United States

AAPT SM 20

Guided group work and student understanding in graduate-level physics

quantum mechanics; group work; active learning; graduate

The 2020 AAPT Virtual Summer Meeting brought together physics educators from around the globe to learn about the latest in physics theory, research methodology and education from leaders in their field. The program featured plenary speakers, sessions, workshops and many special activities.

For more information please visit the 2020 AAPT Virtual Summer Meeting page at: https://www.aapt.org/Conferences/SM2020/index.cfm.


The 2020 AAPT Virtual Summer Meeting brought together physics educators from around the globe to learn about the latest in physics theory, research methodology and education from leaders in their field. 

technical paper

We describe an investigation focusing on advanced students’ and faculty members’ understanding and reasoning about two questions related to the double-slit experiment with single particles. One of the questions posed was a standard double-slit question while the other question was more speculative. First, undergraduate and graduate students in advanced quantum mechanics courses were asked the questions in written form, and six students were interviewed individually using a think-aloud protocol in which they were asked follow-up questions to make their thought processes explicit regarding their responses to the questions. We also interviewed five faculty members who had taught modern physics, quantum mechanics and/or solid-state physics to understand their reasoning and thought processes. All faculty members provided thoughtful responses to the more speculative question related to the double-slit experiment with single particles, which shed light on what it means to think like a physicist. Student responses varied greatly in their correctness and sophistication of reasoning, suggesting that while some advanced undergraduate and graduate students had begun to think like a physicist in the challenging quantum mechanical contexts of the problems posed, others needed additional guidance and scaffolding support in order to develop expert-like reasoning skills.
![](https://assets.underline.io/uploads/markdown_image/1/image/276b83a263ecb7104fe9c5ba263496ae.png)

Advanced students’ and faculty members’ reasoning about the double-slit experiment with single particles

The National Superconducting Cyclotron Laboratory and Joint Institute for Nuclear Astrophysics conduct a host of different outreach programs. Camps offer the experience of being a nuclear scientist to students of (nearly) any age and science teachers. Lessons and games connect nuclear science with current astrophysics topics. Tours offer a close-up view of research in action, while talks are available to groups that can’t travel. Museum exhibits make the research truly hands-on, while dance introduces nuclear concepts in a novel fashion for a brand new audience. There truly is something for everyone. Discover the FREE resources available to students & teachers, kids & adults anywhere in the world!
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Nuclear Science for Everyone

We discuss an investigation of student difficulties with Dirac notation in the context of a three-dimensional vector space and the validation and evaluation of a Quantum Interactive Learning Tutorial (QuILT) to improve student understanding of these concepts. We find that many upper-level undergraduate students in quantum mechanics courses have difficulties with Dirac notation even in the context of a three-dimensional vector space after traditional instruction. The QuILT uses analogical reasoning and builds on students’ prior knowledge of three-dimensional vectors in the familiar context of introductory mechanics to help students build a coherent understanding of Dirac notation in three dimensions before transitioning to the quantum mechanical context. We summarize the development of the QuILT and findings from its evaluations. We thank the National Science Foundation for support.


Improving Student Understanding Of Dirac Notation by Using Analogical Reasoning in the Context of a Three-Dimensional Vector Space

Developing and Evaluating Quantum Mechanics Formalism and Postulates Survey

Student Difficulties with Operators Corresponding to Observables in Dirac Notation

Analogous Patterns of Student Reasoning Difficulties in Introductory Physics and Upper-Level Quantum Mechanics

Here we focus on an investigation that suggests that, even though Dirac notation is used extensively, many advanced undergraduate and Ph.D. students in physics have difficulty expressing the identity operator and other Hermitian operators corresponding to physical observables in Dirac notation. We first describe the difficulties students have with expressing the identity operator and other Hermitian operators corresponding to observables in Dirac notation. We then discuss how the difficulties found via written surveys and individual interviews were used as a guide in the development and validation of a Quantum Interactive Learning Tutorial (QuILT) to help students develop a good grasp of these concepts. We also discuss the effectiveness of the QuILT based on in-class evaluations. We thank the National Science Foundation for support.

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Guided group work and student understanding in graduate-level physics

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