Background: Correct identification of misconceptions is an important first step in order to gain an understanding of student learning. More recently, four-tier multiple choice tests have been found to be effective in assessing misconceptions. Purpose: The purposes of this study are (1) to develop and validate a four-tier misconception test to assess the misconceptions of pre-service physics teachers (PSPTs) about geometrical optics, and (2) to assess and identify PSPTs’ misconceptions about geometrical optics. Sample: The Four-Tier Geometrical Optics Test (FTGOT) was developed based on findings from the interviews (n = 16), open-ended testing (n = 52), pilot testing (n = 53) and administered to 243 PSPTs from 12 state universities in Turkey. Design and Methods: The first phase of the study was the development of a four-tier test. In the second phase of this study, a cross-sectional survey design was used. Results: Validity of the FTGOT scores was established by means of some qualitative and quantitative methods. These are: (1) content and face validations by six experts; (2) Positive correlations between the PSPTs’ correct scores considering only first tiers of the FTGOT and their confidence score for this tier (r = .194) and between correct scores considering first and third tiers and confidence scores for both of those tiers (r = .218) were found as evidences for construct validity. (3) False positive (3.5%), false negative (3.3%) and lack of knowledge (5.1%) percentages were found to be less than 10% as an evidence for content validity of the test scores. (4) Explanatory factor analysis conducted over correct and misconception scores yielded meaningful factors for the correct scores as an evidence for construct validity. Additionally, the Cronbach alpha coefficients were calculated for correct scores (r = 0.59) and misconception scores (r = 0.42) to establish the reliability of the test scores. Six misconceptions about geometrical optics, which were held by more than 10% of the PSPTs, were identified and considered to be significant. Conclusions: The results from the present investigation demonstrate that the FTGOT is a valid and reliable instrument in assessing misconceptions in geometrical optics.

This study investigated pre-service physics teachers’ (PSPTs) misconceptions and conceptual difficulties about geometrical optics in the contexts of plane mirrors (single and hinged), spherical mirrors (concave and convex) and lenses (converging and diverging) using prolonged interviews and an open-ended test. The interviews were conducted in five sessions with a divergent sample of 16 PSPTs, and the open-ended geometrical optics test (OEGOT) was administered to a sample of 52 PSPTs in Turkey. The interview guide and the OEGOT included mainly qualitative questions, which were specifically designed to elicit and examine PSPTs’ misconceptions about geometrical optics. Several misconceptions held by PSPTs were identified and discussed. We found that PSPTs mainly had difficulties with the ray model, the function of the observer in the real and virtual image formation and observation processes, and the function of the screen in image formation and observation processes. Also the misconceptions in plane mirrors were found to be more coherent and experience-based while the ones in spherical mirrors and lenses were fragmented and loosely held in nature and mostly based on instruction.

In this study misconceptions, lack of knowledge and error are discriminated from each other and shown in percentages with a three tier Gravity concept test. It is conducted on 41 pre‐service physics teachers on grades 4 and 5 at Middle East Technical University.

Bu çalışmada, 1990-2016 yılları arasında Türkiye’de fizik eğitimi alanında yapılmış yüksek lisans ve doktora tezlerinin incelenmesi amaçlanmıştır. Tezlerin incelenmesinde içerik analizi yöntemi kullanılmıştır. Çalışmada incelenen tezler Yüksek Öğretim Kurulu (YÖK) Başkanlığı Ulusal Tez Merkezi veri tabanına kayıtlı olan fizik eğitimi alanında yazılmış tezler arasından seçilmiştir. Fizik eğitimi alanında toplam 466 adet teze ulaşılmıştır. Tam metnine ulaşılamayan 129 tez çalışmaya dahil edilmemiş ve çalışmada tam metinlerine ulaşılabilen 337 tez sekiz araştırmacı tarafından incelenmiştir. Çalışmada tezleri sınıflandırmak amacıyla ‘fizik eğitimi lisansüstü tez sınıflama formundan’ yararlanılmıştır. Verilerin analizi için SPSS 23.0 programı kullanılmış ve sonuçlar yüzde ve frekans tabloları ile gösterilmiştir. Elde edilen veriler incelendiğinde fizik eğitiminde; 1990-2016 yılları arasında yapılan tezlerde en fazla ‘diğer’ tez alanı olarak adlandırılan ve laboratuvar çalışmaları, öğretmen eğitimi, müfredat ve fizik kitabı inceleme gibi herhangi bir konu alanına dahil olmayan alanlar çalışılmıştır. İkinci olarak en çok çalışılan fizik alanı ise ‘Elektrik’tir. Çalışmalarda tez konusu olarak ‘öğretime’ öncelik verildiği belirlenmiştir. ‘Başarı testi’ kullanımının fazlalığı veri toplama yönteminin analiz sonuçlarında göze çarpmaktadır. Tercih edilen örneklem grubu en fazla ‘ortaöğretim (9-12)’ ve ‘lisans’ öğrencileri olmuş ve veri analizinde ‘t-testi’ ve ‘frekans-yüzde tabloları’ yöntemleri çoğunlukla kullanılmıştır.