Quantum computing is an emerging technology with a burgeoning industry and growing workforce needs. The demand for computer scientists with quantum computing knowledge is increasing, as their skills are needed to make quantum computing a scalable and useful resource. However, few computer scientists are formally educated in quantum computing, with most education occurring in physics curricula. Although some open source learning resources and software tools for quantum computing are available, they employ a quantum mechanical, hardware-driven framing that poses accessibility challenges for computing-focused learners. Educational games have seen some success in quantum computing outreach initiatives, particularly in building intuition for quantum mechanical concepts, but rarely relate to computing practices. This submission outlines a doctoral research programme that seeks to develop computing-centred interactions with quantum computing systems, and to explore how play can be leveraged in these interactions as a means of building quantum intuitions in a computing context.
Quantum computing is an emerging technology with a burgeoning industry and growing workforce needs. The demand for computer scientists with quantum computing knowledge is increasing, as their skills are needed to make quantum computing a scalable and useful resource. However, few computer scientists are formally educated in quantum computing, with most education occurring in physics curricula. Although some open source learning resources and software tools for quantum computing are available, they employ a quantum mechanical, hardware-driven framing that poses accessibility challenges for computing-focused learners. Educational games have seen some success in quantum computing outreach initiatives, particularly in building intuition for quantum mechanical concepts, but rarely relate to computing practices. This submission outlines a doctoral research programme that seeks to develop computing-centred interactions with quantum computing systems, and to explore how play can be leveraged in these interactions as a means of building quantum intuitions in a computing context.
Quantum computing is an emerging field with growing implications across science and industry, making early educational exposure increasingly important. This paper examines how quantum computing concepts can be introduced into high-school STEM curricula within existing structures to enhance foundational learning in mathematics, computer science, and physics. We outline a modular integration strategy introducing key quantum ideas into standard courses, leveraging open-source educational resources to ensure global accessibility. Emphasis is placed on educational opportunity and equity: the approach is designed to be inclusive and to bridge current curricular gaps so that students worldwide can develop basic quantum literacy. Our analysis demonstrates that integrating quantum topics at the secondary level is feasible and can enrich STEM learning.
In recent years, the quantum computing industry has seen significant investment and growth. However, this burgeoning industry faces a persistent labour gap: individuals with computing expertise, an understanding of quantum principles, and the ability to apply these principles to computing practices, are in increasing demand, but finding such individuals is proving challenging. We frame this problem as one of education, arguing that a computing-centred approach to learning about quantum computing is needed, and that the notion of computational thinking can help to define appropriate learning goals and outcomes in this context. We propose that metaphors can be an effective pedagogical tool in supporting the development of 'quantum computational thinking'. In this paper, we present our efforts to gather and assess a collection of metaphors that are currently used to teach quantum computing concepts. We describe a series of interviews with quantum computing experts in which we aimed to elicit such metaphors, and document our process of metaphor identification and metaphorical model synthesis. We subsequently assess these metaphors and models using both numerical rating data from experts and our own qualitative analysis. Informed by our findings, we suggest ways of developing metaphors that better support quantum computational thinking: emphasising target concepts' computational roles, acknowledging connections between concepts, and balancing procedural narratives with embodied, tangible imagery.
This poster explores strategies for supporting quantum computing education in academic libraries and invites collaborative discussion on building sustainable support models. As quantum computing emerges as a transformative technology with potential to solve complex research questions across disciplines, institutions of higher education must develop effective and scalable support frameworks. Successful integration of quantum computing education and support may position institutions at the forefront of breakthrough computational research and confer benefits such as strengthening the institutional ability to attract top faculty and students, boost workforce development, and deliver a competitive advantage for funding opportunities. We present our initial framework for quantum computing support developed at the University Libraries, University of Alabama. Our instructional model employs backward design principles, emphasizing hands-on engagement with open-source quantum development tools and focusing on transferable computational thinking skills that extend beyond specific tools. Our approach centers on workshops that prioritize achievable learning outcomes tailored to diverse student backgrounds, incorporate active learning strategies, and emphasize real-world applications to build quantum literacy across disciplines. Both our successes and ongoing challenges are shared to inform broader discussions. More broadly, we invite engagement with our framework and discussion across four critical dimensions of emerging technology support including pedagogical approach, assessment strategies, technology platforms and infrastructure, and collaborative support models. Pedagogically, we seek to explore which instructional methods most effectively build quantum computing literacy for students with diverse academic backgrounds as well as strategies to strike the balance between theoretical foundations and hands-on practice. With assessment, we seek meaningful assessment approaches that can address varied student backgrounds and account for steep learning curves accompanying emerging technologies. For technology, we endeavor to discover which platforms will work best within higher education and ensure access and reliability for students and educators on a broad scale. And finally, we seek to examine how academic libraries and other units collaborate to build sustainable, coordinated support infrastructure. As quantum computing and other emerging technologies reshape higher education, academic libraries may be uniquely positioned to lead support for quantum computing by democratizing access to computational resources and bridging gaps between research, instruction, and student success. To that end, we invite discussion on how academic libraries can help to build sustainable, adaptable, and collaborative models to support quantum computing. We seek experiences, challenges, and strategies to inform best practices while aligning with library and other campus computing efforts and meeting the evolving needs of students.
The advent of the post-quantum era introduces significant challenges and opportunities, particularly a pressing workforce gap in quantum computing education and skills.In response, public and private stakeholders are actively enhancing their efforts to advance quantum education.For instance, IBM's recent pledge to upskill 30 million individuals by 2030 specifically emphasizes quantum computing and cryptography.Similarly, the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, and the U.S. National Science Foundation, have engaged in quantum education discussions at a summit that brought together leading educators and professionals in Quantum Information Science and Technology (QIST) to strategize on future workforce development.Additionally, NIST is gearing up to unveil its post-quantum cryptography standard in the near future.Despite these efforts, collaboration across sectors in aligning quantum education approaches needs more focus.As experienced educators and researchers, our observation is that while cybersecurity education has witnessed extensive collaboration across government, industry, and academia, quantum education in some sectors is not receiving the attention as highlighted by government initiatives.We propose a systematic approach, leveraging established frameworks like NICE, to integrate quantum computing education into mainstream curricula to ensure that industry will not have the large gap of filling jobs as the cybersecurity sector is currently experiencing.We present an analysis of two courses introduced in our CS department: "Introduction to Quantum Computing," and "Quantum Computing II."We outline the course modules specifically crafted to heighten students' quantum awareness and curiosity as they will be confronted with opportunities and issues related to quantum computing in their software engineering careers.Our student survey results, utilizing a Likert scale ranking, indicate a significant increase in students' interest and curiosity in quantum concepts, as well as their eagerness to further explore quantum computing.These results that we are meeting our educational objectives.
Quantum computing, with its revolutionary approach to data processing and problem solving, is poised to redefine the boundaries of modern technology. Unlike classical computing, quantum computing leverages the principles of superposition, entanglement, and quantum parallelism to perform complex computations at unprecedented speeds. As industries worldwide begin to explore and adopt quantum solutions, it becomes imperative for higher education institutions to keep pace with these advancements. This paper explores the critical integration of quantum computing into university curricula, emphasising its potential to drive innovation, enhance research capabilities, and equip students with the skills needed for the quantum driven future. By aligning academic frameworks with cutting edge developments in quantum technology, educational institutions can cultivate a new generation of quantum literate professionals ready to tackle the challenges and seize the opportunities of this emerging era
Quantum Computing is an exciting field that draws from information theory, computer science, mathematics, and quantum physics to process information in fundamentally new ways. There is an ongoing race to develop practical/reliable quantum computers and increase the quantum workforce. This needs to be accompanied by the development of quantum computing programs, courses and curricula coupled with the development and adoption of evidence-based materials and pedagogies to support the education of the next generation of quantum information scientists and workforce. At our university, we introduced an introductory course in Quantum Computing to undergraduate students and conducted a case study to investigate the strengths and difficulties of these students in quantum computing after taking the introductory course. Our goal is to contribute to the improvement of quantum computing education while understanding the topics that the students find easy to comprehend and topics that are difficult to comprehend. We conducted a series of interviews to identify these strengths and difficulties. This investigation is essential to help train the next generation of quantum scientists and researchers because it gives information and direction to quantum computing education, and it also helps us to develop research-based teaching and learning materials. We report on the results of these interviews and our initial work on the development of evidence-based materials for teaching an introductory course in Quantum Computing.