STEM & Design Thinking
Our students learn to create the world of tomorrow
Children who attend school now will be graduating and searching for jobs that may not even exist yet. At ZIS, we strive to give our students the ability to think creatively and in innovative ways so they are ready to lead the way. Our highly integrated approach to teaching Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM) is an important part of their preparation.
STEM disciplines provide solutions to some of the world’s biggest problems. We need more creative thinkers in STEM. ZIS students are taught to be capable of seeing the opportunities, where others see problems.
Science and Innovation Exhibition
An F1 in Schools track in action, interactive science experiments, our new e-car and lots of other projects impressed visitors at our first ever Science and Innovation Exhibition.
Secondary Campus students loved demonstrating what they've been doing in and out of the classroom and they certainly inspired our younger children!
Life Sciences and STEM are important parts of our strategic plan and we certainly saw the benefits of investment in these areas at the event.
Integrating STEM throughout the curriculum
In the real world, STEM isn’t experienced in isolation nor in a classroom. It’s blended with other disciplines to solve real problems. We work hard at making STEM fun, and integrate STEM throughout our curriculum and co-curricular experiences.
Every year every student engages in a major integrated STEM project. This is a project that has STEM at the heart to truly embed their learning into solving real problems.
Beyond the curriculum, some of our STEM engagement activities include:
- F1 in Schools – a global challenge where teams of students aged 9 to 19 design, analyze, manufacture, test, and then race miniature compressed air powered cars.
- Swiss Young Physicists' Tournament
- Swiss Young Naturalists' Tournament
- STEM/Tinkering Lab
- STEM-focused clubs (Robotics, Programming, Geocaching, Math, Science, Live Streaming, Design, Makerspace)
- TEDx
- After School Activities
Building connections to solve problems
ZIS students experience STEM subjects in a way that enables them to see and build connections. They are encouraged to:
- Build connections between STEM subjects
- See connections between STEM in the classroom and in the real world
- Build communication and collaboration skills
- See the part that STEM plays in wider problem solving.
Industry-relevant experience
Why wait until they enter employment before experiencing an industry environment? At ZIS our students are given access to technologies and processes that are actually used in industry, as well as having access to industry specialists. Our corporate partnerships activity supports this.
Outstanding STEM facilities
We have developed state of the art facilities for STEM subjects on our primary and secondary campuses, as well as multi-purpose learning spaces and media labs.
Our Middle School has a new dedicated technology space. And we have Design Labs throughout the schools, as well as STEM labs and classrooms.
Our Design Labs complement the Mathematics and Science curriculum as well as hosting programs for robotics, programming, and design. Activities such as student-led live streaming of events, a Formula 1 in Schools club and TEDxYouth@Adliswil offer students the chance to apply their learning in ways that change the world around them, taking full advantage of our excellent facilities.