Abstract
The purpose of this study was to analyze elementary school teachers' understanding, certainty, and familiarity with 13 key concepts of wave physics that are presented in textbook and teacher's guidebook. 123 elementary school teachers answered concept tests and questionnaires. In the results to these tests and questionnaires, teachers demonstrated a high level of understanding and high certainty in understanding with regard to the concepts of sound generation, effect of medium on wave, timbre, wavelength, and trough and crest of wave. For the topics of sound velocity, wave reflection and wave transmission, teachers demonstrated a high level of understanding but low certainty in understanding. With regard to sound propagation, teachers demonstrated a low level of understanding and an improperly high certainty in that low understanding. Teachers lacked knowledge, i.e., displayed a low level of understanding and low certainty in sound strength, sound frequency, constructive interference and destructive interference. In constructive and destructive interference, the teachers also displayed a low level of familiarity. We analyzed the differences in teacher's understanding, certainty, and familiarity according to teacher demographics defined by the teacher's gender, teaching experience with concepts of sound, career, curriculum track while in high school, and major in university. There were no significant differences in understanding, certainty, or familiarity as defined by gender, teaching experience, and career. However, these displays of knowledge were affected by the teacher's curriculum track in high school and their major. These results suggest that the teacher's understanding of, familiarity with, and certainty in wave physics concepts are more influenced by their learning experience than by their teaching experience. Therefore, we suggest additional learning opportunities for teachers (such as teacher training programs) in order to improve teacher knowledge and correct teacher misconceptions in wave physics.
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