Impact of Quantum Mechanics-Based Workshops on Developing High School Students' Interest and Intuition in Quantum Information Science

Our research aims to analyze the impact of quantum mechanics-themed games on the development of high school students' intuition and interest in topics related to quantum phenomena, such as quantum superposition and quantum measurement. In the United States, quantum concepts are introduced at a fragmented level in high schools, and efforts to implement a quantum curriculum at the secondary level have been limited. This presentation describes the development of a workshop, and the associated research study, scheduled for implementation in the late winter and spring of 2024. The workshop utilizes an interactive game-play method to introduce students to concepts in quantum computing. We anticipate that this workshopbased pedagogical approach will enhance students' ability to connect intuitive and non-intuitive concepts in QISE (Quantum Information Science and Engineering) from their experience of playing the game. We hypothesize that enabling high school students to interact with quantum mechanics concepts during their secondary education will foster sustained interest and potentially encourage them to pursue further studies in the field of QISE.