Exploring the relationship between students’ conceptual understanding and model thinking in quantum optics

Ubben, Malte S.; Bitzenbauer, Philipp

doi:10.3389/frqst.2023.1207619

Cited by 9 publications

(1 citation statement)

References 66 publications

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“…In more general, physics education research has highlighted that (a) many learners have a tendency to overinterpret the underlying models as accurate representations of reality and that (b) learning quantum physics is related to the development of elaborate views of models [14]. The authors of [15] support the above claims with empirical evidence from a study with N = 116 upper-level secondary school learners: Students with a more functional understanding of the photon model outperformed students with a more gestalt-oriented view on a conceptual inventory of basic quantum concepts.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A new teaching-learning sequence to promote secondary school students’ learning of quantum physics using Dirac notation

Hennig,

Tóth,

Förster

et al. 2024

Phys. Educ.

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This paper describes the design of a new teaching-learning sequence on quantum physics aimed at upper secondary school students. In this teaching-learning sequence, GeoGebra simulations and interactive screen experiments are used to investigate the behaviour of a single photon at beam splitter and single photon interference in a Michelson interferometer. We propose a minimal formalism using Dirac notation, which avoids complex numbers and elaborate vector calculus, to make a quantitative description of the quantum optics experiments accessible to secondary school students. With this new educational pathway, we take into account findings from physics education research, which suggest that the introduction of a mathematical formalism tailored to students’ abilities might help them to overcome naive-realist views of quanta or space-time descriptions of quantum phenomena, while at the same time facilitating a transition to a functional understanding of quantum models.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A new teaching-learning sequence to promote secondary school students’ learning of quantum physics using Dirac notation

Hennig,

Tóth,

Förster

et al. 2024

Phys. Educ.

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

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Developing and implementing an Einsteinian science curriculum from years 3–10: A. Concepts, rationale and learning outcomes

Kaur,

Kersting,

Blair

et al. 2024

Phys. Educ.

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There has been a growing realisation that school science curricula do not adequately reflect the revolutionary changes in our scientific understanding of the 20th century. This discrepancy between current school education and our modern scientific understanding has led to calls for the modernisation of the science curriculum. Although there have been attempts to introduce topics of Einsteinian physics (i.e. quantum physics and relativity) to school education, often at the secondary level, we still lack a seamless curriculum in which modern science concepts are gradually introduced in primary and middle schools. Guided by the Model of Educational Reconstruction and following a mixed-methods research design, the Einstein-First project aims to address this gap. Einstein-First has developed and implemented an Einsteinian curriculum from Years 3–10 (students aged 7–16) that resolves the disconnect between science in schools and modern scientific understanding. This paper presents the concepts and rationale for the Einstein-First learning approach, as well as a summary of learning outcomes in six Australian schools with 315 students across Years 3–10. Our generally positive findings lay the foundation for informed curriculum development and school education that provides all students with awareness and appreciation of the fundamental concepts that underpin the technologies of the modern world.

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Exploring students’ views about basic concepts in introductory quantum mechanics

Giuliana,

Marzoli,

Testa

et al. 2024

J. Phys.: Conf. Ser.

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Literature in physics education shows that students still experience difficulties learning quantum mechanics, although it is now part of the high school curriculum and many research-based proposals are available. Prior works mostly focused on specific misconceptions and a clearer picture of students’ ideas on general quantum concepts is still lacking. We addressed these issues by inspecting, through multiple correspondence analysis and cluster analysis, the responses given by 408 Italian high school and undergraduate students to a Likert scale questionnaire on quantum physics. From our preliminary results, we can conclude that the majority of students leave high school and enter university without a sound model of the quantum world.

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Exploring the relationship between students’ conceptual understanding and model thinking in quantum optics

Cited by 9 publications

References 66 publications

A new teaching-learning sequence to promote secondary school students’ learning of quantum physics using Dirac notation

A new teaching-learning sequence to promote secondary school students’ learning of quantum physics using Dirac notation

Developing and implementing an Einsteinian science curriculum from years 3–10: A. Concepts, rationale and learning outcomes

Exploring students’ views about basic concepts in introductory quantum mechanics

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