Tim Bouchée

Appropriating digital resources for learning and teaching quantum mechanics at upper secondary school level.

In 2013-2014 a new curriculum for Physics at secondary school level was introduced in the Netherlands. An important part of the new curriculum is quantum mechanics. Quantum mechanics is considered to be one of the most difficult parts of physics because of the abstract and counter-intuitive nature. The complexity of quantum mechanics gives rise to misconceptions among students when they study quantum mechanics. Research shows that these misconceptions can be tackled by using digital materials that visualize important aspects of quantum mechanical behaviour. Other research shows that students hardly use computers in physics classrooms, although the new physics curriculum emphasizes ICT-skills. The goal of this research is to develop an digital curriculum materials for education in quantum mechanics for secondary school students. A educational design research will be used to develop these digital materials. In the first year of the research the learning and teaching of quantum mechanics will be researched. This will be done, among other things, by interviewing experts. This research will lead to the characteristics for the design of the digital materials. In the subsequent years of the research the designed digital materials will be tested and evaluated at two schools.

Research question: How can digital materials support the teaching and learning of quantum mechanics at Dutch upper secondary school level?

Publications:

Bouchée, T., Pepin, B. & Thurlings, M. (2017, August). Analyzing Development of Student Knowledge in Quantum Mechanics Using Conceptual Field Theory. Presentation at ESERA 2017, Dublin, Ireland.