Can grade-6 students understand quarks? Probing acceptance of the subatomic structure of matter with 12-year-olds

Abstract

This study introduces a teaching concept based on the Standard Model of particle physics. It comprises two consecutive chapters -elementary particles and fundamental interactions. The rationale of this concept is that the fundamental principles of particle physics can run as the golden thread through the whole physics curriculum. The design process was conducted from a constructivist perspective based on students' documented conceptions. Three pillars underpin the whole teaching concept: a permanent model character, linguistic accuracy, and innovative typographic illustrations. Using the framework of design-based research, microteaching sessions with 20 Grade-6 students were conducted to probe its acceptance. The study focusses on learning processes of 12-year-olds with respect to elementary particles. Our findings indicate broad acceptance of most key ideas, but also avoidance when considering the permanent model character of physics. The most promising outcomes of the study are pure typographic illustrations. Not only were these thoroughly accepted by all students, but they also seem to reduce known misconceptions. Overall, students' understanding of elementary particles improved fundamentally.

Introducing 12 year-olds to elementary particles

“…These key ideas were reconstructed together with education researchers and teachers, and iteratively modified and refined based on the students' evaluations during the one-on-one interviews. This led to the final version, which was validated by particle physicists and proved itself to be adequate and well-suited to introduce the subatomic structure of matter to grade-6 students [2]. However, our results also indicate that students only find it easy to accept and use these key ideas if the main concepts of the learning unit are also taken into account.…”

“…The learning unit on the subatomic structure of matter presented here was developed and evaluated with 12 year-olds over the course of several iteration cycles [2]. At the end of the development process, a detailed annotated version of the unit's first chapter was published in German [22].…”

“…Hence, one is faced with the question of whether it makes sense to introduce elementary particle physics early in physics education. Therefore, to investigate this research question, we have developed a learning unit, which aims to introduce 12 year-olds to elementary particles and fundamental interactions [2].…”

“…Here, we used the technique of probing acceptance [5] to conduct one-on-one interviews with 12 year-olds iopscience.org/ped to evaluate the material developed. Based on the students' feedback, the learning unit was iteratively modified and evaluated until we arrived at the final version [2].…”

Development of Physics Teachers' Content Knowledge on Particle Physics

“…Uluslararası çalışmalarda parçacık fiziği eğitiminde ilköğretim ve lise öğrencilerine yönelik etkinlik geliştirme çalışmalarının sayısının ise oldukça fazla olduğu görülmektedir (Andrews ve Nikolopoulos, 2018;Csörgő, 2012;Gourlay, 2016;Kontokostas ve Kalkanis, 2013;McGinness, Dührkoop, Woithe ve Jansky, 2019;Nikolopoulos ve Pardalaki, 2020;Pascolini ve Pietroni, 2002;Pavlidou ve Lazzeroni, 2016a;2016b;Takai, t.y. ;Thunyaniti, Toedtanya ve Wuttiprom, 2017;Wiener, Schmeling & Hopf, 2015;. Uluslararası çalışmalarda öğrencilerin ve fizik öğretmenlerinin parçacık fiziği alan bilgisine ilişkin veriler ise oldukça azdır (Barlow, 2000;Fischler ve Lichtfeldt, 1992;Moreira ve Ostermann, 2000;Tuzón ve Solbes, 2016).…”