The theory of Quantum Mechanics (QM) provides a foundation for many fields of science and engineering; however, its abstract nature and technical difficulty make QM a challenging subject for students to approach and grasp. This is partly because complex mathematical concepts involved in QM are difficult to visualize for students and the existing visualization are minimal and limited. We propose that many of these concepts can be communicated and experienced through interactive visualizations and games, drawing on the strengths and affordances of digital media. Replayability of games make them particularly suitable for teaching the probabilistic nature of quantum worlds, creating an experiential bases for understanding its concepts. As such, game environment can make QM concepts more accessible and understandable by immersing students in nano-sized worlds governed by unique QM rules.
In the past few years, my research team and I have developed a series of single- and multi-players games to test whether and how we might facilitate an experiential understanding of quantum mechanics.
[1] Aditya Anupam, Azad Naeemi, Nassim JafariNaimi, “Particle in a Box: Designing a Quantum Mechanics Learning Environment.” Under review.
[2] Aditya Anupam, Azad Naeemi, Nassim JafariNaimi, “Collaborative Classroom Videogames: Learning Introductory Quantum Mechanics in a Social Environment.” Under review.
[3] Aditya Anupam, Ridhima Gupta, Azad Naeemi, Nassim JafariNaimi, “Particle in a Box: An Experiential Environment for Learning Introductory Quantum Mechanics.” IEEE Transactions of Education. 61: 1 (February 2018): 29-37.
[4] Rose Peng, Bill Dorn, Azad Naeemi, and Nassim JafariNaimi “Interactive Visualizations for Teaching Quantum Mechanics and Semiconductor Physics,” in the 2014 Frontiers in Education (FIE), (Madrid, Spain: IEEE 2014).
[5] Rose Peng, Mithila Tople, Bill Dorn, Azad Naeemi, Nassim JafariNaimi, “A Novel Interactive Paradigm for Teaching Quantum Mechanics,” in 11th annual Games+Learning+Society Conference (GLS11), (Wisconsin-Madison, USA).
