Towards metaphors for quantum computational thinking

Abstract In recent years, the quantum computing industry has seen significant investment and growth. However, this burgeoning industry faces a persistent labour gap: individuals with computing expertise, an understanding of quantum principles, and the ability to apply these principles to computing practices, are in increasing demand, but finding such individuals is proving challenging. We frame this problem as one of education, arguing that a computing-centred approach to learning about quantum computing is needed, and that the notion of computational thinking can help to define appropriate learning goals and outcomes in this context. We propose that metaphors can be an effective pedagogical tool in supporting the development of ‘quantum computational thinking’. In this paper, we present our efforts to gather and assess a collection of metaphors that are currently used to teach quantum computing concepts. We describe a series of interviews with quantum computing experts in which we aimed to elicit such metaphors, and document our process of metaphor identification and metaphorical model synthesis. We subsequently assess these metaphors and models using both numerical rating data from experts and our own qualitative analysis. Informed by our findings, we suggest ways of developing metaphors that better support quantum computational thinking: emphasising target concepts’ computational roles, acknowledging connections between concepts, and balancing procedural narratives with embodied, tangible imagery.