Quantum technologies and interdisciplinarity: a winter school in Bologna

In the second and third week of February (10-11-12 and 17-18-19, 2021) in Bologna a IDENTITIES winter school titled “Tecnologie quantistiche: una nuova sfida per la didattica” (“Quantum technologies: a new challenge for education”) was held. The school involved students of the curriculum in Physics Education and History of Physics of the Master course in Physics of Bologna. The school was a joint-event between IDENTITIES and PLS (“Piano Lauree Scientifiche”) an Italian project aimed to create a collaboration between schools and universities. This implied that also in-service teachers did participate in the school and could provide their contribution to the discussions. In total, about 25 people participated in the six afternoon workshops (three hours each). Due the COVID-19 pandemic, the school was held online, via zoom.

Quantum technologies are an advanced STEM topic (O2) that is being talked about more and more. As a STEM topic this theme is intrinsically interdisciplinary and suitable for exploring how mathematics, physics and computer science come into play.

The six meetings aimed, on the one hand, to make teachers aware of the “second quantum revolution” and of the cultural change it brings with, and, on the other hand, to show them an interdisciplinary approach to the theme that we had already implemented with secondary school students.

These new technologies were introduced from the basic concepts of quantum physics, necessary to grasp their essence, to the contemporary quantum protocols and algorithms. The interdisciplinary thread allowed us to compare, intertwine mathematics, physics and computer science and to show how an interdisciplinary structure can be used to design further educational modules.

2 comments on “Quantum technologies and interdisciplinarity: a winter school in Bologna

  1. Hello! I I would like if it is posible to read the material (or a piece of it) you had already implemented with secondary school students about quantum tech.

    1. Dear Laura, thank you for your interest in the project. We have given your contact to the people in charge of the quantum technologies module.

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