A LEARNING PATHWAY IN HIGH-SCHOOL LEVEL QUANTUM ATOMIC PHYSICS

In this paper, one student's learning process in a course on quantum a tomic physics in grade 13 of a German gymnasium (secondary school) is described. The course lasted 16 weeks for a total of approximately 80 lessons. The aim of the present study is to elaborate the student's co gnitive system for atomic physics as a hypothetical pragmatic model to describe, analyse and explain his thinking and learning while interac ting with the teaching input. In this paper, the student's learning pa thway is described as a sequence of several meta-stable conceptions of the atom, stat ting from a planetary model. His final cognitive eleme nt 'atom' following teaching is displayed as an association of three p arallel conceptions including his initial planetary model, a slate-ele ctron model and an electron-cloud. mc,del. These different conceptions influence his thinking in different 'strengths' and 'status'. In addi tion, the student's meta-cognitive beliefs on physics and the way they are affected by a quantum world view are briefly described.