Exploring student ideas on change of basis in quantum mechanics

Corsiglia, Giaco; Schermerhorn, Benjamin P.; Sadaghiani, Homeyra R.; Villaseñor, Armando G.; Pollock, Steven J.; Passante, Gina

doi:10.1103/physrevphyseducres.18.010144

Cited by 7 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 25 publications

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“…Administration of the ACE Physics QBT: The ACE Physics QBT [5] was assigned as a homework problem on the fourth weekly problem set in both the Fall 2021 and Spring 2022 semesters. The QBT was not administered in any form during the Fall 2018 semester.…”

Section: The Ace Physics Projectmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Quantum mechanical problems often require converting between bases. Our collaboration's prior research explored student ideas about basis and change of basis and identified conceptual and procedural challenges that students encounter when learning these topics in a spins-first quantum mechanics course [1]. We developed an on-paper tutorial-the Quantum Basis Tutorial (QBT)-to support student learning about basis [2].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Unlike the on-paper version of the QBT, the ACE Physics version is designed to be completed outside of class and without instructor facilitation. We have assigned the ACE Physics QBT [5] on homework assignments in two semesters of upper-division quantum mechanics. This paper presents a preliminary evaluation of the effectiveness of the QBT assigned in the novel ACE Physics format.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Effectiveness of an online homework tutorial about changing basis in quantum mechanics

Corsiglia¹,

Pollock²,

Wilcox³

2022

2022 Physics Education Research Conference Proceedings

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Changing basis is a common task when solving quantum mechanical problems. As part of a research project investigating student understanding of basis and change of basis in quantum mechanics, we developed a tutorial to support students in learning about basis in the context of spin-1 /2 systems. We have since created an interactive online version of the basis tutorial as part of a freely available suite of online quantum tutorials called ACE Physics (acephysics.net). The ACE Physics tutorials include dynamic guidance elements and, unlike other tutorials, are intended for use outside the classroom without instructor facilitation. After extensive study in an instructor-supported environment, we assigned the ACE Physics basis tutorial as homework in two semesters of upper-division quantum mechanics, and we report on the effectiveness of the activity based on pre-/post-testing and comparison of student exam performance with a similar semester that did not include the activity. We find that the tutorial produces sufficient learning gains to justify continued assignment as a homework problem in our classes.

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Section: The Ace Physics Projectmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Effectiveness of an online homework tutorial about changing basis in quantum mechanics

Corsiglia¹,

Pollock²,

Wilcox³

2022

2022 Physics Education Research Conference Proceedings

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

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“…Some of the other areas of student struggle that have been investigated include basic formalism [15,16], wavefunctions [17,18], measurement [15,17,19,20], and transferring learning from one context to other contexts [12,21]. Prior research also suggests that research-validated learning tools can effectively address such difficulties [22][23][24][25], including with concepts of basis and change of basis [26,27]. For example, Quantum Interactive Learning Tutorials (QuILTs), developed and validated by our group, have been implemented with positive learning outcomes on a number of QM topics [28][29][30].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Challenges in addressing student difficulties with basics and change of basis for two-state quantum systems using a multiple-choice question sequence in online and in-person classes

Hu,

Li,

Singh

2023

Eur. J. Phys.

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Research-validated multiple-choice questions comprise an easy-to-implement instructional tool for scaffolding student learning and providing formative assessment of students’ knowledge. We present findings from the implementation of a research-validated multiple-choice question sequence on the basics of two-state quantum systems, including inner products, outer products, translation between Dirac notation and matrix representation in a particular basis, and change of basis. This study was conducted in an advanced undergraduate quantum mechanics course, in both online and in-person learning environments, across three years. Student learning was assessed after traditional lecture-based instruction in relevant concepts, and their performance was compared with that on a similar assessment given after engaging with the multiple-choice question sequence. We analyze, compare, and discuss the trends observed in the three implementations.

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“…Outer products are crucial in understanding and being able to carry out a basis change by applying the identity operator expressed in the appropriate basis. The importance of basis and change of basis in two-state systems has been emphasized in prior work [3,4].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Development, validation and online and in-person implementation of clicker question sequence on change of basis

Hu,

Li,

Singh

2023

2023 Physics Education Research Conference Proceedings

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Research-validated multiple-choice questions comprise an easy-to-implement instructional tool for scaffolding student learning and providing formative assessment of students' knowledge. We present findings from the implementation of a research-validated multiple-choice question sequence on concepts relating to and various methods of changing basis for two-state systems. This study was conducted in an advanced undergraduate quantum mechanics course, in both online and in-person learning environments, across three years. Student learning was assessed after traditional lecture-based instruction in relevant concepts, and students' performance was compared with that on a similar assessment given after engaging with the multiplechoice question sequence. We analyze, compare, and discuss the trends observed in the three implementations.

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Exploring student ideas on change of basis in quantum mechanics

Cited by 7 publications

References 25 publications

Effectiveness of an online homework tutorial about changing basis in quantum mechanics

Effectiveness of an online homework tutorial about changing basis in quantum mechanics

Challenges in addressing student difficulties with basics and change of basis for two-state quantum systems using a multiple-choice question sequence in online and in-person classes

Development, validation and online and in-person implementation of clicker question sequence on change of basis

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