Quantum Explorers: A Game-Based Approach to Quantum Education
When I was in elementary school, my class played a historical game based on a real migration event in the US that occurred in the mid 19th century: The Oregon Trail.
The game is engaging enough that you become invested in the story, and thus incentivized to succeed. We could have easily spent a class memorizing a textbook description instead of playing a game, but this creative, immersive, game-based approach sparked a level of interest in me that has me remembering the Oregon Trail decades later even though I’ve forgotten much of the other history I learned during my school years.
Given this, think about some tidbit or fact that has stuck with you over the years, something you originally learned through entertainment. As you mull over these recollections, you may begin to surmise there are benefits to creative, game-based approaches to education.
And, you’d be correct!
This is what game-based learning is all about.
Now, what if, via a game-based learning program, we could offer a similar experience with quantum computing? Are there students who’d engage with a quantum learning program where they may not have before? Would a game-based approach motivate students into completing a quantum learning program where they may not have otherwise?
The answer comes in the form of Quantum Explorers, our space exploration themed foray into game-based learning.
But before we can leap into the stars, let’s take a quick look at what game-based learning actually is.
Game-based Learning and its Benefits
Game-based learning is the adoption of game elements to non-game environments, such as the classroom or a workspace. Some of these elements may include a creative themed narrative, incentives like levels to pass and achievements to unlock, guidance to help players navigate a game, and so on.
The merits of game-based approaches to education, especially in the realm of STEM learning, is an ongoing conversation in academia. Studies into game-based approaches have yielded promising results, such as an improvement in computational thinking practices among high school students, or increased engagement among undergraduates enrolled in game-based mechanical engineering instruction compared to their other engineering courses.
Thus far, the general consensus seems to be that benefits may include:
- boosting learner engagement, motivation, and interest
- sparking a sense of accomplishment
- improvement in information processing and retention
- reduction of cognitive load*
- encouragement of healthy competition and collaboration
- catering to a variety of learner types and preferences, eg. good for lower attention span
Now, this is by no means a comprehensive list, but my purpose today is not to delve into game-based learning itself — let’s leave that chat for another day — but to talk about the IBM Quantum foray into this space.
Motivated by the promise of a game-based approach to learning, we created the Quantum Explorers program.
About Quantum Explorers
Quantum Explorers is a self-paced educational program conducted as a Qiskit community event that uses gamification to drive learning paths. The two pillars of the program are self-paced learning and community, wrapped up in a narrative theme of space exploration.
The program bridges the gap between two types of educational offerings:
- self-paced, isolated study with perennial resources such as a textbook or Youtube channel
- time-sensitive, intensive events such as a challenge, hackathon, or two-week summer school
Quantum Explorers is both self-paced and community-driven, and spans at least 6 months. The pilot program comprised of about 34 to 70 learning hours from August 2022 to February 2023.
The program does not target a specific audience demographic, and instead, targets learners aged 14 and above who benefit from this type of learning environment.
Quantum Explorers is ideal for learners who:
- perform better with community support and accountability
- don’t have the time or bandwidth for intensive, time-sensitive events
- learn better through game-based approaches, storytelling, and incentivized learning
Note that Quantum Explorers itself is not a quantum game, but a learning program with game elements injected into it. Quantum games are an entity unto themselves, though they may be implemented in a game-based learning context. We encourage our learners play and even build quantum games to improve their intuitive grasp on the subject matter.
Space Exploration Themed Achievements
In Quantum Explorers, learners work toward unlocking space exploration-themed achievements by tackling quantum labs, completing assessments, participating in community events, and more.
The achievements come in the form of the badges shown above, each with a themed story behind it, pertaining to things like navigating asteroid fields, winning a space battle, first contact, and so on. These achievements are akin to badges learners can collect and pin to their hypothetical space uniforms — not unlike Girl Scout badges or other video game achievements.
There are two types of badge achievements:
- Learning badges — associated with learning modules covering quantum computing and some of its applications, and comprised of curated beginner to intermediate syllabi, labs, and quiz assessments
- Community badges — associated with community events and activities, encouraging Explorers to foster organic collaborations, learn from people in the industry, and put their skills to use. Events include but are not limited to the Quantum Women Invited Talk series, the IBM Quantum Challenge, and an external events we collaborate with, such as the Global Quantum Game Jam.
The pilot program comprised of 3 learning badges:
- Captain — Quantum Computing & Qiskit 101
- Space Combatant — Quantum Machine Learning
- Expert Navigator — Quantum Optimization
And 3 community badges:
- Eminent Scientist — Quantum Women Invited Talks
- Prime Ambassador — Discord Activity & Community Events
- Supreme Observer — IBM Quantum Challenge Fall 202X
Each year a new learning badge will be introduced, and will be revealed at program launch.
Explorers can choose which badges they want to work towards, essentially crafting their own learning paths to gain proficiency in quantum computing fundamentals according to their personal goals, whether they want to train for a programming cup or join the workforce or simply learn what quantum computing is as an enthusiast.
The program culminates in a digital credential dependent on how many achievements the Explorer has managed to unlock. Thus, a Quantum Explorers learning path can serve as a solid foundational step on a larger personal journey to workforce-readiness.
Space Exploration Themed Narrative Immersion
One aspect of a game-based approach is the immersion into a theme by having learners engage with a narrative. Fantasy scenarios and imaginary situations may help develop intrinsic motivation, and we’ve injected elements of a narrative while encouraging learners to come up with their own where possible.
Our program takes learners on an interstellar journey. A learner, dubbed ‘Explorer’, is appointed as Captain of Earth’s first faster-than-light starship, leading humanity into a new era of space exploration. On their journey, they encounter themed obstacles and overcome them by completing learning tasks to unlock the achievements mentioned before.
To add to the immersion, we have dedicated areas in the Discord server where Explorers can not only share their favorite space news and listen to space lofi beats or atmospheric ambiences while they study, but they can name and describe their starships, and concoct information about things they discover on their journey.
Here are the delightfully imaginative starship names from the pilot cohort:
Some starship enhancements the Explorers came up with:
For now ESS Andromeda will have a flourishing aeroponics bay for fresh food and water for all animals and crew on the ship and an enhanced biogenetics lab.
And:
Traveling through the Quantumverse in ESS Interference. Special enhancement: you can’t observe the path of the ESS Interference on any detector — it just looks like a wave. Unless your own spaceship is entangled with it.
Some space battle tactics:
My battle plan for Space Combatant: 1. Crawl into Schrödinger’s box, 2. Be alive and dead at the same time while enemies attack, 3. win
And:
My personal battle plan: Go into a state of superposition, measure your lasers before firing, and beat them up!
The Explorers in our pilot cohort wholeheartedly embraced the space exploration theme regardless of their age or background; high schoolers, academics, and professionals alike engaged with the narrative.
The level of themed engagement is entirely up to the Explorer; they can easily steer clear from themed community areas if they, say, choose to focus solely on the study materials.
Noteworthy Statistics from the Pilot
Quantum Explorers is different from our other educational offerings like challenges, summer schools, and hackathons because of this game-based approach. It thus has the potential to tap into and attract audiences beyond the usual ones our events attract.
And 68% of our approximately 3000 registrants from over 100 countries around the world claimed they participated in a Qiskit event for the very first time.
We conducted a post-event survey to gauge how the Explorers found the various facets of the program. Here are the questions and answers related to the game-based approach:
How much did the space-themed storyline and gamified approach help you stay engaged or motivate you while learning quantum computing and Qiskit?
1 = Didn’t pay attention to the story and badge themes at all, 10 = Totally kept me going.
78% of those who filled the post event survey answered with 6 or higher.
How much did the Quantum Explorers approach to learning make a difference in how easily you processed information during your learning journey?
1 = Made absolutely no difference, 10 = Helped me process information and reduced cognitive load very much.
70% answered with 6 or higher.
For the following question:
What were your favorite parts of Quantum Explorers 2022–23?
70% selected at least the “space exploration theme” or the “collection of badge achievements” as their favorite parts of the program.
Of further note is: 80% of the Explorers who participated in the IBM Quantum Challenge Fall 2022 believed Quantum Explorers helped them in some way, such as by honing enough proficiency in Qiskit to give them confidence to tackle a challenge. And out of those who tackled the challenge, 59% completed all 4 labs to earn the Advanced digital credential.
We had an audience ranging from high schoolers up to professors, professionals, and developers in the industry. Further, over 36% registrants globally had she/her pronouns, more than the 15–20% our programs usually see. And, excitingly, in India this was close to 43%, which is pretty unprecedented for a science education program in this country.
Quantum Explorers 2023 and Beyond
The pilot primarily consisted of a collection of workbooks along with a designated Discord server. But, excitingly, for our 2023–24 cohort, we are implementing the portal traditionally used for our biannual IBM Quantum challenges. This portal format has now expanded to a number of our offerings including Quantum Explorers!
Thus, IBM Quantum Challenge veterans can engage with the program in an environment they’re familiar with and love, cohesive with our with other offerings, while at the same time differing in how it’s used due to this game-based approach.
Here’s a glimpse of the shiny new Quantum Explorers portal dashboard, which has been tweaked to imbibe the narrative theme. (Note: the name of the new learning badge is hidden!)
We’ve set up a program skeleton that improves on the pilot program’s design, but given the game-based nature of this program, there’s always room to improve and grow in order to enhance the experience of our Explorers. We hope to add new features and content each year, targeting the launch of each new cohort.
The 2023–24 cohort of Quantum Explorers launches on July 6th, 2023 at this time. I invite you to join us on this interstellar journey to learn quantum computing.
Resources
- Coller, Brianno D., and David J. Shernoff. “Video game-based education in mechanical engineering: A look at student engagement.” International Journal of Engineering Education 25.2 (2009): 308.
- Liu, Min, et al. “Designing science learning with game-based approaches.” Computers in the Schools 31.1–2 (2014): 84–102.
- Ma, Jingsi, et al. “The Development of Students’ Computational Thinking Practices in AI Course Using the Game-Based Learning: A Case Study.” 2022 International Symposium on Educational Technology (ISET): IEEE. (2022)
- Piispanen, Laura, et al. “Defining Quantum Games.” arXiv e-prints (2022): arXiv-2206.
- Prensky, M. “Digital game-based learning.” New York, NY: McGraw-Hill. (2001)
- Tobias, Sigmund, J. Dexter Fletcher, and Alexander P. Wind. “Game-based learning.” Handbook of research on educational communications and technology (2014): 485–503.
- Woo, Jeng-Chung. “Digital game-based learning supports student motivation, cognitive success, and performance outcomes.” Journal of Educational Technology & Society 17.3 (2014): 291–307.
*Cognitive load refers to the amount of working memory resources used. If information is hard to process or overwhelming, it can exhaust working memory and cause cognitive stress.
