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Quantum Mechanics Project

Page history last edited by Erin Ronayne Sohr 4 years, 3 months ago

Collaborative Research: Helping Engineering Students Transform Their Understanding of Quantum Phenomenon and Devices

 

NSF DUE-1322734

 

 

This work is performed in collaboration with Noah Finkelstein, Jessica Hoehn, and Julian Gifford from the University of Colorado Boulder Physics Education Research group:   https://www.colorado.edu/per/

 

Contemporary research in physics education has emphasized mathematical sense-making --  the blended processing of physical and mathematical processes -- as an expert practice that belongs in the toolkit of every physics student (Kuo, Hull, Gupta, Elby, 2013). A practice that should be developed and honed in physics courses in curricular materials. Our research team is working in partnership with undergraduate physics students to design and refine tutorials for undergraduate physics courses. These tutorials craft opportunities for mathematical sense-making of physical scenarios.

 

Our curricular design process has closely involved students throughout the process. Targets (content or otherwise) of curricular design were first elicited from students through interviews and surveys. Several undergraduate students then participated in a co-design project with several UMD researchers, re-designing a tutorial on quantum angular momentum and spin. A separate group of undergraduate students were recruited to help refine materials and develop recommendations for the online implementation of materials, towards serving diverse users in different educational contexts.

 

Through partnering with students as designers, refiners, and developers, we have developed two mathematical sense-making focused tutorials that scaffold students in understanding the quantum significance of the Stern-Gerlach experiment and Doppler Cooling, the focus of the 1997 Nobel Prize in Physics. https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/physics/1997/summary/

 

In addition to curriculum development efforts, our team is pursuing various long-term research interests.

1) Evaluating the partnerships developed with students and co-design process through fine-grained, interaction analyses.

2) Studying student experience around the negotiated use of out-of-class resources; resources students turn to, to supplement their studying or maintain connections with classmates.

3) Modeling the graphical sense-making of undergraduate and graduate physics students towards understanding less well-recognized forms of proficiency with graphical forms.

 

Please contact us if you would like to know more: gupta@umd.edu

 

 

 

 

Helping Engineering Students Transform Their Understanding of Quantum Phenomenon and Devices

 

NSF-DUE 1323129

 

 

Although physicists have wrestled for decades about how to teach quantum physics to physics majors, little research and development has focused on helping engineering students begin developing the conceptual understandings, problem-solving approaches, and habits of mind they need to become nanotechnology designers or engineers working in the quantum realm. In this project, a collaborative team is (1) refining previously developed curricular modules on quantum physics aimed at sophomore through senior level engineering students, (2) developing extensive supporting materials for instructors, to help them adapt and implement the modules to meet the needs of their students, and (3) doing research and evaluation on students' learning with these materials, across a range of different types of institutions.

In refining and assessing the curricular modules, all of which have been classroom tested, the project focuses on students' ontological conceptions about quantum-scale phenomena and devices. "Ontological conceptions" means the ways in which students associate particle or wave (or other) ideas with physical scenarios, and with entities such as electrons, light, photons, and atoms, while solving problems. Ontological conceptions are particularly salient in quantum physics, where experts adeptly juggle "particle" and "wave" pictures of quantum entities, all while remaining aware that quantum entities are completely neither of the two. Prior research shows that expert engineering design and engineering/physics problem-solving, including quantitative problem solving, build on solid conceptual underpinnings and metacognitive sophistication. For this reason, the project studies not only whether students become more sophisticated quantum reasoners, but also how students' conceptions and metacognitive awareness do and do not shift in response to instructional and contextual cues. This research provides insights that inform (1) the refinement of the curricular modules and (2) the creation of supporting materials for instructors, who can better adapt and implement our modules given a well-articulated "theory" and patterns of student reasoning underlying our instructional choices. As part of this research and evaluation, the project is developing on-line assessment tools for probing students' ontological conceptions and problem-solving skills in quantum mechanics. These tools are being used across all participating institutions and also are of more general use to instructors and researchers.

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