Why do ships made of steel float?

The aim of the MINT-Learning Center consists in improving science education at school in the MINT areas so that students gain a better general education about the natural sciences and are better qualified for studies and professions in the natural sciences and technology. 

"MINT" stands for mathematics, informatics, natural sciences, and technics. The MINT-Learning Center is part of the ETH competence center for learning and instruction, EducETH.

In the MINT-Learning center, scientists and teachers are closely cooperating to develop teaching units on central topics from physics, chemistry, and informatics. These teaching units are developed on the basis of recent empirical research on learning and instruction. Hence, cognitively activating forms of learning such as prompts for self-explanations, instructions for metacognitive questions, and inquiry learning are integrated into these teaching units.

Since science education has to start early, the teaching units are designed as a spiral curriculum for all grade levels from elementary school to the Gymnasium. Thus, students will be confronted during their school curriculum with the same central topics repeatedly on different levels with differing requirements. In this spiral curriculum, students have the opportunity of developing their concepts and theories stepwise at each level.

Teachers who are interested in cooperating with the MINT-Learning Center to develop teaching units can be hired on a part-time basis.

Contact: Ralph Schumacher