Faculty Disagreement about the Teaching of Quantum Mechanics
written by
Michael Dubson, Steve Goldhaber, Steven J. Pollock, and Katherine Perkins
To guide research-based transformation of upper-division physics classes, it is useful to identify learning goals that are broadly supported by the faculty. Our efforts to transform our junior-level E&M course have revealed a broad faculty consensus on the content of the course, if not the pedagogical approach. In contrast, we find a range of opinions on both the content and the pedagogy in junior-level QM. We surveyed 27 faculty about their approaches to teaching QM, and reviewed 20 quantum textbooks. Although there is broad agreement on the list and order of topics (Schrödinger equation to matrix methods and spin), we find substantial disagreement in several pedagogical aspects, including (1) the importance of presenting QM on an axiomatic basis (i.e. the postulates); (2) the treatment of measurement in QM (in particular, the collapse of the wave function); and (3) the physical interpretation of the wave function (matter wave vs. information wave vs. something else).
Physics Education Research Conference 2009
Part of the PER Conference series
Ann Arbor, Michigan: July 29-30, 2009
Volume 1179, Pages 137-140
<a href="https://www.compadre.org/quantum/items/detail.cfm?ID=9450">Dubson, M, S. Goldhaber, S. Pollock, and K. Perkins. "Faculty Disagreement about the Teaching of Quantum Mechanics." Paper presented at the Physics Education Research Conference 2009, Ann Arbor, Michigan, July 29-30, 2009.</a>
M. Dubson, S. Goldhaber, S. Pollock, and K. Perkins, , presented at the Physics Education Research Conference 2009, Ann Arbor, Michigan, 2009, WWW Document, (https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=9450&DocID=1341).
M. Dubson, S. Goldhaber, S. Pollock, and K. Perkins, Faculty Disagreement about the Teaching of Quantum Mechanics, presented at the Physics Education Research Conference 2009, Ann Arbor, Michigan, 2009, <https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=9450&DocID=1341>.
Dubson, M., Goldhaber, S., Pollock, S., & Perkins, K. (2009, July 29-30). Faculty Disagreement about the Teaching of Quantum Mechanics. Paper presented at Physics Education Research Conference 2009, Ann Arbor, Michigan. Retrieved December 2, 2024, from https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=9450&DocID=1341
Dubson, M, S. Goldhaber, S. Pollock, and K. Perkins. "Faculty Disagreement about the Teaching of Quantum Mechanics." Paper presented at the Physics Education Research Conference 2009, Ann Arbor, Michigan, July 29-30, 2009. https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=9450&DocID=1341 (accessed 2 December 2024).
Dubson, Michael, Steve Goldhaber, Steven Pollock, and Katherine Perkins. "Faculty Disagreement about the Teaching of Quantum Mechanics." Physics Education Research Conference 2009. Ann Arbor, Michigan: 2009. 137-140 Vol. 1179 of PER Conference. 2 Dec. 2024 <https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=9450&DocID=1341>.
@inproceedings{
Author = "Michael Dubson and Steve Goldhaber and Steven Pollock and Katherine Perkins",
Title = {Faculty Disagreement about the Teaching of Quantum Mechanics},
BookTitle = {Physics Education Research Conference 2009},
Pages = {137-140},
Address = {Ann Arbor, Michigan},
Series = {PER Conference},
Volume = {1179},
Month = {July 29-30},
Year = {2009}
}
%A Michael Dubson %A Steve Goldhaber %A Steven Pollock %A Katherine Perkins %T Faculty Disagreement about the Teaching of Quantum Mechanics %S PER Conference %V 1179 %D July 29-30 2009 %P 137-140 %C Ann Arbor, Michigan %U https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=9450&DocID=1341 %O Physics Education Research Conference 2009 %O July 29-30 %O application/pdf
%0 Conference Proceedings %A Dubson, Michael %A Goldhaber, Steve %A Pollock, Steven %A Perkins, Katherine %D July 29-30 2009 %T Faculty Disagreement about the Teaching of Quantum Mechanics %B Physics Education Research Conference 2009 %C Ann Arbor, Michigan %V 1179 %P 137-140 %S PER Conference %8 July 29-30 %U https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=9450&DocID=1341
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