Teaching and understanding of quantum interpretations in modern physics courses

dc.creator	Noah D. Finkelstein
dc.creator	Charles Baily
dc.date	2010-01-01T00:00:00Z
dc.date.accessioned	2015-07-20T22:06:07Z
dc.date.available	2015-07-20T22:06:07Z
dc.identifier	1554-9178
dc.identifier	https://doaj.org/article/fabe07719ecc4db39f8f4a1ee8d581ec
dc.identifier.uri	http://evidence.thinkportal.org/handle/123456789/10277
dc.identifier.uri	https://doaj.org/article/fabe07719ecc4db39f8f4a1ee8d581ec
dc.description	Just as expert physicists vary in their personal stances on interpretation in quantum mechanics, instructors vary on whether and how to teach interpretations of quantum phenomena in introductory modern physics courses. In this paper, we document variations in instructional approaches with respect to interpretation in two similar modern physics courses recently taught at the University of Colorado, and examine associated impacts on student perspectives regarding quantum physics. We find students are more likely to prefer realist interpretations of quantum-mechanical systems when instructors are less explicit in addressing student ontologies. We also observe contextual variations in student beliefs about quantum systems, indicating that instructors who choose to address questions of ontology in quantum mechanics should do so explicitly across a range of topics.
dc.language	English
dc.publisher	American Physical Society, APS
dc.relation	http://link.aps.org/doi/10.1103/PhysRevSTPER.6.010101
dc.relation	https://doaj.org/toc/1554-9178
dc.source	Physical Review Special Topics. Physics Education Research, Vol 6, Iss 1 (2010)
dc.subject	Education (General)
dc.subject	L7-991
dc.subject	Education
dc.subject	L
dc.subject	DOAJ:Education
dc.subject	DOAJ:Social Sciences
dc.subject	Education (General)
dc.subject	L7-991
dc.subject	Education
dc.subject	L
dc.subject	DOAJ:Education
dc.subject	DOAJ:Social Sciences
dc.subject	Education (General)
dc.subject	L7-991
dc.subject	Education
dc.subject	L
dc.subject	Education (General)
dc.subject	L7-991
dc.subject	Education
dc.subject	L
dc.subject	Education (General)
dc.subject	L7-991
dc.subject	Education
dc.subject	L
dc.title	Teaching and understanding of quantum interpretations in modern physics courses
dc.type	Article