Preparing Secondary Teachers and Students for Quantum Information Science

量子信息科学对于经济和国家安全、商业和技术都是势在必行的。“量子智能”劳动力的培养需要在上大学之前就开始了。接触量子的合乎逻辑的场所可能是物理课程，但许多从K-12岁的学生就读的学校没有开设物理课程。由于大多数学生不会主修物理，因此让K-12学生接触到与信用卡安全、电话、计算机和基本技术的日常体验相关的量子概念是至关重要的。这个项目将为学生提供学习量子的机会，无论他们是否上过物理课。该项目还将为中学教育工作者提供学习QIS并练习教授QIS的机会。项目合作伙伴包括大学、企业和专业组织，如犹他州和德克萨斯州的科学教师协会、美国物理教师协会、量子计算研究所和周长理论物理研究所。这些组织将为参与者和演讲者提供支持，并提供职业成长机会。该项目由学生和教师创新技术体验计划(ITEST)共同资助，该计划支持建立对实践、计划要素、背景和过程的理解的项目，有助于提高学生对科学、技术、工程和数学(STEM)以及信息和通信技术(ICT)职业的知识和兴趣。该项目的目标是至少影响100名教师和600名学生。该项目将支持STEM教师的专业发展(PD)，通过精心规划的资源和适合高中生的学习周期，了解量子效应和有效的课程联系。第一个夏天将涉及虚拟警察。第二个夏天将涉及面对面(F2F)PD，第三个夏天将涉及F2F当地夏令营。教师将在第二年与学生共同教授夏令营，并在第三年开设当地夏令营。这些夏令营将为学生提供学习量子力学的机会，并为教师增加教授量子教学的信心。这些夏令营将由参加过讲习班的教育工作者领导，并将为代表不足的群体提供当地机会。该项目将通过使用内容前后评估、信心调查和参与者参与，确定适合向高中教师或学生教授QIS的教学方法，以及难以理解的内容概念。与会者将被要求就课堂上的资源和课程以及课堂实施的潜力和对资质信息系统和信息和通信技术职业兴趣的影响提供反馈。该项目的结果可能会为其他旨在服务于代表不足的群体的专业发展模式提供参考，并减少在课堂上实施新的和复杂的内容的潜在障碍。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

Quantum information science (QIS) is imperative to economic and national security, commerce, and technology. Development of a "quantum smart" workforce needs to begin before college. The logical venue for exposure to quantum might be a physics course, but numerous K-12 students attend schools where physics is not offered. Since most students will not major in physics, it is vital to expose K-12 students to quantum concepts that are relevant to everyday experiences with credit card security, phones, computers, and basic technology. This project will provide opportunities for students to learn about quantum, regardless of whether they take a physics class. This project will also provide opportunities for secondary educators to learn about QIS and practice teaching it. Project partners include universities, businesses, and professional organizations such as Science Teacher Association in Utah and Texas, American Association of Physics Teachers, Institute for Quantum Computing, and Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics. These organizations will provide support for participants and presenters, and provide professional growth opportunities. This project is co-funded by the Innovative Technology Experiences for Students and Teachers (ITEST) program, which supports projects that build understandings of practices, program elements, contexts and processes contributing to increasing students' knowledge and interest in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) and information and communication technology (ICT) careers. This project aims to impact a minimum of 100 teachers and 600 students. The project will support professional development (PD) for STEM teachers to learn about quantum effects and effective curricular connections through carefully planned resources with learning cycles appropriate for high school students. The first summer will involve virtual PD. The second summer will involve face-to-face (F2F) PD and the third summer will involve F2F local camps. Teachers will co-teach student camps in Year 2 and then provide local camps in year 3. The camps will provide opportunities for students to learn about quantum mechanics and for teachers to increase confidence in teaching quantum. The camps will be led by educators who have participated in the workshops, and will provide local opportunities for underrepresented groups. The project will identify pedagogy appropriate for teaching QIS to high school teachers or students, and content concepts that are difficult to understand, through the use of pre- and post-content assessments, confidence surveys, and participant engagement. Participants will be asked to provide feedback on the resources and curriculum in the classroom as well as the potential for classroom implementation and impact on interest in QIS and ICT careers. Results of the project will potentially inform other professional development models designed to serve underrepresented groups and reduce potential barriers to implementing new and complex content in the classroom.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.