Misconceptions on geometric optics and their association with relevant educational variables

The topic of geometrical optics was chosen to diagnose the preconceptions of 44 trainee teachers in this subject area. The scores obtained from a pretest were examined with respect to several variables describing cognitive, academic and social factors. The results suggest that both students’ level of cognitive development and their pre‐knowledge should be taken into account in developing an integrating paradigm for science teaching. Cognitive style appears as a further variable to be considered in this.