Abstract
In this article, an approach to integrate contemporary quantum physics into secondary school teaching is presented. The Erlanger concept on quantum optics provides an experimental-based guideway to aspects of modern quantum physics. We avoid the traditional historical approach in order to overcome the lack of modern concepts of quantum physics. In an acceptance survey, initial empirical evidence for the acceptance of the developed explanatory approaches was evaluated.
Highlights
Understanding quantum technologies requires learning about fundamental issues of quantum physics
We report on a new teaching concept on quantum physics for secondary schools
We lead pupils to the traits of quantum physics—as formulated by [15]—by discussing in detail ‘theory-driven experiments’. These are typical for quantum physics, since quantum phenomena are not shown in a comparable manner to phenomena known from classical physics, such as rainbows or boiling water
Summary
Understanding quantum technologies requires learning about fundamental issues of quantum physics. Such topics from modern research on the quantum physics of light are taught in advanced courses, but experiments on complementarity or entanglement are prepared at the undergraduate level. The analysis of quantum physics school curricula in fifteen countries shows that the curricula are mostly oriented to the historical development of quantum theory [10]. Topics such as the Franck–Hertz experiment or wave-particle duality prevail and little is said about contemporary terms and concepts. In an acceptance survey with high school pupils, initial empirical evidence for the acceptance of the developed explanatory approaches was evaluated (section 3)
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