Investigates high school students' knowledge of natural phenomena related to the concept of light flux as it applies to the seasons and illumination after they studied optics. Discusses didactic, cognitive, and ontological perspectives in relation to specific changes in the science curriculum. Contains 71 references. (DDR)

Explores high school students' and preservice teachers' knowledge of light, vision, and related topics before and after commonly practiced instruction. Suggests a hierarchical structure to represent the collective conceptual knowledge of students and teachers in terms of facets and schemes of knowledge. Makes suggestions for designing instruction…

Reports a study (n=27) concerning the knowledge about image formation exhibited by students following instruction in geometrical optics in an activity-based college physics course for prospective elementary teachers. Student diagrams and verbal comments indicate their knowledge can be described as an intermediate state: a hybridization of…