MINTerlink connects students, school teachers, and researchers to strengthen STEM education through learning sciences. It offers three courses: EW1 – Human Learning, where students explain core concepts to school learners; a teaching Internship, focused on building on prior knowledge; and the seminar, where students support schools in team teaching and reflect on materials, digital tools, and prior knowledge. MINTerlink promotes hands-on learning, school–research collaboration, and creates an Inventory of Knowledge (IoK) to share insights from all courses to all stakeholders for free.
Implementation of the Project/Course
The MINTerLink project fosters sustainable STEM knowledge exchange between classroom practice, teacher education, and research. It currently comprises three interrelated courses, each with a distinct focus, designed to develop students’ pedagogical and subject-specific competencies. These courses are supported by an online platform, serving both as a data entry tool (MINTerLink platform) and as a publicly accessible, free knowledge repository (Inventory of Knowledge). Assignments are assessed mainly by ETH Zurich teaching experts, with support from partner universities when needed, making this a unique collaboration. 871-0240-00L – Human Learning (EW1) combines lectures (≈80 %) with reflection tasks (≈20 %). In the reflection tasks, students formulate core concepts from their own subjects, compile key terms and related ideas, provide descriptions, and indicate the relevant school level. Written feedback from didactic experts at ETH and partner Universites of Teacher Education (PHs) supports students in deepening their conceptual understanding and in developing greater awareness of learners’ levels. The exercises are designed to foster deep understanding and to enhance the ability to adapt teaching to students’ needs. 271-0102-00L – The Teaching Practicum with assessment lessons is highly practice-oriented and takes place in schools. Instead of a standard practicum report for the Gymnasium class, students’ reflections are made available for stakeholders. Data have been collected from the Computer Science course and will be extended to Physics. These insights are freely provided in the Inventory of Knowledge for all interested parties. 871-0228-00L – MINTerLink Collaboration in STEM Subjects enables ETH students in teacher education to support primary and secondary school teachers through team teaching. Students contribute subject expertise, while benefiting from teachers’ pedagogical knowledge. Lecturers from educational science and subject didactics provide guidance and integrate research findings. This fosters theory-practice transfer, offers insights into STEM teaching in schools, and generates starting points for future research projects. At the core of MINTerlink is the Inventory of Knowledge (= IoK), which collects and shares student reports from all collaborations. Reports are structured according to teaching and research-relevant criteria, including subject, grade level, teaching method, class composition, and ICT use. Students document pupils’ knowledge, teaching materials, lesson design, and learning development. This subject-specific platform serves as a versatile resource for stakeholders across education.
Motivation, Project Mission, Vision Statement
Motivation: MINTerlink focuses on what benefits future educators the most: The intersection of content knowledge, pedagogical content knowledge (PCK), and general pedagogical knowledge. ETH students learn to transform disciplinary concepts into engaging experiences for learners and to identify and leverage prior knowledge, which are key skills for successful teaching. Additionally, they acquire valuable insights from experienced school teachers, whose expertise enriches their practice. This combination fosters practical application and a deeper understanding of learning across all educational levels.
Mission: MINTerlink’s mission is to innovate in teacher training, preparing students to become reflective, confident, and competent STEM educators. The project develops evidence-based teaching concepts and materials to ensure high learning performance. It creates learning environments where theory and practice merge: students test their knowledge in classrooms, reflect on their experiences, and receive feedback.
Vision Statement: In the long term, MINTerlink seeks to strengthen the culture of STEM learning by supporting students individually, inspiring teachers, and building a sustainable bridge across levels and institutions. The IoK underpins this vision by continuously collecting and structuring learning data from all STEM subjects in a scalable database, linking student characteristics with knowledge development, teaching practices, and materials.
Innovative Elements
MINTerlink transforms STEM education by enhancing collaboration between students, teachers, and researchers. It integrates subject knowledge, pedagogical expertise, and scientific evidence, linking theory and practice. Focusing on sustainable STEM learning, it helps educators identify students’ prior knowledge, build on it, and align it with core disciplinary concepts (didactic reconstruction), making teaching more accessible and effective. The IoK continuously publishes, organizes, and shares practice-based insights and disciplinary foundations across all school levels. Like an anthill, information from diverse institutions is gathered to foster sustainable instruction and peer learning. Free, cross-institutional, and multi-level, it is unique. MINTerlink also introduces blended learning, task-based assessments, team teaching, and iterative peer feedback, engaging ETH students (prospect teachers) as co-creators and empowering them to become reflective and innovative STEM educators.
Effects on Student Learning
Students benefit from authentic teaching experiences where they actively design and deliver STEM lessons, supported by teachers’ pedagogical expertise. This allows them to develop a solid understanding of learners’ prior knowledge. They critically reflect pedagogical concepts through reports and feedback from peers, mentors, and faculty. Knowledge transfer is fostered by the close collaboration with experienced teachers and the IoK. Pupils, in turn, profit from lessons that are tailored to their needs and enriched by the subject expertise of university students. Teachers report increased self-efficacy as they gain new impulses, test innovative ideas, and address topics beyond their usual repertoire. Feedback from both students and teachers has been consistently excellent, confirming that the innovation works in practice. Furthermore, real-world STEM teaching takes place, creating added value for all stakeholders and ensuring that evidence-based methods translate into classroom impact.
ETH Competence Framework
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Competencies
1. Pedagogical Content Knowledge: Students learn to present subject concepts clearly and adapt them to pupils’ prior knowledge.
2. Analytical & Problem-Solving Skills: Lesson planning and reflection foster analytical thinking and the ability to structure learning processes.
3. Communication & Teamwork: Collaboration with teachers, peers, and students strengthens cooperative skills and constructive interaction.
4. Self-Management & Project Skills: Students independently organize lessons, reflect on outcomes, and take responsibility for their teaching.
5. Critical & Reflective Thinking: Continuous feedback and reflection promote critical thinking and the development of profes
Which Elements of Your Project Would You Recommend to Others?
MINTerlink combines research-based strategies with hands-on practice to promote maximal learning gains. Students apply theory in real classroom settings, supported by structured reflection and continuous feedback from mentors, peers, and faculty of different school levels and institutions. The platform enables blended learning, flexible communication, and resource sharing. Team teaching fosters collaboration between students and teachers, while task-based assessments and a focus on pupils’ prior knowledge encourage deeper understanding, critical thinking, and engagement.
