Collaborative Research: Research as a base to develop adaptable curricula bridging instructional paradigms in Quantum Mechanics

该项目将调查和改进当代物理学发展最快和最重要的领域之一：量子力学（QM）的教学。量子力学是研究极小系统（例如原子大小）的物理学。工程学的进步导致了越来越多的技术在这种规模上操纵物质，导致在工业和研究中对具有量子知识的STEM劳动力的需求越来越迫切。该项目利用对学生学习的研究以及与学习量子物理学相关的挑战。这项工作的成果将对全国STEM专业的教育产生重大影响，并将更好地为越来越多的量子技术和研究职业做好准备。 该项目将开发新的基于研究的教育材料，这些材料很容易被来自不同机构和学生群体的教师采用。这将通过回答四个问题：学生必须学习什么，学生目前正在学习什么，如何提高他们的学习，以及如何帮助教师有效地利用开发的资源？因此，本研究项目的主要目标是：1）通过与广泛的教师，工业和研究领导者合作，为本科量子力学教学制定一套学习目标; 2）提高对学生学习和学生在QM中的困难的理解，重点关注学生在不同教学环境中的学习; 3）开发适用于多种教学范式的量子力学教学的教育材料和评估，便于教师在各种机构中修改和使用;（4）广泛传播这些材料，支持新用户，并评估课程的有效性。研究和课程开发的范围将针对不同的学生群体，因此结果和课程材料将广泛适用。

This project will investigate and improve instruction in one of the fastest growing and most important areas of contemporary physics: quantum mechanics (QM). QM is the physics of extremely small systems (e.g. the size of an atom). Advances in engineering have led to an increased number of technologies that manipulate matter on this scale, leading to an increasingly critical need for a quantum-literate STEM workforce in both industry and research. This project leverages research into student learning and the challenges associated specifically with learning quantum physics. The outcomes of this work will have a significant impact on the education of STEM majors across the country, and will better prepare students for the growing number of careers in quantum technologies and research. The project will develop new research-based educational materials that are easily adoptable by faculty from a diverse range of institutions and student populations. This will be done by answering four questions: what must students learn, what are students currently learning, how can their learning be improved, and how can faculty be helped to effectively utilize the resources developed? Thus, the key goals of this research project are to: 1) develop a set of learning goals for undergraduate quantum mechanics instruction by collaborating with a broad spectrum of faculty, industry, and research leaders; 2) improve understanding of student learning and student difficulties in QM with a focus on student learning in different instructional settings; 3) develop educational materials and assessments for quantum mechanics instruction suitable for use in multiple instructional paradigms, that are easy for faculty to modify and use in a diverse range of institutions; and 4) widely disseminate these materials, support new users, and evaluate the effectiveness of the curriculum. The scope of the research and curriculum development will target a diverse population of students so the results and curricular materials will be broadly applicable.