Teaching, Learning, Research and Developing Materials for Quantum Computing Courses

Quantum Information Science and Quantum Computing are exciting fields that draw from information theory, computer science, mathematics, and quantum physics to process information in fundamentally new ways. Although the field of Quantum Computing is not entirely new, interest in it has accelerated recently in educational settings, government and industry. There is an ongoing push for the development of quantum computers and advancement in quantum information technology. Simultaneously, there is a push for the design and development of courses, curricular materials and pedagogical approaches needed to expand and support an inclusive quantum workforce. We discuss the development of a Quantum Computing course at Texas Tech University in an interactive-engagement, semi-flipped classroom environment. We also present research on students' understanding of the topics taught in that course as evidenced in a case study (a set of semi-structured interview sessions) of students' strengths and difficulties in learning the topics. This research aims to inform the design and modification of pedagogical strategies and materials used in teaching an introductory course in Quantum Computing.