Reconstructing the history of light and the birth of photon: Integrating nature of science into introductory quantum mechanics
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1 School of Education, University of New England, Armidale, NSW, AUSTRALIA2 Institute of Physics Education, Faculty of Physics and Earth System Sciences, Leipzig University, Leipzig, GERMANY* Corresponding Author
Abstract
History of science (HOS) in physics education constitutes an established research domain, with many scholars arguing that HOS can support learners’ understanding of both scientific concepts and the nature of science (NOS). The history of light and the birth of quantum mechanics (QM), in particular, are philosophically rich domains whose historical development offers strong potential for NOS-focused science instruction. Despite this potential, HOS-informed approaches within QM and physics teaching have not yet become mainstream classroom practice. One major barrier is the limited availability of accessible HOS-based teaching resources that align with existing curriculum requirements and can be readily implemented by teachers. To address this gap, we present a reconstruction of the history of light, tracing developments from medieval theories of vision to the modern quantum concept of the photon through a sequence of eight historical episodes. The resulting narrative is an educational science story that aligns with introductory QM curriculum and is designed for flexible implementation across diverse educational contexts, including optics and QM instruction, while facilitating NOS learning in regular physics or science lessons. The educational story was pilot tested in a high school in the Philippines with year 9 students. Based on our implementation experience, in addition to the historical narrative, this paper also presents pedagogical strategies and practical guidance for classroom instruction. We discuss considerations for adoption of the story in regular schools, curriculum development, and NOS-related research.
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This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Article Type: Research Article
EURASIA J Math Sci Tech Ed, Volume 22, Issue 8, August 2026, Article No: em2890
https://doi.org/10.29333/ejmste/19051
Publication date: 03 Aug 2026
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Article Downloads: 6
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How to cite this article
APA
Nautiyal, V. V., Rizk, N., & Quinn, F. (2026). Reconstructing the history of light and the birth of photon: Integrating nature of science into introductory quantum mechanics. Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education, 22(8), em2890. https://doi.org/10.29333/ejmste/19051
Vancouver
Nautiyal VV, Rizk N, Quinn F. Reconstructing the history of light and the birth of photon: Integrating nature of science into introductory quantum mechanics. EURASIA J Math Sci Tech Ed. 2026;22(8):em2890. https://doi.org/10.29333/ejmste/19051
AMA
Nautiyal VV, Rizk N, Quinn F. Reconstructing the history of light and the birth of photon: Integrating nature of science into introductory quantum mechanics. EURASIA J Math Sci Tech Ed. 2026;22(8), em2890. https://doi.org/10.29333/ejmste/19051
Chicago
Nautiyal, Vijit V., Nadya Rizk, and Frances Quinn. "Reconstructing the history of light and the birth of photon: Integrating nature of science into introductory quantum mechanics". Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education 2026 22 no. 8 (2026): em2890. https://doi.org/10.29333/ejmste/19051
Harvard
Nautiyal, V. V., Rizk, N., and Quinn, F. (2026). Reconstructing the history of light and the birth of photon: Integrating nature of science into introductory quantum mechanics. Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education, 22(8), em2890. https://doi.org/10.29333/ejmste/19051
MLA
Nautiyal, Vijit V. et al. "Reconstructing the history of light and the birth of photon: Integrating nature of science into introductory quantum mechanics". Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education, vol. 22, no. 8, 2026, em2890. https://doi.org/10.29333/ejmste/19051