Mapping Quantum Physics Conceptual Understanding of Experts, Teachers, and Students

This study investigates how conceptual understanding of quantum physics varies across experts, high school teachers, and high school students, employing conceptual metaphor theory as an analytical framework. This theory suggests that abstract concepts are comprehended by mapping them onto familiar, concrete notions. Interviews and focus groups were conducted with each group to elicit their explanations of key quantum physics concepts, and transcripts were analyzed to identify recurring metaphorical mappings. Experts demonstrated complex and interconnected metaphorical structures, reflecting a deep, nuanced understanding. They possessed a wide repertoire of metaphors and exhibited a high degree of integration between them, often using multiple concrete metaphors to explain a single abstract concept. In contrast, students displayed fragmented and less developed metaphorical mappings. They had access to fewer conceptual metaphors, which were often isolated and lacked interconnectivity, indicating a less nuanced and integrated understanding. These findings reveal how expertise influences the development of metaphorical understanding in quantum physics and that conceptual understanding is not based on simple, one-to-one mappings, but rather on a complex, blended network of conceptual metaphors. Teachers can utilize these insights to develop more effective pedagogical approaches that foster a deeper conceptual understanding of abstract concepts.