Cross-Discipline Approach to Quantum Computing in High Schools: Building towards a Quantum Computing Workforce

《国家量子倡议法案》于2018年12月签署，以确保美国在技术和量子信息科学方面保持竞争力。量子信息科学是技术（如手机）、国防、导航（如GPS）、能源系统、银行安全等领域的基础。对于未来的劳动力来说，理解量子力学的基本原理是至关重要的，并且应该从K-12年级开始接触这些知识。目前，美国大多数教育工作者在量子信息科学教学方面缺乏内容背景和信心。此外，并不是所有的K-12学生都学物理，甚至更少的人会在大学里主修物理。认识到量子力学相关性的教育工作者可能没有足够的资源、课程或内容背景来有效地向学生介绍或教授量子信息科学。该奖项通过夏季研讨会、实践社区和利益相关者会议支持量子信息科学课程的分阶段发展。该奖项支持三项活动：(1)为教师开发和实施暑期讲习班，重点关注跨学科方法，向高中教师和学生介绍量子信息科学。工作坊将利用矩阵形式来研究两态自旋系统，然后使用电脑笔记本来动手计算线性系统，从而整合数学、物理和计算。(2)建立实践社区。这将包括参与设计和部署科学内容和教学内容的教师，因为他们为学生创建课程和课程材料。对前两项活动进行评价，探讨教师的内容知识成长和遇到的障碍。（三）召开利益相关者会议。本次会议将是一个阐明当前努力，描述经验教训，探索行业合作伙伴当前和未来劳动力需求的场所，并为K-12量子信息科学的改进绘制有组织和研究驱动的途径。该项目由美国国家科学基金会的发现研究PreK-12 （DRK-12）项目支持，该项目隶属于教育和人力资源理事会。DRK-12旨在通过研究和开发创新资源、模型和工具，显著提高pre -12学生和教师对科学、技术、工程和数学（STEM）的学习和教学。该项目由数学和物理科学理事会材料研究司、物理司和多学科活动办公室共同资助。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

The National Quantum Initiative Act was signed in December 2018 to ensure the United States remains competitive in technology and quantum information science. Quantum information science is fundamental to technology (e.g., cell phones), national defense, navigation (e.g., GPS), energy systems, banking security, and more. It is critical for the future workforce to understand basic principles of quantum mechanics and exposure to that knowledge should begin in grades K-12. Currently, most U.S. educators lack content background and confidence in teaching quantum information science. Furthermore, not all K-12 students take physics and even fewer will major in physics in college. Educators who recognize the relevance of quantum mechanics may not have adequate resources, curriculum, or content background to effectively introduce or teach quantum information science to students. This award supports the phased development of quantum information science curricula through summer workshops, communities of practice, and a conference of stakeholders.This award supports three activities: (1) Development and implementation of summer workshops for teachers that focus on a cross-disciplinary approach to introducing quantum information science to high school teachers and their students. The workshops will utilize a matrix formalism for two-state spin systems and then use computer notebooks for hands-on computation of linear systems, thus integrating mathematics, physics, and computation. (2) Building a community of practice. This will include teachers engaged in the design and deployment of both science content and pedagogical content as they create lessons and curricular materials for their students. Evaluations of the first two activities will be conducted to explore the content knowledge growth of teachers and the barriers they encounter. (3) Convening a conference of stakeholders. This conference will be a venue to articulate current efforts, describe lessons learned, explore the current and future workforce needs of industry partners, and chart an organized and research-driven pathway for improvement in K-12 quantum information science.This project is supported by NSF's Discovery Research PreK-12 (DRK-12) program, in the Directorate for Education & Human Resources. DRK-12 seeks to significantly enhance the learning and teaching of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) by preK-12 students and teachers through research and development of innovative resources, models and tools. This project is co-funded by the Division of Materials Research, the Division of Physics and the Office of Multidisciplinary Activities in the Directorate for Mathematical and Physical Sciences.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.