Assisting Tibetan Students in Learning Quantum Mechanics via Mathematica

TL;DR

This study explores using Mathematica and PER-based methods to aid Tibetan students in learning quantum mechanics, revealing limited improvement and highlighting the need for enhanced academic literacy.

Contribution

It introduces a Mathematica-based approach combined with PER methods tailored for Tibetan students learning quantum mechanics.

Findings

Tibetan students feel subjective benefits from Mathematica.

Han students focus more on operational techniques.

Limited improvement observed in understanding time-independent Schrödinger equations.

Abstract

Undergraduate students of physics in Tibet have great difficulty learning quantum mechanics (QM). We attempt to use PER-based methods to help Tibetan students learn QM. In this preliminary study, we incorporate Mathematica in a QM course at Tibet University and record students' learning experiences. Tibetan students tend to have subjective feelings of learning Mathematica, whereas Han students (majority) are more focused on the operational techniques of Mathematica. The results also suggest that both Tibetan students and Han students show limited improvement in time-independent Schrodinger equations after learning QM with Mathematica. Further effort is needed to improve the academic literacy skills of physics students in Tibet.