Statistical Physics Learning Difficulties and Instructional Strategies: A Systematic Literature Review Supporting Quality Science Education (SDG 4)

Abstract

This systematic literature review (SLR) examines the topics in statistical physics that students find difficult, the factors underlying these difficulties, and the instructional strategies used to address them. Following PRISMA guidelines, 153 records were identified from Scopus through Publish or Perish, reduced through identification, screening, and eligibility stages to 17 included articles published between 2000 and 2024. The most challenging topics are microscopic/macroscopic states, entropy, the Boltzmann factor and distribution, partition functions, and the Fermi-Dirac distribution. Difficulties stem mainly from limited mathematical and representational skills, scarce visualization media, and the high abstraction of the concepts. Reported strategies, including computer simulation, laboratory experiments, inquiry-based learning, Clicker Question Sequences, educational games, and Excel- or Desmos-based simulation, show promising but unevenly evaluated effectiveness: most are theoretical proposals, while only a minority report empirical classroom testing. The novelty of this review lies in showing that, despite twenty-four years of proposed solutions, comprehensive effectiveness evaluation and supporting instructional materials remain scarce. These findings give instructors and curriculum designers an empirical basis for prioritizing which statistical physics topics and strategies most need rigorous, classroom-tested development