Dr. Christian Maximilian Thurn
Dr. Christian Maximilian Thurn
Lecturer at the Department of Humanities, Social and Political Sciences
Additional information
Research area
Hey there, I am a senior scientist (Oberassistent) in Learning and Instruction at the Lab of Prof. Martina Rau, ETH Zürich. I work towards a better understanding of conceptual learning. Central questions of my research concern the role of prior knowledge (when is it helpful, when harmful?), and the statistical assessment and evaluation of conceptual learning (how should we interpret concept tests and other methods?). To address these questions, I use classroom studies, concept tests, reaction-time experiments, and concept mapping. These methods allow the investigation of conceptual learning from different perspectives, such as network analysis.
Network analysis is a suitable method for visualizing and analyzing students’ knowledge structures. To advance this field, I secured a grant to develop a tool for analyzing concept maps, which are visual representations of knowledge networks that have been challenging to quantify.
Promoting open science is a cornerstone of my research and philosophy. I publish my data and code, believing that publicly available research outputs are far more valuable, than anything that is just confined on my computer. I also strive for transparency, openness, and validity in methods and analytic techniques. For confirmatory research projects, I pre-register my hypotheses.
My teaching in the didactical training of pre-service teachers encompasses seminars and lectures on process features of learning, formative assessment, summative assessment, gender issues, and research methods. My approach to teaching emphasizes student-centered methods and constructive feedback.
As a member (and former president) of the Association of the Scientific Staff I engage in various departmental committees and groups, trying to improve mental health, well-being, and exchange among the scientific staff.
Additional information
Thesis Supervision:
I am happy to supervise theses on the topics of learning processes, intelligence, moral decision-making or education for sustainable development. Here is a list of previous projects:
- "ADHD and the experience of criticism - Focusing on female students" (2024; Bachelorarbeit, ZHAW)
- The influence of explicit variable control strategy-training on future learning from experiments" (2023; Masterarbeit, Fernuni Bern)
- "Association of Intelligence with auditory verbal Learning and Memory in Children with Epilepsy" (2023; Masterarbeit, ZHAW)
- "Behind the Scenes of a Decision - A Qualitative Analysis of the Influence of Ferdinand von Schirach's Drama "Gott" on the Subjective Opinion Formation of Actors on the Subject of Euthanasia" (2023, Bachelorarbeit, ZHAW)
Organizational Service
- JURE coordinator of the EARLI Special Interest Group 03 (Conceptual Change)
Selected Publications:
Thurn, C. M. (2024). Konzeptwechsel, Konzeptwandel oder Konzeptprävalenz?: Aktuelle Perspektiven auf das Lernen von Konzepten. In S. Schröder & S. Faulstich (Ed.), »Conceptual Change« in den »weichen« Schulfächern: Didaktische Herausforderungen für den kultur- und sozialwissenschaftlichen Unterricht (pp. 21-54). transcript Verlag. https://doi.org/10.1515/9783839468968-002
White, M., Edelsbrunner, P. A., & Thurn, C. M. (2024). The conceptualisation implies the statistical model: implications for measuring domains of teaching quality. Assessment in Education: Principles, Policy & Practice. https://doi.org/10.1080/0969594X.2024.2368252
Edelsbrunner, P. A., & Thurn, C. M. (2023). Improving the Utility of Non-Significant Results for Educational Research: A Review and Recommendations. Educational Research Review. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.edurev.2023.100590
Thurn, C.M., Edelsbrunner, P.A., Berkowitz, M., Deiglmayr, A., Schalk, L. (2023). Questioning central assumptions of the ICAP framework. npj Sci. Learn. 8, 49. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41539-023-00197-4
Thurn, C.M., Nussbaumer, D., Schumacher, R., Stern, E. (2022). The Role of Prior Knowledge and Intelligence in Gaining from a Training on Proportional Reasoning. Journal of Intelligence 10(2), 31. https://www.mdpi.com/2079-3200/10/2/31
Berkowitz, M., Braas, T., & Thurn, C.M. (2022). Sensitizing future teachers to psychological research on gender and STEM. ETH Learning and Teaching Journal, 3 (1), 23-55. https://learningteaching.ethz.ch/index.php/lt-eth/article/view/201/175
Berkowitz, M., Gerber, A., Thurn, C. M., Emo, B., Hoelscher, C., & Stern, E., (2021). Spatial Abilities for Architecture: Cross Sectional and Longitudinal Assessment With Novel and Existing Spatial Ability Tests. Frontiers in Psychology, 11, 4096. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.609363
Thurn, C. M., Hänger, B., & Kokkonen, T. (2020). Concept Mapping in Magnetism and Electrostatics: Core Concepts and Development over Time. Education Sciences, 10(5), 129. doi:10.3390/educsci10050129
Course Catalogue
Spring Semester 2025
| Number | Unit |
|---|---|
| 871-0238-01L | Support and Diagnosis of Knowledge Acquisition Processes (EW3) |
| 871-0240-17L | Designing Learning Environments for School: Educational Foundations (EW2 TC) |
| 871-0242-05L | How to Develop and Implement Teaching Projects in Outdoor Education |