Upper secondary school students learning pathways through quantum concepts and basic formalism

Researches on how students learn basic concepts of quantum physics document how students change from a classical point of view to a specific vision on quantum processes. We experimented with upper secondary school students a research proposal based on the fundamental concepts and structure of quantum theory. We use a phenomenographic approach and di/trichotomous indices to reconstruct the learning path of students, from pre/post test and the working tutorial. In the evolution of student’s conceptions, from a determinist point of view to a quantum vision of processes, an important role is played by core ideas consistent with hidden variables interpretations of quantum mechanics.