Teaching Quantum Computing

Ginés Carrascal, Alberto Antonio Del Barrio, Guillermo Botella

Charles C. Tappert, Ronald I. Frank, Istvan Barabasi +3 more

Anastasia Perry

Quantum Computing (QC) is an active area of current research and technological development, receiving increasing government funding and exposure in popular media. Should we teach the foundations of Quantum Computing to high school students? If so, how can we do it effectively? This talk will present some foundational concepts of QC and survey of recent advances. Additionally, there will be a review of the available resources and activities that can be incorporated in teaching QC at the secondary or college level. The activities include Quantum Tic-Tac-Toe to introduce quantum mechanics, programming “Schrodinger worm” on a IBMQ online platform, and quantum cryptography using Stern-Gerlach experiment. High school physics teachers have developed these activities during their summer internship at Fermilab under the guidance of theory group researchers.

Jianhong Shi, Xiang-Qun Fu, Hongwei Li

Quantum information is a new subject produced by the cross integration of quantum physics and information technology, mainly including quantum communication, quantum computing and quantum metrology. In recent years, quantum information technologies such as quantum cryptography and quantum computing have developed rapidly. Under this background, some universities have set up a professional elective course of quantum information for undergraduates majoring in cyberspace security. This course mainly introduces students to quantum information related to cyberspace security, such as quantum key distribution, quantum cryptographic algorithm, quantum computing algorithm and quantum computer. This paper combs and summarizes the teaching experience of quantum information course group from the perspectives of teaching and learning. On the one hand, it discusses how teachers organize teaching effectively. According to the characteristics of undergraduates majoring in cyberspace security, teacher need to set clear teaching objectives, carefully choose teaching contents, compile appropriate teaching materials, select appropriate teaching methods and make exquisite teaching slides. At the same time, when implementing classroom teaching, teacher need to pay attention to teach the course from the perspective of cyberspace security and integrate the latest research results of quantum information into classroom teaching in real time. On the other hand, it discusses how teachers help students learn quantum information course well. Teachers should focus on visualizing the abstract theory, helping students build their own quantum information knowledge system and improve their learning enthusiasm. The teaching experience has certain reference significance for the teaching and curriculum construction of quantum information.

Adrian German, Christina Snyder, John M. Phillips

Daniel A. Sabol, Avery M. Leider, Lewis Westfall +1 more

Quantum computing will likely change our world as we know it today. In bringing together fields such as quantum mechanics, mathematics, and computer science in their construction and application, quantum computers hold a promise of tremendous increase in processing power when compared to present day technology. For an educator, teaching this topic requires that consideration be given to the fact that quantum computing is not only based on hard-to-teach aspects of physics, math, and computing, but that quantum computing itself is still in the early stages of its development. What is certain is that concepts such as Shor’s and Grover’s algorithms have already been developed specifically for use with quantum computing. Both algorithms are the beneficiaries of quantum properties such as superposition and entanglement which are at the core of the new technology. This paper is presented in a bottom up structure starting with the explanation of the basic component, the qubit, before moving to superposition and entanglement and ending with a lucid explanation of both of the algorithms. Due to the complex nature of the topic, teaching this subject requires that certain measures be taken to teach all students at all levels and have them feel comfortable within themselves about the topic. The course is meant for anyone who wants to learn quantum computing. It is furthermore recommended that those attending have a blank slate so we start with new students. We would like to see a variety of students taking and passing the course, with that in mind, the explanations of the topics are done without employing an excessive amount of math common to other courses in quantum computing. The recommended approach for teaching is through the use of videos and a curriculum which is broken down so topics are made more general and the discussion of that effort is the main focus