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The quality of learning processes is mainly determined by the extent to which students' conceptions are addressed and thus conceptual change is triggered. Colour phenomena are a topic within initial instruction of optics which is challenging. A physically adequate concept of white light is crucial for being able to grasp the processes underlying colour formation. Our previous research suggests that misconceptions on white light may influence the conceptual understanding of colour phenomena. For the design of a learning environment on light and colours, the literature was reviewed. Then an explorative interview study with participants (N = 32), with and without instruction in introductory optics, was carried out. In addition, the representations used for white light in Austrian physics schoolbooks were analysed. Based on the results of the literature review, the interview study and the schoolbook analysis, a learning environment was designed and tested in teaching experiments. The results indicate that learners often lack an adequate concept of white light even after instruction in introductory optics. This seems to cause learning difficulties concerning colour phenomena. On the other hand, the evaluation of our learning environment showed that students are able to gain a good conceptual understanding of colour phenomena if instruction takes these content specific learning difficulties into account.

It is commonly agreed that experiments play a central role in teaching and learning physics. Recently, Inquiry-Based Learning (IBL) has been introduced into science teaching in many countries, thus giving another boostfor experiments. From a didactical point of view, experiments can serve a number of different goals in teaching and learning physics. First of all, experiments can support learners in understanding some of the centralconcepts of physics. Besides this function of “learning physics”, empirical evidence shows that experimental work in general has a high potential for promoting “learning about science” and finally “doing science”. Promoting aspects of how science works has become important, as the ideas of scientific literacy and competence orientation have been established as central educational goals in many national education systems. However, empirical studies show that the reality in schools does not match these expectations. Conventional physics classes still aim only at the mastery of content, and experiments that cognitively activate students and address issues related to the Nature of Science (NOS) have not been implemented extensively. The reasons for this can be found in teachers’ attitudes and beliefs, as well as in their PCK concerning experiments and scientific knowledge production. In past decades in Austria, teacher education did not focus a great deal on the didactical aspects of experiments or their integration into physics classes in order to promote aspects of scientific literacy and competence orientation. Furthermore, there is a lack of high quality continuing professional development courses that promote the concepts of Inquiry-Based Learning (IBL) in combination with relevant ideas of NOS. The present study examines inservice teachers’ beliefs about the function of experiments in science teaching and their meaningful integration into science classes. In the form of case studies, we follow the professional development of teachers in this field during continuing teacher training.

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Introductory electricity is a difficult topic for most lower secondary students, especially the development of an adequate conceptualisation of voltage is seen as a major obstacle. A few instructional concepts concerning the teaching and learning of physics have been proven helpful when it comes to constructing conceptual knowledge. For example, the choice of content structure, meaningful elementarisation of basic concepts or adequate use of analogies. What has not been in the focus is how physics school textbooks consider these factors. In this article, we compare four widely used Austrian physics school textbooks concerning their content structure, definition of basic concepts and their use of analogies. Results show that the concept of ‘content structure diagrams’ is a useful tool to analyse schoolbooks. Although Austria has a compulsory syllabus, the four schoolbooks greatly differ in the amount of covered content and interlinking of concepts. However, a few common approaches regarding the sequencing of the concepts were identified and are reported in this article.