The third EPS–ICTP–UNESCO–SEENET-MTP Workshop, as a part of Project “Towards the integration of the physics community in CEI countries into the ERA” on Physics Education was held in Trieste on December 11-12, 2014.

1. Physics Education at the
University of Zagreb
Ana Susac
Department of Physics
Faculty of Science
University of Zagreb

2. Students:
Physics is a difficult
subject.
Teachers and
university faculty:
It is not easy to
develop student
understanding of
physics.
Researchers:
Only scientifically
based approach to
teaching and learning
can bring about
meaningful changes
in education.

3. Research topics
Atomic spectra
Proportional
reasoning
The functioning of
the Force Concept
Inventory
Student confidence
in alternative
conceptions in
mechanics and
electricity
Graphs in different
context
Uncertainty in
measurements

4. How to bring educational
measurements closer to
the standards of physics

5. Planinic, M. Ivanjek, L. & Susac, A. (2010 ). Phys. Rev. ST PER 6, 010103.
Rasch
modelling
Force
Concept
Inventory

6. -0.7
-0.5
-0.3
-0.1
0.1
0.3
0.5
0.7
H1 H3
ND ICCOR
ND ICINCOR
DC ICCOR
DC ICINCOR
Planinic, M., Boone, W. J., Krsnik, R. & Beilfuss, M. L. (2006), J. Res. Sci. Teach., 43
(2), 150
Student confidence in their incorrect ideas
in mechanics is significantly higher than in
electricity (DC circuits).
Maja Planinic

7.  N ∼ 1000 students from University of Zagreb
and University of Washington, Seattle
Ivanjek, L., Shaffer, P.S., McDermott, L.C., Planinic, M., & Veza, D. (2014). Research as a guide for
curriculum development: An example from introductory spectroscopy. Part I: Identifying student
difficulties with atomic emission spectra, Am. J. Phys., accepted
Ivanjek, L., Shaffer, P.S., McDermott, L.C., Planinic, M., & Veza, D. (2014). Research as a guide for
curriculum development: An example from introductory spectroscopy. Part II: Addressing student
difficulties with atomic emission spectra, Am. J. Phys., accepted
Lana Ivanjek
 Many very similar
reasoning and
conceptual
problems were
identified in both
populations
Large scale study of student
understanding of atomic spectra

8. Graphs in different contexts
-2.00
-1.50
-1.00
-0.50
0.00
0.50
1.00
1.50
2.00
SLOPE-MATH SLOPE-PHYS SLOPE-CONTEXT AREA-MATH AREA-PHYS AREA-CONTEXT
Planinic, M., Ivanjek, L. Susac, A. & Milin-Sipus, Z. (2013). Phys. Rev. ST Phys. Educ. Rev.
9, 020103.

9. Eye tracking experiments
 provides insights into otherwise
unavailable cognitive processes
(e.g. attention) and may be used
for exploring problem difficulty,
student expertise and
metacognitive processes
• Equation solving
• Graphs in different context
• Uncertainty in measurements
• Pictorial representations
Susac, A., Bubic, A., Kaponja, J., Planinic, M. &
Palmovic, M. (2013), Int. J. Sci. Math. Educ., 12, 555-577

10. Proportional reasoning
Accuracy / % RT / ms
Before learning 43 ± 9 2155 ± 854
After learning 81 ± 20 3513 ± 735
Vecchiato, G., Susac, A., Margeti, S., Supek, S., Planinic, M., Babiloni, F. (2012), Brain topography.
26, 303-314

11. Activities for physics teachers
 Biennial symposiums
 Monthly workshops