Physics learning needs to be designed by teachers to minimize misconceptions. Different diagnostic tools have been developed and used by researchers to identify student misconceptions. However, each tool has advantages and disadvantages. Therefore, teachers play a crucial role, including their understanding of misconceptions and their ability to select the most effective tools according to their purpose. This study sought to uncover the experiences of eight physics teachers through phenomenological studies. Physics teachers involved in this research had diversity based on the period of experience teaching physics, geographical area, and education level. A virtual semi-structured interview (40 to 60 minutes) for all physics teachers involved in this study. Personal Practice Theories (PPTs) by Cornett was chosen as a framework to shape the experiences and perspectives of physics teachers regarding the assessment of physics misconceptions, viewed from personal aspects, knowledge, and how they practice diagnostic misconception assessments in physics classrooms. The findings revealed four themes: (1) personal experiences of Physics teachers, (2) Physics teachers' knowledge, (3) practices in assessing Physics misconceptions, and (4) teachers' reflections on future assessment practice. The research findings provided valuable references for physics educators and curriculum developers.
Keywords
physics learning, diagnostic tests, physics misconception, PPTs, phenomenological study
Author Bio(s)
Mutmainna is a lecturer of the Physics Education Study Program, University of West Sulawesi, Indonesia. He was appointed as a lecturer in 2019 and continued his studies at the Doctoral Program in Education Research and Evaluation, Yogyakarta State University, Indonesia. His research interests include Physics education, learning assessment and evaluation, and curriculum. She can be reached by email: mutmainna.2022@uny.ac.id or mutmainna_kadir@unsulbar.ac.id
Edi Istiyoono has been a lecturer in the Ph.D. program in Educational Research and Evaluation at Yogyakarta State University since 2015. The second author’s expertise located in Measurement, Assessment, and Evaluation of Physics Education. Several of the second author’s research projects align with the research topic, particularly concerning diagnostic tests for physics misconceptions, which have been explored in recent years. He can be reached by email: edi_istiyono@uny.ac.id
Haryanto has been a lecturer in the Ph.D. program in Educational Research and Evaluation at Yogyakarta State University since 2010. The third author’s expertise is in Research and Evaluation of Electrical Engineering Education. The third author teaches courses relevant to the research topic and supervises Ph.D. students in the measurement concentration. He can be reached by email: haryanto@uny.ac.id
Heri Retnawati has been a lecturer in the Ph.D. program in Educational Research and Evaluation at Yogyakarta State University since 2009. The fourth author’s expertise is in Mathematics Education Assessment. The fourth author teaches courses relevant to the research topic and supervises Ph.D. students in the measurement concentration. She can be reached by email: heri_retnawati@uny.ac.id
Caly Setiawan has been a lecturer in the Ph.D. program in Educational Research and Evaluation at Yogyakarta State University since 2017. The fifth author’s expertise is in Physical Education and Sports Pedagogy. The fifth author teaches courses relevant to the research topic, particularly in Qualitative Research Methods and Qualitative Data Analysis Techniques. He can be reached by email: csetiawan@uny.ac.id
Acknowledgements
The first author would like to thank the Ministry of Higher Education, Science, and Technology (KEMDIKTISAINTEK), the Center for Higher Education Funding and Assessment (PPAPT), Indonesian Endowment Fund for Education (LPDP) of the Republic of Indonesia, and Indonesian Education Scholarship (BPI) for funding in the first author’s study doctoral and this research.
Mutmainna, Istiyono, E., Haryanto, Retnawati, & Setiawan, C. (2025). Physics teachers' perceptions about diagnostic assessment of students' physics misconception: A phenomenological study. The Qualitative Report, 30(11), 4611-4635. https://doi.org/10.46743/2160-3715/2025.6938
