Tobias M. Schifferle

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Dozent

Centre for Education and Digital Transformation

Medienbildung und Informatik

PH Zurich
Lagerstrasse 2
8090 Zurich

+41 43 305 53 02

tobias.schifferle@phzh.ch

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About

Tobias M. Schifferle is an educational scientist and former primary school teacher. Since 2015, he has engaged with digital media not only in his free time and in the classroom, but also in the initial and continuing education of teachers and in research.

As a lecturer at the Centre for Media Education and Computer Science at the Zurich University of Teacher Education (PHZH), he developed and lead programmes for schools, teachers and students. He is programme director of the MAS Digital Transformation in Education (DTE) and the DAS Digital Innovation in Education (DIE). He gives talks, develops materials and conducts research. Alongside general media didactics, his focus areas are artificial intelligence and immersive technologies – always with a focus on education. He’s chair of the Teaching with New Media (UNM) conference and a member of the programme committees of the Rigi Conference on computer science didactics and the Constructionism conference. He likes to push boundaries and try new things – for example with PHuture Hack, the first university-wide hackathon at PHZH, whose concept was awarded the Förderpreis der Lehre 2025 and which will take place in 2027.

As a researcher at the Center for Education and Digital Transformation, Tobias M. Schifferle contributes to the DEEP Professionalization project on questions of educational equity in the digital transformation of primary schools. Within this work he researchs teachers’ “Digital Educational Equity Mindset” (DEEM), and he served on the organising committee of the Mediendidaktik 2025 conference. In 2026 he was also a visiting External Principal Investigator at the University of New England (Australia) with his own project funded by the Swiss National Science Foundation (Scientific Exchange). In the IMMERSE project he explores the didactic potential of XR technologies.

In addition, he works in various roles across the university’s programmes and collaborations, particularly in media and computer science, with a focus on didactics, digital transformation and equal opportunities. He’s a member of the University Assembly; until 2026 he was also a member of the board of the University Assembly (representing teaching and research staff) and co-head of the Computer Science professional group. From 2019 to 2024 he was a didactic expert and researcher at mint & pepper and CYBATHLON at ETH Zurich.

He’s a passionate family man, happily married to his wife Céline, and together they have two children and two cats. In his free time he enjoys running, cycling and reading, and he also treasure the occasional gaming session.

Focus on research, teaching, services

Research:

  • DEEP Professionalization: educational equity in the digital transformation of primary schools; development of the Digital Educational Equity Mindset (DEEM) instrument
  • IMMERSE: didactic potential of XR technologies
  • Focus areas: media didactics, artificial intelligence, immersive technologies (XR), equal opportunities

Conferences and academic services:

  • Chair of the Teaching with New Media (UNM) conference
  • Programme committee, Rigi Conference on computer science didactics
  • Co-chair, programme committee and organiser, Barcamp Constructionism/FabLearn 2023, Columbia University, New York; programme committee, Constructionism 2025
  • Organising committee, Mediendidaktik 2025 conference

Reviewer for academic journals:

  • FabLearn
  • Constructionism
  • The Electronic Journal of e-Learning (EJEL)
  • MedienPädagogik – Journal for Theory and Practice of Media Education

Teaching (selection):

  • Programme director, MAS Digital Transformation in Education (DTE)
  • Course director, DAS Digital Innovation in Education (DIE)
  • Continuing education and in-school training: school support in digitality, making, virtual reality, AI
  • Primary teacher education:
    • Computer Science 1 (MI.P100)
    • Computer Science 2 (MI.P200)
    • Media and Computer Science in Practice (MI.P300)
  • Adult secondary certificate:
    • Development of the final examination format
    • Project lead for a 360° video of the exam setting
  • Fundamentals of Media and Computer Science course (GMI), primary and secondary level
  • Requalification course in Media and Computer Science (MI.P510); CAS PICTS computer science days
  • Media and Computer Science planning guide for secondary schools (Volksschulamt, Canton of Zurich)

Publications

  • Bernadette Spieler, Manuela Dahinden, Klaus Rummler und Tobias M. Schifferle (2024)Making & more: gemeinsam Lernen gestalten.

  • Schifferle, Tobias M. (2017)Informatik unterrichten – Fachdidaktische Überlegungen zu Lehrplan 21-konformem und fachwissenschaftlich fundiertem Informatikunterricht im Modulfach Medien und Informatik des 2. Zyklus der schweizerischen Volksschule. Masterarbeit.

    • Bernadette Spieler und Tobias M. Schifferle (2024)Making at school: Experiences from the design-based research project. Constructionism / FabLearn 2023 in New York.

    • Schifferle, Tobias M.; Berger, Martin; Schmalfeldt, Thomas (2024)Lernen mit (immersiven) 360°-Videos in der berufspraktischen Ausbildung von Lehrkräften der Primarstufe an der Pädagogischen Hochschule Zürich. Proceedings of DELFI Workshops 2024, Fulda.

    • Schifferle, Tobias M.; Kollegger, Nina (2024)INTEGRATING EMPATHY AND STEM EDUCATION: THE CYBATHLON @SCHOOL INITIATIVE. EDULEARN 2024, Mallorca.

    • Spieler, Bernadette, Schifferle, Tobias, Dahinden, Manuela (2024)«Making im Unterricht»: Erfahrungen von Lehrpersonen aus dem Design-Based-Research-Projekt.

    • Tobias M. Schifferle (2024)CYBATHLON @school scale up inclusion – towards a new low cost, high scale STEM module approach.

    • Tobias M. Schifferle, Kollegger, Nina (2024)Combining STEM Education and Equity for greater impact in late K-6 classrooms. Innovation and Technology in Computer Science Education (ACM ITICSE) 2024 Milano.

    • Reuschenbach, Monika, Schifferle, Tobias M., Tschudi, Pascal (2022)Digitale fachbezogene Kompetenzen in der Geografieausbildung der Sekundarstufe I. 8. Zukunftsforum Bildungsforschung: Bildung in einer von Digitalisierung geprägten Welt.

    • Schifferle, Tobias M. (2022)Immersives Lernen mit 360°-Videos in der berufspraktischen Ausbildung von Lehrpersonen. 8. Zukunftsforum Bildungsforschung: Bildung in einer von Digitalisierung geprägten Welt.

    • Schifferle, Tobias, Reuschenbach, Monika, Tschudi, Pascal (2022)Digitale fachbezogene Kompetenzen in der Geographieausbildung der Sekundarstufe I. HGD Symposium 2022

    • Spieler, Bernadette, Schifferle, Tobias, Berner, Tobias (2022)Beliefs and Expectations of Primary Student Teachers in Informatics. In: WiPSCE ’22: Proceedings of the 17th Workshop in Primary and Secondary Computing Education.

    • Spieler, Bernadette, Schifferle, Tobias, Dahinden, Manuela (2022)Exploring Making in Schools: A Maker-Framework for Teachers in K12. FabLearn 2022.

    • Spieler, Bernadette, Schifferle, Tobias, Dahinden, Manuela (2022)The «Making at School» Project: Planning Interdisciplinary Activities. ITiCSE ’22: Proceedings of the 27th ACM Conference on on Innovation and Technology in Computer Science Education Vol. 2.

    • Schifferle, Tobias M., Kollegger, Nina (2021)Enabling agile rapid product development in K12 classrooms by enhancing an educational exoskeleton. In: FabLearn Europe / MakeEd 2021 – An International Conference on Computing, Design and Making in Education, 1–3. FabLearn Europe / MakeEd 2021. New York, NY, USA: Association for Computing Machinery, 2021.

    • Schifferle, Tobias M., Rösch, Eike, Suter, Peter (2019)Wie gelingt eine obligatorische Informatikweiterbildung für Tausende von Lehrpersonen der Volksschule? – Ein Erfahrungsbericht mit erlebbaren Praxisteilen. Infos2019.

    • Schifferle, Tobias M., Feige, Marc und Senn, Flurin (2018)Medien und Informatik in der Sekundarschule – eine Planungshilfe.

      • Bachmann, Manuel & Schifferle, Tobias M. (2023)Virtual Reality. Neue Möglichkeiten im Unterricht. Podcast #15. Resonanzraum Bildung – ein Podcast der PH Zürich.

      • Schifferle, Tobias M. (2023)Making im Unterricht: Eine Revolution in der Lehr- und Lernkultur. Robotics Teacher Community ROTECO Newsletterbeitrag.

      • Schifferle, Tobias M. (2022)«Making & more» – eine Tagung mit zwei Gesichtern. Interview.

        Projects

        Teaching (continuing education)

        Abtauchen in virtuelle Welten (302617.01)
        DAS Digital Innovation in Education (DAS DIE 01)
        Erklär’s doch mit einem Video! (302618.01)
        Making im Unterricht: 3D-Druck 1x1 (302531.01)
        Making im Unterricht: 3D-Druck 1x1 (302631.01)
        Making im Unterricht: 3D-Druck 1x1 (302731.02)
        Making im Unterricht: Kleines Lasercutter 1x1 (302633.01)
        Making im Unterricht: Kleines Lasercutter 1x1 (302733.01)
        Making im Unterricht: Making Atelier (302537.01)
        Making im Unterricht: Making Atelier (302637.01)
        Making im Unterricht: Making Atelier (302737.01)
        Making im Unterricht: Physical Computing (302536.01)
        Making im Unterricht: Physical Computing (302636.01)
        MAS Digital Transformation in Education (MAS DTE 01)

        Further information

        Mathematics and Computer Science Education

        Mandates

        • Elected member and vice president, District School Board of Zurzach – jointly responsible for deciding appeals against decisions of local education authorities
        • Member of the University Assembly, Zurich University of Teacher Education (PHZH)
        • Member of the PHZH Computer Science Coordination Committee (PIKA)
        • Until 2026: Co-head of the Computer Science professional group, PHZH
        • Until 2026: Board member of the University Assembly (representing teaching and research staff), PHZH

        Memberships

        • European Association for Research on Learning and Instruction (EARLI)
        • JURE – Network of Junior Researchers of EARLI
        • SIG07 Technology-Enhanced Learning and Instruction (EARLI)
        • SIG21 Learning and Teaching in Culturally Diverse Settings (EARLI)
        • European Digital Education Hub (European Commission)

        • Co-Chair, Member of the Program Comittee, diverse Beiträge. 7. Oktober 2023

          Constructionism/Fablearn23.

          Columbia University, New York City

          • Digitale fachbezogene Kompetenzen in der Geographieausbildung der Sekundarstufe I. 29. Juni 2023

            Jahreskongress der Schweizerischen Gesellschaft für Bildungsforschung SGBF und der Schweizerischen Gesellschaft für Lehrerinnen- und Lehrerbildung SGL.

            PH Zürich

            • Digitale fachbezogene Kompetenzen in der Geographieausbildung der Sekundarstufe I. 7. Oktober 2022

              HGD Symposium.

              Hochschulverband für Geographiedidaktik

            • Eine Community rund um pädagogische Robotik, um die Herausforderungen der digitalen Bildung zu meistern. 27. November 2019

              Podiumsgespräch und Workshop. LEARN Day Technologien und Roboter für Innovation in der Bildung.

              Bern

            • Der Schweizer Lehrplan 21 und die Qualifizierung von Lehrkräften. 7. Dezember 2018

              Keynote. Calliope Netzwerktreffen.

              Berlin

              • Bildungspläne treffen auf Realität. 6. Dezember 2018

                Podiumsgespräch. Code Affair.

                Berlin

                2025 Teaching Award from the Zurich University of Teacher Education for the project “PHuture Hack – Designing Sustainable Higher Education”, Best of Swiss App Awards 2020 “CYBATHLON @school”: Gold in Education