Development of Physics Teachers' Content Knowledge on Particle Physics

Abstract

In this study, the Particle Physics Achievement Test, which was developed by the researchers based on the achievements related to particle physics in the secondary school physics curriculum, was applied as a pretest and posttest to determine the change in the subject area knowledge of physics teachers. In order to provide physics teachers with information about particle physics, activities developed based on each outcome were applied. In the pretest, it was determined that the traces seen as a result of the Stern-Gerlach experiment, the prediction of the particle groups given the charge and spin properties, and the lack of preliminary information about the fundamental subatomic particles in the nucleus. In the posttest made after the application, however, positive changes could not be obtained about the prediction of the particle groups given the charge and spin properties and the fundamental subatomic particles in the nucleus.