Cryptography takes over maths classes in schools of Romandie

Cryptography, the art of securing information transmission that combines both mathematics and computer science, was at the center of the workshops organized in 22 classes of 13 to 15-year-old students by the Science Outreach Department and the School of Computer and Communication Sciences (IC) of EPFL. Students from schools in the Cantons of Vaud, Neuchâtel and Jura had the opportunity to discover a variety of ciphers and coding methods illustrated by examples and games, which attempted to make cryptography a little less difficult to understand and light a spark of curiosity among the students.

Four classes in the secondary school of Léon-Michaud in Yverdon-les-Bains signed up for the workshops. After an introduction to the use of encryption techniques, the students were tasked to solve puzzles and decrypt a key, using the techniques learned, to open a suitcase filled with a surprise, and try their hands at the Alkindi crypto competition. "There were a few difficult puzzles, especially finding the enigma key, but it was fun," says Thomas, a student of the school.

“I was happy to see the students so receptive. I was a little hesitant to sign the class up initially, as some of them have difficulties concentrating. But I was finally delighted to see their level of engagement and how interested they were in the activities organized,” Joël Fiaux, a mathematics teacher, explains. Marie-Laure Bovard, Dean of the School and Mathematics teacher, shares her colleague’s enthusiasm: “these are students who are not always very academic, but this morning they were fully engaged in solving the puzzles.”

"Cryptography is included in the program of classes specialized in maths and physics, where it is taught to a fraction of the students. But in regular mathematics classes, there is practically none. We only teach a little bit of coding, even though I think cryptography would certainly have its place, as it helps to develop the logico-mathematical understanding that is relevant and useful in the real world, and not just for mathematics," Marie-Laure Bovard highlights.

“We were very happy to see so many classes participate. Initiating youngsters to cryptography is a great way to increase their interest in maths and computer science while introducing notions of information protection and security,” says Farnaz Moser, Head of the Science Outreach Department at EPFL.