Construyendo significados en mecánica cuántica: Fundamentación y resultados de una propuesta innovadora para su introducción en el nivel universitario

Abstract

Technology based on the principles of Quantum Mechanics is of growing importance so it becomes imperative to offer to the future professionals at least courses on the basics of it. One of the main problems faced by students when learning this subject relates to the difficulty of creating a «new perception» for the microscopic world. To help students in this matter, we used in a introductory unit a phenomenological-conceptual approach with emphasis on the quantum characteristics of the systems, in lieu of searching for classical analogies. The unit included conceptual discussions using topics like quantum computing, teleportation, quantum tunneling, one particle self interference, quantum jumps and the Schrodinger’s cat paradox. The results of the implementation of this strategy, with three groups of engineering students, showed that more than half of them attained a good understanding of the central concepts discussed.