Keep It Secret, Keep It Safe: Teaching Quantum Key Distribution in High School

Keep It Secret, Keep It Safe: Teaching Quantum Key Distribution in High School | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Research Article Keep It Secret, Keep It Safe: Teaching Quantum Key Distribution in High School Efraim Yehuda WEISSMAN, Avraham MERZEL, Nadav KATZ, Igal GALILI This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-4595293/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Published Journal Publication published 03 Oct, 2024 Read the published version in EPJ Quantum Technology → Version 1 posted 9 You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) is a cryptography protocol based on the fundamental principles of quantum physics (QP). Teaching this subject does not require extensive knowledge beyond these principles, making it suitable for inclusion in high school curricula. Despite its relevance, teaching QKD in high schools is yet understudied. In this study, we collected responses from 12th -grade students from various schools that adopted and applied the Discipline-Culture vision of the physics curriculum. We assessed their understanding through conceptual and quantitative problems and examined their attitudes regarding the motivation to study this subject. We analyzed the responses using content analysis, identifying the challenges and affordances of teaching QKD. The challenges faced by students have been categorized into three themes: difficulties with QP, difficulties with the QKD protocol, and difficulties with the mathematics involved in this context. This work enhances educators’ ability to address the challenges of teaching QP and suggests that teaching QKD in high school strengthens students’ motivation to study QP. Quantum key distribution High School Education Dirac Notation Student Motivation Full Text Additional Declarations No competing interests reported. Cite Share Download PDF Status: Published Journal Publication published 03 Oct, 2024 Read the published version in EPJ Quantum Technology → Version 1 posted Editorial decision: Revision requested 15 Aug, 2024 Reviews received at journal 13 Aug, 2024 Reviewers agreed at journal 26 Jul, 2024 Reviews received at journal 01 Jul, 2024 Reviewers agreed at journal 20 Jun, 2024 Reviewers invited by journal 20 Jun, 2024 Editor assigned by journal 20 Jun, 2024 Submission checks completed at journal 19 Jun, 2024 First submitted to journal 17 Jun, 2024 You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. As a division of Research Square Company, we’re committed to making research communication faster, fairer, and more useful. We do this by developing innovative software and high quality services for the global research community. Our growing team is made up of researchers and industry professionals working together to solve the most critical problems facing scientific publishing. Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-4595293","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Research Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":321271714,"identity":"74fd4aeb-b8a8-433b-8f1f-39aac7e1a868","order_by":0,"name":"Efraim Yehuda WEISSMAN","email":"data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAZAAAAAyAQMAAABI0h/eAAAABlBMVEX///8AAABVwtN+AAAACXBIWXMAAA7EAAAOxAGVKw4bAAAAyUlEQVRIiWNgGAWjYDAC5gMgUkIORB54QJQWtgSwFmOwlgQStDAkNoBIorTws/EYMPNUWKTPDzv8EGiLnZxuAwEtkm0gLWckcjfeTjMAakk2NjtAQIvB/R4D5tw2oJbZCSAtBxK3EdJifwxoS+4/iXTD2ekfiNNiAPJLboNEgrx0DpG2SBxjKzj855iE4QbpnIIDCQZE+IW/jXnjwxk1dfLys9M3f/hQYSdHUAsDA4cBWA2UJKgcBNgfgCn5BqJUj4JRMApGwUgEAMyrQTiDxUbnAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC","orcid":"","institution":"Jerusalem College of Technology","correspondingAuthor":true,"prefix":"","firstName":"Efraim","middleName":"Yehuda","lastName":"WEISSMAN","suffix":""},{"id":321271715,"identity":"6c9226e2-48d2-4f62-8730-d98f80ca4ed8","order_by":1,"name":"Avraham MERZEL","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"The Hebrew University of Jerusalem","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Avraham","middleName":"","lastName":"MERZEL","suffix":""},{"id":321271716,"identity":"14ab35a7-b9bb-4f60-b46e-a6970b682245","order_by":2,"name":"Nadav KATZ","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"The Hebrew University of Jerusalem","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Nadav","middleName":"","lastName":"KATZ","suffix":""},{"id":321271717,"identity":"bbda706e-a37f-4219-bcda-e1d57024b5c6","order_by":3,"name":"Igal GALILI","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"The Hebrew University of Jerusalem","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Igal","middleName":"","lastName":"GALILI","suffix":""}],"badges":[],"createdAt":"2024-06-17 16:10:26","currentVersionCode":1,"declarations":"","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-4595293/v1","doiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-4595293/v1","draftVersion":[],"editorialEvents":[{"content":"https://doi.org/10.1140/epjqt/s40507-024-00276-4","type":"published","date":"2024-10-03T15:58:29+00:00"}],"editorialNote":"","failedWorkflow":false,"files":[{"id":66097070,"identity":"d326b385-23dd-4376-864c-082ddffe181f","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2024-10-07 16:13:15","extension":"pdf","order_by":1,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"manuscript-pdf","size":878557,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"keepitepj19062024.pdf","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-4595293/v1_covered_2346b4f8-4c0d-40f2-8a4a-94ce4b1a6068.pdf"}],"financialInterests":"No competing interests reported.","formattedTitle":"Keep It Secret, Keep It Safe: Teaching Quantum Key Distribution in High School","fulltext":[],"fulltextSource":"","fullText":"","funders":[],"hasAdminPriorityOnWorkflow":false,"hasManuscriptDocX":false,"hasOptedInToPreprint":true,"hasPassedJournalQc":"","hasAnyPriority":false,"hideJournal":false,"highlight":"","institution":"","isAcceptedByJournal":true,"isAuthorSuppliedPdf":true,"isDeskRejected":"","isHiddenFromSearch":false,"isInQc":false,"isInWorkflow":false,"isPdf":true,"isPdfUpToDate":true,"isWithdrawnOrRetracted":false,"journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"epj-quantum-technology","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"externalIdentity":"epjq","sideBox":"Learn more about [EPJ Quantum Technology](http://epjquantumtechnology.springeropen.com)","snPcode":"40507","submissionUrl":"https://submission.nature.com/new-submission/40507/3","title":"EPJ Quantum Technology","twitterHandle":"","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":true,"editorialSystem":"em","reportingPortfolio":"Springer Hybrid","inReviewEnabled":true,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true},"keywords":"Quantum key distribution, High School Education, Dirac Notation, Student Motivation","lastPublishedDoi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-4595293/v1","lastPublishedDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-4595293/v1","license":{"name":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"},"manuscriptAbstract":"\u003cp\u003eQuantum Key Distribution (QKD) is a cryptography protocol based on the fundamental principles of quantum physics (QP). Teaching this subject does not require extensive knowledge beyond these principles, making it suitable for inclusion in high school curricula. Despite its relevance, teaching QKD in high schools is yet understudied. In this study, we collected responses from 12th -grade students from various schools that adopted and applied the Discipline-Culture vision of the physics curriculum. We assessed their understanding through conceptual and quantitative problems and examined their attitudes regarding the motivation to study this subject. We analyzed the responses using content analysis, identifying the challenges and affordances of teaching QKD. The challenges faced by students have been categorized into three themes: difficulties with QP, difficulties with the QKD protocol, and difficulties with the mathematics involved in this context. This work enhances educators\u0026rsquo; ability to address the challenges of teaching QP and suggests that teaching QKD in high school strengthens students\u0026rsquo; motivation to study QP.\u003c/p\u003e","manuscriptTitle":"Keep It Secret, Keep It Safe: Teaching Quantum Key Distribution in High School","msid":"","msnumber":"","nonDraftVersions":[{"code":1,"date":"2024-07-09 09:30:32","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-4595293/v1","editorialEvents":[{"type":"communityComments","content":0},{"type":"decision","content":"Revision requested","date":"2024-08-15T08:34:35+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorInvitedReview","content":"","date":"2024-08-13T21:31:59+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"180346462035057142806747375261804432438","date":"2024-07-26T08:44:14+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorInvitedReview","content":"","date":"2024-07-01T14:18:23+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"118697535682880121298377272515944391768","date":"2024-06-20T13:24:01+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewersInvited","content":"","date":"2024-06-20T13:20:13+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorAssigned","content":"","date":"2024-06-20T11:50:47+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"checksComplete","content":"","date":"2024-06-19T13:21:54+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"submitted","content":"EPJ Quantum Technology","date":"2024-06-17T16:09:07+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""}],"status":"published","journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"epj-quantum-technology","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"externalIdentity":"epjq","sideBox":"Learn more about [EPJ Quantum Technology](http://epjquantumtechnology.springeropen.com)","snPcode":"40507","submissionUrl":"https://submission.nature.com/new-submission/40507/3","title":"EPJ Quantum Technology","twitterHandle":"","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":true,"editorialSystem":"em","reportingPortfolio":"Springer Hybrid","inReviewEnabled":true,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true}}],"origin":"","ownerIdentity":"ac5d49f1-c0fd-4a9e-b247-dd4c8e1d4d75","owner":[],"postedDate":"July 9th, 2024","published":true,"recentEditorialEvents":[],"rejectedJournal":[],"revision":"","amendment":"","status":"published-in-journal","subjectAreas":[],"tags":[],"updatedAt":"2024-10-07T16:06:22+00:00","versionOfRecord":{"articleIdentity":"rs-4595293","link":"https://doi.org/10.1140/epjqt/s40507-024-00276-4","journal":{"identity":"epj-quantum-technology","isVorOnly":false,"title":"EPJ Quantum Technology"},"publishedOn":"2024-10-03 15:58:29","publishedOnDateReadable":"October 3rd, 2024"},"versionCreatedAt":"2024-07-09 09:30:32","video":"","vorDoi":"10.1140/epjqt/s40507-024-00276-4","vorDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1140/epjqt/s40507-024-00276-4","workflowStages":[]},"version":"v1","identity":"rs-4595293","journalConfig":"researchsquare"},"__N_SSP":true},"page":"/article/[identity]/[[...version]]","query":{"redirect":"/article/rs-4595293","identity":"rs-4595293","version":["v1"]},"buildId":"qtupq5eGEP_6zYnWcrvyt","isFallback":false,"isExperimentalCompile":false,"dynamicIds":[84888],"gssp":true,"scriptLoader":[]}