Preparing Secondary Teachers and Students for Quantum Information Science

量子信息科学（QIS）对经济和国家安全、商业和技术都是必不可少的。“量子智能”劳动力的发展需要在大学之前开始。接触量子的合理场所可能是物理课程，但许多K-12学生就读的学校不开设物理课程。由于大多数学生不会主修物理，因此让K-12学生接触与信用卡安全、电话、计算机和基础技术等日常经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，无论他们是否上物理课。该项目还将为中学教育工作者提供学习QIS和实践教学的机会。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科学教师协会、美国物理教师协会、量子计算研究所和理论物理周长研究所。这些组织将为参与者和演讲者提供支持，并提供专业成长机会。该项目由“面向学生和教师的创新技术体验”（ITEST）项目共同资助，该项目支持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）职业的知识和兴趣的实践、项目要素、背景和过程的理解。该项目旨在影响至少100名教师和600名学生。该项目将通过精心规划的适合高中生的学习周期资源，支持STEM教师的专业发展（PD），以了解量子效应和有效的课程联系。第一个暑假将涉及虚拟PD。第二个夏天将涉及面对面（F2F） PD，第三个夏天将涉及F2F当地营地。老师们将在二年级共同教授学生营，然后在三年级提供本地营。夏令营将为学生提供学习量子力学的机会，并为教师提供增加教学信心的机会。这些营地将由参加过讲习班的教育工作者领导，并将为代表性不足的群体提供当地机会。该项目将通过使用内容前和内容后评估、信心调查和参与者参与，确定适合于向高中教师或学生教授质量信息系统的教学法，以及难以理解的内容概念。参与者将被要求对课堂上的资源和课程、课堂实施的潜力以及对QIS和ICT职业兴趣的影响提供反馈。该项目的结果可能会为其他专业发展模式提供参考，这些模式旨在为代表性不足的群体提供服务，并减少在课堂上实施新内容和复杂内容的潜在障碍。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。

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.