Quantum Physics Literacy Aimed at K12 and General Public

Teaching quantum physics to K12 students and the general public represents an inevitable must, while quantum technologies revolutionize our lives. Quantum literacy is a formidable challenge and an extraordinary opportunity for a massive cultural uplift, where citizens learn how to engender creativity and practice a new way of thinking, essential for smart community building. Scientific thinking hinges on analyzing facts and creating understanding, then formulating these with dense mathematical language for later fact checking. Within classical physics, learners’ intuition can be educated via classroom demonstrations of everyday life phenomena. Their understanding can even be framed with the mathematics suited to their instruction degree. For quantum physics instead, we have no experience of quantum phenomena, and the required mathematics is beyond non-expert reach. Therefore, educating intuition needs imagination. Without resorting to experiments and some degree of formal framing, educators face the risk of providing only evanescent tales, often misled, while resorting to familiar analogies. Here, we report on the realization of QPlayLearn, an online platform conceived to explicitly address challenges and opportunities of massive quantum literacy. QPlayLearn’s mission is to provide multilevel education on quantum science and technologies to anyone, regardless of age and background. To this aim, innovative interactive tools enhance the learning process effectiveness, fun, and accessibility, while remaining grounded in scientific correctness. Examples are games for basic quantum physics teaching, on-purpose designed animations, and easy-to-understand explanations on terminology and concepts by global experts. As a strategy for massive cultural change, QPlayLearn offers diversified content for different target groups, from primary school all the way to university physics students. It is also addressed to companies wishing to understand the potential of the emergent quantum industry, journalists, and policy makers who need to quickly to understand what quantum technologies are about, and all quantum science enthusiasts.Peer reviewe

Quantum Physics Literacy Aimed at K12 and the General Public

Educating K12 students and general public in quantum physics represents an evitable must no longer since quantum technologies are going to revolutionize our lives. Quantum literacy is a formidable challenge and an extraordinary opportunity for a massive cultural uplift, where citizens learn how to engender creativity and practice a new way of thinking, essential for smart community building. Scientific thinking hinges on analyzing facts and creating understanding, and it is then formulated with the dense mathematical language for later fact checking. Within classical physics, learners’ intuition may in principle be educated via classroom demonstrations of everyday-life phenomena. Their understanding can even be framed with the mathematics suited to their instruction degree. For quantum physics, on the contrary, we have no experience of quantum phenomena and the required mathematics is beyond non-expert reach. Therefore, educating intuition needs imagination. Without rooting to experiments and some degree of formal framing, educators face the risk to provide only evanescent tales, often misled, while resorting to familiar analogies. Here, we report on the realization of QPlayLearn, an online platform conceived to explicitly address challenges and opportunities of massive quantum literacy. QPlayLearn’s mission is to provide multilevel education on quantum science and technologies to anyone, regardless of age and background. To this aim, innovative interactive tools enhance the learning process effectiveness, fun, and accessibility, while remaining grounded on scientific correctness. Examples are games for basic quantum physics teaching, on-purpose designed animations, and easy-to-understand explanations on terminology and concepts by global experts. As a strategy for massive cultural change, QPlayLearn offers diversified content for different target groups, from primary school all the way to university physics students. It is addressed also to companies wishing to understand the potential of the emergent quantum industry, journalists, and policymakers needing to seize what quantum technologies are about, as well as all quantum science enthusiasts

Quantum Physics Literacy Aimed at K12 and the General Public

Educating K12 students and general public in quantum physics represents an evitable must no longer since quantum technologies are going to revolutionize our lives. Quantum literacy is a formidable challenge and an extraordinary opportunity for a massive cultural uplift, where citizens learn how to engender creativity and practice a new way of thinking, essential for smart community building. Scientific thinking hinges on analyzing facts and creating understanding, and it is then formulated with the dense mathematical language for later fact checking. Within classical physics, learners' intuition may in principle be educated via classroom demonstrations of everyday-life phenomena. Their understanding can even be framed with the mathematics suited to their instruction degree. For quantum physics, on the contrary, we have no experience of quantum phenomena and the required mathematics is beyond non-expert reach. Therefore, educating intuition needs imagination. Without rooting to experiments and some degree of formal framing, educators face the risk to provide only evanescent tales, often misled, while resorting to familiar analogies. Here, we report on the realization of QPlayLearn, an online platform conceived to explicitly address challenges and opportunities of massive quantum literacy. QPlayLearn's mission is to provide multilevel education on quantum science and technologies to anyone, regardless of age and background. To this aim, innovative interactive tools enhance the learning process effectiveness, fun, and accessibility, while remaining grounded on scientific correctness. Examples are games for basic quantum physics teaching, on-purpose designed animations, and easy-to-understand explanations on terminology and concepts by global experts. As a strategy for massive cultural change, QPlayLearn offers diversified content for different target groups, from primary school all the way to university physics students. It is addressed also to companies wishing to understand the potential of the emergent quantum industry, journalists, and policymakers needing to seize what quantum technologies are about, as well as all quantum science enthusiasts.Peer reviewe

Description in course of mathematical methods for physics and possible development of course program

The essence of mathematics is a thought process in constructing, applying abstract ideas, and their logical interrelationships. This process is essential in solving quantitative and qualitative physics problems, where abstract ideas are required to represent physical phenomena. This study aims to give detail description of the process of mathematical methods for physics lectures. Improvement in pre-service physics teachers' critical thinking is designed to strengthen their critical thinking and problem-solving skills. The methodology of research is qualitative descriptive. The research subjects were 97 pre-service physics teachers who had followed the mathematical methods for physics courses and teaching lecturers. Data collection consisted of questionnaires, and interviews. Observations are needed for describing the implementation of mathematical methods for physics courses, document analysis, and data collection, including lesson plan and assessment. The results showed that mathematical methods for physics courses need improvement in the learning process. It is concluded that lecture activities integrating computers into physics and mathematics are necessary to be implemented. It is expected that the program will improve students' ability in problem-solving, critical thinking skills, communication, digital era literacy, creative and innovative creations, and group work. Specifically, implementation of the program in the ordinary differential equations course can provide learning experiences to students regarding the process of reasoning in physics using mathematical principles

Instructional material presenting contents of computational methods for physics teaching

É inegável a necessidade do uso de ferramentas computacionais no ensino de Física desde o nível básico. Por isso, é aconselhável que se promova o estudo envolvendo ferramentas e métodos computacionais já na formação de professores de Física, como nos cursos de Licenciatura, pois o fato de os professores não se sentirem confortáveis para incorporar metodologias envolvendo essas ferramentas em sua prática de ensino, muitas vezes, deve-se à falta ou ao desconhecimento de materiais instrucionais que lhes sirvam de motivação e orientação. Neste trabalho, descreve-se um material instrucional desenvolvido na forma de hipertexto, com o objetivo de contribuir para alterar esse quadro. São considerados alguns softwares úteis no ensino da Física, que oferecem recursos interessantes e estão disponíveis para os sistemas operacionais Linux e Windows. Os principais recursos de cada um dos softwares são apresentados a partir de uma situação-exemplo de Física, que serve como ilustração para demonstrar a sua utilização. O primeiro software apresentado é a planilha eletrônica e, a seguir, é estudado o software Modellus. Ao final da apresentação de cada um desses softwares é sugerido um exercício como uma tarefa a ser realizada. O material ainda aborda os softwares HotPotatoes e CmapTools. Grande parte do material instrucional aqui apresentado foi utilizada em disciplina de “Métodos Computacionais no Ensino de Física”, ministrada no âmbito do Curso de Especialização a Distância “Física para a Educação Básica” destinado ao aprimoramento da formação de professores atuando na rede pública de ensino do Estado do Rio Grande do Sul e oferecido pela UFRGS na integração com o Sistema Universidade Aberta do Brasil.The importance of the use of computational tools in Physics teaching from the early years of school is indisputable. In order to take the most out of the allying of Physics content s with computational tools, the study of available computational softwares and methods should be stressed also in the teacher's formation, already at undergraduate level. The fact that school teachers do not feel at ease with incorporating these technologies into their teaching practice is often due to the lack of instructional materials that could motivate and guide them, or to their unfamiliarity with such resources. In the present work, we describe an instructional material developed in hypertext form, with the goal of contributing to change that picture. We consider a few softwares aimed at assisting and improving Physics teaching, and available for Linux and Windows platforms. The main features of each software are presented starting from a Physics problem or situation, which also stands as an illustration of its possible applications. The first software presented is the "Spreadsheet". Next, we explore the software "Modellus". To close the presentation of each of these softwares, we suggest an exercise as a task for the reader. The material also addresses the softwares "HotPotatoes" and, finally, "CmapTools”. Much of the instructional material presented here has been applied in the discipline "Métodos Computacionais no Ensino da Física" taught within the non-presential specialization course "Física para a Educação Básica" aimed at improving the training of teachers working in the public school system in the brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul, and jointly promoted by UFRGS and Universidade Aberta do Brasil

Instructional material presenting contents of computational methods for physics teaching

É inegável a necessidade do uso de ferramentas computacionais no ensino de Física desde o nível básico. Por isso, é aconselhável que se promova o estudo envolvendo ferramentas e métodos computacionais já na formação de professores de Física, como nos cursos de Licenciatura, pois o fato de os professores não se sentirem confortáveis para incorporar metodologias envolvendo essas ferramentas em sua prática de ensino, muitas vezes, deve-se à falta ou ao desconhecimento de materiais instrucionais que lhes sirvam de motivação e orientação. Neste trabalho, descreve-se um material instrucional desenvolvido na forma de hipertexto, com o objetivo de contribuir para alterar esse quadro. São considerados alguns softwares úteis no ensino da Física, que oferecem recursos interessantes e estão disponíveis para os sistemas operacionais Linux e Windows. Os principais recursos de cada um dos softwares são apresentados a partir de uma situação-exemplo de Física, que serve como ilustração para demonstrar a sua utilização. O primeiro software apresentado é a planilha eletrônica e, a seguir, é estudado o software Modellus. Ao final da apresentação de cada um desses softwares é sugerido um exercício como uma tarefa a ser realizada. O material ainda aborda os softwares HotPotatoes e CmapTools. Grande parte do material instrucional aqui apresentado foi utilizada em disciplina de “Métodos Computacionais no Ensino de Física”, ministrada no âmbito do Curso de Especialização a Distância “Física para a Educação Básica” destinado ao aprimoramento da formação de professores atuando na rede pública de ensino do Estado do Rio Grande do Sul e oferecido pela UFRGS na integração com o Sistema Universidade Aberta do Brasil.The importance of the use of computational tools in Physics teaching from the early years of school is indisputable. In order to take the most out of the allying of Physics content s with computational tools, the study of available computational softwares and methods should be stressed also in the teacher's formation, already at undergraduate level. The fact that school teachers do not feel at ease with incorporating these technologies into their teaching practice is often due to the lack of instructional materials that could motivate and guide them, or to their unfamiliarity with such resources. In the present work, we describe an instructional material developed in hypertext form, with the goal of contributing to change that picture. We consider a few softwares aimed at assisting and improving Physics teaching, and available for Linux and Windows platforms. The main features of each software are presented starting from a Physics problem or situation, which also stands as an illustration of its possible applications. The first software presented is the "Spreadsheet". Next, we explore the software "Modellus". To close the presentation of each of these softwares, we suggest an exercise as a task for the reader. The material also addresses the softwares "HotPotatoes" and, finally, "CmapTools”. Much of the instructional material presented here has been applied in the discipline "Métodos Computacionais no Ensino da Física" taught within the non-presential specialization course "Física para a Educação Básica" aimed at improving the training of teachers working in the public school system in the brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul, and jointly promoted by UFRGS and Universidade Aberta do Brasil