The Visual Quantum Mechanics — Original materials have been used and adapted in a number of high school and introductory college physics and physical science classrooms. Results indicate that the use of hands-on activities, interactive computer programs, inexpensive materials, and the focus on conceptual understanding are very effective in these classes. Students have indicated that they liked the hands-on activities, computer programs, and the real-life science applications. When asked to report what they learned from these instructional units, some students mentioned the mechanism for emission and absorption of light, relating energy diagrams of atoms to spectra, different ways in which light can be emitted, and how potential energy diagrams can be used to represent all types of atoms from gases to solids.

Based on the results of our assessments, students are able to recognize the spectral and electrical features of various light sources. When presented with a diagram that has few energy levels, the majority of students are able to correctly sketch the electronic transitions and identify the resulting "colors" and energies of the resulting spectrum. Most students are able to understand the concept that the energy of the spectral line is related to the difference in energy between two levels and not the values of the levels themselves.

Students are able to correctly associate the energy diagram with a particular light-emitting device, but do experience some difficulty in identifying specific details about these models, especially those that are somewhat similar. Following the initial implementation of "Luminescence: It's Cool Light" in different Iowa high school schools, 44% of 124 physics students were able to correctly identify the correct energy band diagram that explains the spectra of a white-light fluorescent lamp when presented with energy band diagrams for a phosphorescent toy, black-light fluorescent lamp, white-light fluorescent lamp, fluorescent object, and gas lamp. Fifty percent of the students were able to correctly identify the correct energy band diagram that explains the spectra of a black-light fluorescent lamp. In both cases, we found a number of students who confused the energy band diagram that explains the spectra of a black-light fluorescent lamp with that of the diagram that explains the spectra of a white-light fluorescent lamp. This result is not surprising since both energy band diagrams are somewhat similar with the exception of the differences in energy requirements and the resulting energies of light emitted. Sixty-seven percent of the high school students were able, however, to identify the correct energy band diagram that explains the spectral properties of a phosphorescent toy.

Our assessments reveal some student confusion on the difference between absorption and emission of energy for electrons as they undergo a transition from one energy level to another. The confusion between absorption and emission could result from these students not fully understanding which energy level has the highest energy — the highest negative energy level, or the lowest negative energy level. These results suggest that students need additional practice in working problems involving energy diagrams and being able to identify electron transitions that result in the absorption and the emission of energy.