Assessing the Effectiveness of Research-based Mini-tutorials on Quantum Computing Protocols and Algorithms

As the revolutionary new field of Quantum Computing (QC) continues to grow, it is important to introduce research-based materials and pedagogical approaches to effectively teach QC concepts and skills to students across multiple disciplines. We present an empirical investigation into the use of a set of mini-tutorials developed to enhance the learning of QC concepts and skills. We videotaped the in-class group discussions during the mini-tutorials and pre- and post-tested the students before and after the mini-tutorials. We report on students in-class use of the mini-tutorials and the effectiveness of the mini-tutorials, focusing on the more complex protocols and algorithms in the latter part of an introductory QC course for upper-level undergraduates.