Most common alternative conceptions about Universe in future Physics teachers

Abstract

This paper presents a preview of results and key findings, of a study that seeks to identify and to analyze most common alternative conceptions (CAM), of future Physics teachers, in selected contents about Universe, for three cohort (2014, 2015 and 2016). Categories of analysis were defined allowing to select a set of CAM for which it was determined the need to develop specific teaching sequences to facilitate future Physics teachers learning the current scientific knowledge on those contents. To identify CAM, it was used a modified version of the
standardized test Astronomy Diagnostic Test v2.0. Results show a limited set of CAM, similar to the three groups, on the following topics: movements in the celestial sphere, sizes and distances at scale, moon phases, eclipses and seasons, and star’s properties.