Large-scale study of conceptual learning with single-photon experiments

Implement a large-scale study of conceptual learning among students who work with single-photon quantum optics experiments that demonstrate particle–wave duality (including heralded single-photon interference with a Mach–Zehnder interferometer and second-order correlation measurements), in order to systematically quantify learning outcomes across broader populations and contexts.

Background

This paper analyzes in-the-moment reasoning of two pairs of students as they work through three single-photon experiments, identifying resources students activate and how their ideas about quantum versus classical behavior evolve. Due to the small sample and specific implementation, the authors note challenges in scaling such research.

To move beyond case studies and characterize learning more broadly, the authors explicitly call for a large-scale paper to measure conceptual learning associated with these experiments across varied implementations, courses, and institutions.