Towards a better understanding of conceptual difficulties in introductory quantum physics courses

Research on teaching and learning quantum physics (QP) frequently explores students’ conceptual difficulties to identify common patterns in their reasoning. The abstractness of QP is often found be at the origin difficulties. Due this abstract nature students resort sense reasoning or classical thinking when they make meaning phenomena. In literature review, ‘abstractness’ closely investigated nuanced uncover what reasons for experience. Four can categorised under QP. These are that struggle a) relate mathematical formalism experiences physical world; b) interpret counterintuitive phenomena concepts; c) transit from a deterministic probabilistic worldview; d) understand limitations language express phenomena, concepts, objects. Combining these four allows us better why persist over time. implications findings research practice discussed.