The field of geometrical optics features a broad knowledge base concerning conceptual learning difficulties and student conceptions. However, in contrast to other areas of physics, no widely used standard test instrument exists to assess middle school students' conceptual knowledge of geometrical optics. This is even more true for other areas of…

Relating mathematical concepts to graphical representations is a challenging task for students. In this paper, we introduce two visual strategies to qualitatively interpret the divergence of graphical vector field representations. One strategy is based on the graphical interpretation of partial derivatives, while the other is based on the flux…

Many high school and college students experience serious difficulties in understanding as well as applying fundamental concepts in physics. The study reported in this paper focused on the difficulties in learning about vectors in physics and strategies for making the teaching of vectors more interesting and meaningful for students. Specifically,…