No Arabic abstract
Quantum computing is a technology that promises to offer significant advantages during the coming decades. Though the technology is still in a prototype stage, the last few years have seen many of these prototype devices become accessible to the public. This has been accompanied by the open-source development of the software required to use and test quantum hardware in increasingly sophisticated ways. Such tools provide new education opportunities, not just for quantum computing specifically, but also more broadly for quantum information science and even quantum physics as a whole. In this paper we present a case study of one education resource which aims to take advantage of the opportunities: the open-source online textbook `Learn Quantum Computation using Qiskit. An overview of the topics covered is given, as well as an explanation of the approach taken for each.
Quantum computing is a growing field at the intersection of physics and computer science. The goal of this article is to highlight a successfully trialled quantum computing course for high school students between the ages of 15 and 18 years old. This course bridges the gap between popular science articles and advanced undergraduate textbooks. Conceptual ideas in the text are reinforced with active learning techniques, such as interactive problem sets and simulation-based labs at various levels. The course is freely available for use and download under the Creative Commons Attribution- NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International license.
Quantum computing harnesses quantum laws of nature to enable new types of algorithms, not efficiently possible on traditional computers, that may lead to breakthroughs in crucial areas like materials science and chemistry. There is rapidly growing demand for a quantum workforce educated in the basics of quantum computing, in particular in quantum programming. However, there are few offerings for non-specialists and little information on best practices for training computer science and engineering students. In this report we describe our experience teaching an undergraduate course on quantum computing using a practical, software-driven approach. We centered our course around teaching quantum algorithms through hands-on programming, reducing the significance of traditional written assignments and relying instead on self-paced programming exercises (Quantum Katas), a variety of programming assignments, and a final project. We observed that the programming sections of the course helped students internalize theoretical material presented during the lectures. In the survey results, students indicated that the programming exercises and the final project contributed the most to their learning process. We describe the motivation for centering the course around quantum programming, discuss major artifacts used in this course, and present our lessons learned and best practices for a future improved course offering. We hope that our experience will help guide instructors who want to adopt a practical approach to teaching quantum computing and will enable more undergraduate programs to offer quantum programming as an elective.
Quantum computing is a growing field at the intersection of physics and computer science. This module introduces three of the key principles that govern how quantum computers work: superposition, quantum measurement, and entanglement. The goal of this module is to bridge the gap between popular science articles and advanced undergraduate texts by making some of the more technical aspects accessible to motivated high school students. Problem sets and simulation based labs of various levels are included to reinforce the conceptual ideas described in the text. This is intended as a one week course for high school students between the ages of 15-18 years. The course begins by introducing basic concepts in quantum mechanics which are needed to understand quantum computing.
We report on a Collaborative Workshop Physics instructional strategy to deliver the first IE calculus-based physics course at Khalifa University, UAE. To these authors knowledge, this is the first such course on the Arabian Peninsula using PER-based instruction. A brief history of general university and STEM teaching in the UAE is given. We present this secondary implementation (SI) as a case study of a novel context and use it to determine if PER-based instruction can be successfully implemented far from the cultural context of the primary developer and, if so, how might such SIs differ from SIs within the US. With these questions in view, a pre-reform baseline of MPEX, FCI, course exam and English language proficiency data are used to design a hybrid implementation of Cooperative Group Problem Solving. We find that for students with high English proficiency, normalized gain on FCI improves from <g> = 0.16+/-0.10 pre- to <g> = 0.47+/-0.08 post-reform, indicating successful SI. We also find that <g> is strongly modulated by language proficiency and discuss likely causes. Regardless of language skill, problem-solving skill is also improved and course DFW rates drop from 50% to 24%. In particular, we find evidence in post-reform student interviews that prior classroom experiences, and not broader cultural expectations about education, are the more significant cause of expectations at odds with the classroom norms of well-functioning PER-based instruction. This result is evidence that PER-based innovations can be implemented across great changes in cultural context, provided that the method is thoughtfully adapted in anticipation of context and culture-specific student expectations. This case study should be valuable for future reforms at other institutions, both in the Gulf Region and developing world, facing similar challenges involving SI of PER-based instruction outside the US.
We present the results of an experience of teaching updating dispensed to Italian high-school physics teachers to promote the application of the Cooperative Problem Solving method as an useful strategy to improve physics learning at high-school level and to foster the development of problem solving skills. Beside analysing the method and discussing the ways to propose and apply it in a high-school context, the teachers experienced the method acting both as learners and as tutors of student group learners. Students and teachers evaluated as positive the experience, mainly focusing on cooperation within the group by information exchange and the application of a solution scheme. The ex-post analysis of the students performance in applying the method to solve some rich context text showed the need of improving critical sense with respect to achieved results to fully exploit the strategy and develop their problem solving skills. Finally, an analysis on gender differences and scholar distribution of students is presented.