Teaching Lab: Working with student prior knowledge

This course supports lecturers at ETH Zurich to assess and respond to students' existing knowledge.

Course content

Teaching is most effective when lecturers understand who their students are and what prior knowledge, skills and attitudes they bring to class. These play a big part in shaping what students can learn and the effort it takes. Lecturers can then actively respond to what they discover in order to lead students to the desired learning outcomes. In this course participants will learn about the role of prior knowledge in scientific learning, develop methods both for assessing students' prior knowledge and for adjusting their teaching plans in response to what they discover. During the course participants will discuss their ideas and conclusions with other participants in order to refine their own teaching plans for the future.

How does this course work?

The course is offered in four phases:

1. An online self-​study Moodle course.*
2. A four-hour workshop where participants will engage in discussion with other participants to exchange ideas and problem-​solve specific challenges.
3. A transfer phase, where course participants are expected to put concepts from the course in to practice in their own course contexts.
4. A second two-hour workshop where participants reflect on the implementation of their plan and share insights with colleagues.

*Please note: The self-​study phase consists of a Moodle course which can be completed independently of the other phases. Participants can enrol in the Moodle course directly ().

Enrolment link

Is this course for me?

This course is designed for those ETH teaching staff who are responsible for planning courses and their delivery. This includes full Professors, Assistant Professors, Senior Scientists, Senior scientific staff, Senior Assistants, Privatdozierende, Lecturers and Postdocs as long as they are in a position that enables them to plan and implement teaching. Participants must be teaching a course (either during the programme itself or in the following semester) where they have the opportunity to implement what they have learned.

Previous teacher training is not required but it is an advantage.