Taylor (1996, p. 39) states ‘Two decades of science education research … have amply
demonstrated that many students hold non-scientific views about the phases of the
Moon even after having been taught the scientific view. This is true even of university
graduates and teachers.” Studies examining primary teachers’ understandings support
this view. A study by Parker & Heywood (1998, p. 512) found that 47% of primary
teachers held alternative views and that the eclipse view comprised 96% of the
alternative views.