American Journal of Physics

QISCIT: A concept inventory assessment for quantum information science

Kelley L. Durkin, Manshuo Lin, Michael Kolodrubetz, Ryan P. McMahan

Published Jul 23, 2026• 0 citations

Abstract

Quantum information science (QIS) is a critical interdisciplinary field, deeply rooted in physics, that requires a well-educated workforce in the near future. Numerous researchers and educators have been actively investigating how to best educate and prepare such a workforce. An open issue has been the lack of a tool with a strong validation argument to assess QIS understanding without requiring college-level math. In this paper, we present the systematic development of and content validation argument for a new assessment instrument called the Quantum Information Science Concept Introductory Test (QISCIT). With feedback from 11 QIS experts, we have developed a 31-item version of QISCIT that covers concepts like quantum states, quantum measurement, qubits, entanglement, coherence and decoherence, quantum gates and computing, and quantum teleportation.

DOI: 10.1119/5.0287731

Related papers

QISCIT: A validated concept inventory assessment for quantum information science

Kelley L. Durkin, Lin, Manshuo, Michael Kolodrubetz +1 more

Quantum information science (QIS) is a critical interdisciplinary field that requires a well-educated workforce in the near future. Numerous researchers and educators have been actively investigating how to best educate and prepare such a workforce. An open issue has been the lack of a validated tool to asses QIS understanding without requiring college-level math. In this paper, we present the systematic development and content validation of a new assessment instrument called the Quantum Information Science Concept Introductory Test (QISCIT). With feedback from 11 QIS experts, we have developed and validated a 31-item version of QISCIT that covers concepts like quantum states, quantum measurement, qubits, entanglement, coherence and decoherence, quantum gates and computing, and quantum communication. In addition to openly sharing our new concept inventory, we discuss how introductory QIS instructors can use it in their courses.

arXiv:2506.17122Jun 20, 20250 citations

Introductory quantum information science coursework at US institutions: content coverage

Josephine C. Meyer, Gina Passante, Steven J. Pollock +1 more

Abstract Despite rapid growth of quantum information science (QIS) workforce development initiatives, perceived lack of agreement among faculty on core content has made prior research-based curriculum and assessment development initiatives difficult to scale. To identify areas of consensus on content coverage, we report findings from a survey of N=63 instructors teaching introductory QIS courses at US institutions of higher learning. We identify a subset of content items common across a large fraction (≥ 80%) of introductory QIS courses that are potentially amenable to research-based curriculum development, with an emphasis on foundational skills in mathematics, physics, and engineering. As a further guide for curriculum development, we also examine differences in content coverage by level (undergraduate/graduate) and discipline. Finally, we briefly discuss the implications of our findings for the development of a research-based QIS assessment at the postsecondary level.

arXiv:2308.12929EPJ Quantum TechnologyMar 7, 202432 citations

Assessing student learning in quantum computing: lessons from developing a test item on phase kickback

Josephine C. Meyer, Steven J. Pollock, Bethany R. Wilcox +1 more

A major challenge for quantum workforce development is the need to both understand and reliably assess student learning of quantum information science (QIS) fundamentals. Yet student thinking is notoriously difficult to probe, even for seasoned education researchers. This article presents the story of Item 15 on the Quantum Computing Conceptual Survey (QCCS). This assessment item underwent more revision and discussion within the team than the remaining 19 assessment questions combined. This paper provides a behind-the-scenes look at the development of this assessment question: a story that both reveals interesting findings about student reasoning in quantum computing and illustrates why quantum education researchers insist on triangulating diverse quantitative and qualitative data sources when developing and refining assessment items, with implications for any researcher looking to understand and measure student conceptual reasoning in quantum computing, as well as for QIS curriculum and workforce development more broadly.

arXiv:2602.22388EPJ Quantum TechnologySep 28, 20260 citations

The Benefits and Challenges of a Quantum Computing Concept Inventory

Lachlan McGinness

A Quantum Computing Concept Inventory is needed for the acceleration of uptake of best practice in quantum computing education required to support the quantum computing workforce for the next two decades. Eight experts in quantum computing, quantum ommunication or quantum sensing were interviewed to determine if there is substantial non-mathematical content to warrant such an inventory and determine a preliminary list of key concepts that should be included in such an inventory. Developing such an inventory is a challenging task requiring significant international 'buy-in' and creativity to produce jargon-free valid questions which are accessible to students who are yet to study quantum mechanics.

physics.ed-phCross-listedarXiv:2512.20836Dec 25, 20250 citations

The Benefits and Challenges of a Quantum Computing Concept Inventory

Lachlan P. McGinness

A Quantum Computing Concept Inventory is needed for the acceleration of uptake of best practice in quantum computing education required to support the quantum computing workforce for the next two decades. Eight experts in quantum computing, quantum communication or quantum sensing were interviewed to determine if there is substantial nonmathematical content to warrant such an inventory and determine a preliminary list of key concepts that should be included in such an inventory. Developing such an inventory is a challenging task requiring significant international ‘buy-in’ and creativity to produce jargon-free valid questions which are accessible to students who are yet to study quantum mechanics.

The Physics EducatorJun 1, 20240 citations

Design and evaluation of a questionnaire to assess learners’ understanding of quantum measurement in different two-state contexts: The context matters

Philipp Bitzenbauer, Sergej Faletič, Marisa Michelini +2 more

[This paper is part of the Focused Collection in Investigating and Improving Quantum Education through Research.] The teaching and learning of quantum physics has recently become a topic of increasing interest in physics education research. In particular, the study of two-state systems is gaining importance as a means of teaching quantum physics at various educational levels. Meanwhile, a number of approaches have been developed that are also suitable for high school students. It can be assumed that the different approaches have different degrees of effectiveness in teaching central quantum concepts. However, suitable evaluation instruments to test this are still lacking. Therefore, as a first step, a short questionnaire on quantum measurement, suitable for both research and classroom use, was developed in several steps. First, a questionnaire with open and closed items was created and piloted with a total of N = 120 learners. The responses were evaluated qualitatively using a comprehensive coding manual, which provided insights into learners’ conceptions. These results led to the development of an eight-item questionnaire that could be adapted to different teaching approaches. This questionnaire was subjected to expert review and, finally, successfully tested for its psychometric properties with a sample of N = 201 learners. Overall, our results provide initial empirical evidence that context (i.e., which two-state approach is used) does matter for student learning, but in general, two-state approaches appear to be particularly conducive to learning quantum concepts (specified in this article for quantum measurement) compared to traditional instruction. Published by the American Physical Society 2024

Physical Review Physics Education ResearchOct 29, 202414 citations