconceptions held by students. This paper describes part of an on-going study that monitors some misconceptions about light as found in one class of year 8 students at a Western Australian secondary school. Additionally this paper discusses the learning of a small group of students within that class as it interacted with the teaching program dealing with light.