An approach to the Second Quantum Revolution for secondary school students: the case of the random walk algorithm

Abstract

Abstract The teaching of quantum technologies has now become a leading topic and is at the heart of numerous international programs (e.g., quantum flagship, National Quantum Initiative, UK national quantum technology program) with the aim of widening the workforce and preparing the next generations of experts. In the present contribution, we present an approach for teaching the Second Quantum Revolution to secondary school students that we developed in recent years. The approach aims to emphasize the ongoing revolution as first of all a cultural revolution and its intrinsic interdisciplinary character. As an emblematic case of some aspects of the approach, we present an activity on the classical and quantum random walk algorithms whose main aims are to recontextualize some basic quantum concepts (quantum state, state manipulation/evolution, measurement, and entanglement) in the case of the algorithm and to reflect on the main differences between the classical and quantum case in terms of logic behind its functioning as well as from an epistemological perspective.